ing ▁that ▁Cor reg idor ▁would ▁soon ▁fall , ▁and ▁Mac Ar thur ▁would ▁be ▁taken ▁prisoner , ▁President ▁Franklin ▁D . ▁Ro ose vel t ▁ordered ▁Mac Ar thur ▁to ▁go ▁to ▁Australia . ▁A ▁sub marine ▁was ▁made ▁available , ▁but ▁Mac Ar thur ▁elected ▁to ▁break ▁through ▁the ▁Japanese ▁block ade ▁in ▁P T ▁boats ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Lieutenant ▁( j un ior ▁grade ) ▁John ▁D . ▁Bul keley . ▁The ▁staff ▁Mac Ar thur ▁brought ▁with ▁him ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" B ata an ▁Gang ". ▁They ▁would ▁become ▁the ▁nucle us ▁of ▁his ▁General ▁Head quarters ▁( G H Q ) ▁South west ▁Pacific ▁Area ▁( SW PA ). ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Douglas ▁Mac Ar thur ▁was ▁a ▁well - known ▁and ▁experienced ▁officer . ▁The ▁son ▁of ▁Lieutenant ▁General ▁Arthur ▁Mac Ar thur ▁Jr ., ▁who ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Medal ▁of ▁Honor ▁for ▁his ▁services ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁Mac Ar thur ▁graduated ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Military ▁Academy ▁class ▁of ▁ 1 9 0 3 . ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁a ide - de - camp ▁to ▁his ▁father ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁and ▁to ▁President ▁The odore ▁Ro ose vel t ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 0 7 . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁he ▁commanded ▁the ▁ 8 4 th ▁Brigade ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 2 nd ▁( R ain bow ) ▁Division ▁in