Elliott R. Thorpe(1897-1989)
A native of Stonington, Connecticut, General Elliott R. Thorpe's
military career encompassed two world wars, the reconstruction of
Japan, and a tour of duty in post-war Thailand. He stood guard in the
Hall of Mirrors in Versailles when the World War I treaty was signed in
1919 and was also on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese
surrendered to General Douglas MacArthur in 1945. He was one of the
last survivors of both ceremonies. General Thorpe's unheeded warning
about the Pearl Harbor attack of December 7, 1941 was arguably his most
memorable moment. Serving as a military attaché in Dutch-controlled
Java (Netherlands Indies) in 1941 when the Dutch broke a Japanese
diplomatic code, Thorpe was informed that intercepted messages referred
to planned Japanese attacks on Hawaii, the Philippines and Thailand. He
immediately cabled the information to Washington, but his warnings were
ignored. A week later the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
In 1943 then Colonel Thorpe was knighted in the Order of Orange-Nassau by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands for his work as American Liaison in the Netherlands Indies. He was promoted to Brigadier General and served as Assistant Chief of Staff G-2 and chief of counter-intelligence for General Douglas MacArthur. He played a crucial role in the reconstruction of Japan immediately following the surrender, overseeing the custody of Emperor Hirohito and covertly preventing Japan from becoming communist. General Thorpe was honored in 1949 with the title of Knight Commander in the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand for his work as military attaché of the American Embassy in Bankok.
He retired in 1949 after serving 32 years in the US Army and wrote "East Wind, Rain -- A Chief of Counter-Intelligence Remembers Peace and War in the Pacific," published in 1969 by Gambit Press, Boston. He had two sons Elliott Jr. and Donald (both deceased), and four grandchildren, including actor Bill Thorpe. General Thorpe is buried in Arlington National Cemetery with his wife Emily L. Thorpe.
In 1943 then Colonel Thorpe was knighted in the Order of Orange-Nassau by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands for his work as American Liaison in the Netherlands Indies. He was promoted to Brigadier General and served as Assistant Chief of Staff G-2 and chief of counter-intelligence for General Douglas MacArthur. He played a crucial role in the reconstruction of Japan immediately following the surrender, overseeing the custody of Emperor Hirohito and covertly preventing Japan from becoming communist. General Thorpe was honored in 1949 with the title of Knight Commander in the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand for his work as military attaché of the American Embassy in Bankok.
He retired in 1949 after serving 32 years in the US Army and wrote "East Wind, Rain -- A Chief of Counter-Intelligence Remembers Peace and War in the Pacific," published in 1969 by Gambit Press, Boston. He had two sons Elliott Jr. and Donald (both deceased), and four grandchildren, including actor Bill Thorpe. General Thorpe is buried in Arlington National Cemetery with his wife Emily L. Thorpe.