General Douglas MacArthur

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- April 1, 2004 -- Building on its tradition of recognizing significant events and individuals in American military history, Hasbro, Inc.'s G.I. JOE brand is paying tribute to two great heroes that served during World War II: General Douglas MacArthur, whose phrase "I shall return" symbolized American fortitude and who led the forces that liberated the Philippines, and Francis J. Pierce who in his role as hospital corpsman went above and beyond the call of duty saving injured infantry during the Battle of Iwo Jima.

The General MacArthur figure will begin its tour of duty this Sunday, April 4th, at the MacArthur Memorial's gift shop in Norfolk, Virginia, while the Francis J. Pierce figure will arrive to retailers in mid-April. These heroic 12" G.I. JOE figures are the latest in a series that commemorate Medal of Honor recipients that include Audie Murphy, Roy P. Benavidez, and Jimmy Doolittle.

"General Douglas MacArthur and Petty Officer Francis J. Pierce are stalwart examples of the bravery and courage of the men and women of armed forces of the United States," said Derryl DePriest, Director of Marketing for Hasbro's G.I. JOE brand. "The G.I. JOE brand is proud to celebrate their courage and exemplary commitment to their country. We are proud to be able commemorate their heroism and tell their story to a new generation of kids."

"We are very proud to host the release of one of America's finest military heroes as he is memorialized by G.I. JOE, an iconic American brand," noted Col. William J. Davis, Executive Director of the Foundation. "We chose April 4th as the ideal date for debut of the figure, as on that date the Tidewater Pipes and Drums, Virginia's premier bagpipe band, is adopting the Ancient MacArthur tartan as their official tartan in a ceremony at the MacArthur Memorial."

The General MacArthur figure is outfitted with his iconic sunglasses, pistol, maps, a parallel ruler, binoculars, dividers, a protractor, briefcase, flag and flagpole, a table, and more. The Francis J. Pierce figure comes complete with a machine gun, sheath, knife, medic bag, stethoscope, canteen and cover, IV bottle, and more. Both figures retail individually for approximately $19.99 and will be available in stores mid-April. Both figures are recommended for ages 5 and up.

Background

General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur

In 1935, Douglas MacArthur was sent to the Philippines as the military advisor to the President of the Philippine Commonwealth to create a Philippine Army and plan the Commonwealth's national defense. He was appointed Field Marshal of the Philippines in 1936 and retired from the United States Army in 1937. In July 1941, he was recalled to active duty in the United States Army as a Lieutenant General and given command of the United States Army Forces in the Far East. On December 8, 1941, Imperial Japanese Forces attacked the Philippines, forcing MacArthur's army to retreat to the Bataan Peninsula and the island fortress of Corregidor. Ordered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to evacuate to Australia in March 1942, MacArthur expressed his determination to return to the Philippines. On October 20, 1944, he returned to the islands and began the liberation of the Philippines. At war's end he was appointed the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers and oversaw the Occupation of Japan. In 1942, MacArthur was awarded the Medal of Honor for his "conspicuous leadership in preparing the Philippine Islands to resist conquest." As the Medal of Honor citation states, MacArthur's example "confirmed the faith of the American people in their Armed Forces."

Hospital Corpsman, Francis J. Pierce

Hospital Corpsmen in the United States Navy provide medical assistance to the sick and injured during wartime. Their mission of mercy has brought them into the line of fire, and many have paid the ultimate sacrifice while performing their life-saving work. Their courage and sense of duty is exemplified in the story of Francis Pierce. During the Battle of Iwo Jima, Pharmacist's Mate First Class Francis J. Pierce was caught under heavy enemy fire as he transported wounded Marines from the battlefield. Without thought for his own life, Pierce twice stood in the open to draw the enemy's fire toward him, enabling the injured to be safely evacuated. Carrying one of the wounded on his back, he advanced unarmed through deadly fire across 200 feet of open terrain. The next day, Pierce led a combat patrol to the sniper's nest that had fired upon the medical team and, while he was administering aid to an injured Marine, he was seriously wounded. Ignoring his own injuries, he directed medical treatment to the wounded and maintained protective fire for the group. For his heroic actions Pierce was awarded the Medal of Honor for displaying "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty."

Introduced in 1964, G.I. JOE was America's first action figure, and remains synonymous with American heroism. For more information about G.I. JOE, visit www.gijoe.com. For additional information about the Official G.I. JOE Collector's Club, call (817) 448-9863, or visit www.gijoeclub.com.

The General Douglas MacArthur Foundation located in Norfolk, Virginia was established in 1962 to commemorate the life and times of General Douglas MacArthur, particularly as they relate to his credo of "Duty, Honor, Country" and its relevance to future generations of Americans. To do this, the Foundation supports a number of programs to meet its goals of supporting the MacArthur Memorial, recognizing outstanding leadership by cadets and officers of the United States Armed Forces and conducting special commemorative programs.

Hasbro (NYSE:HAS) is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., its PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER, and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.