Other World War II generals like Patton had a grandfather serve in the Civil War but MacArthur had a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient father serve in that war. Then MacArthur the younger served in the Mexican 1914 expedition, as a general in World War I, and as a five star in World War II, and the Korean War. Those facts alone are extraordinary.
He was able to “think along big lines” to use von Mellenthin’s phrase. As an old man he pulled off his finest military accomplishment with the Inchon landing.
He saved Japan from itself, not to mention he prevented Russia from establishing “spheres of influence” on Hokkaido
MacArthur was a vain, glory-seeking narcissist who was almost as bad as England’s Montgomery. Got no use for the man.
Reshaping West Point was pretty amazing too.