In 1927, MacArthur and Louise separated, and she moved to New York City. In August that year, William C. Prout—the president of the American Olympic Committee—died suddenly and the committee elected MacArthur as their new president. His main task was to prepare the U.S. team for the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. MacArthur saw the team as representatives of the United States, and its task was to win medals. "We have not come 3,000 miles", he told them, "just to lose gracefully." The Americans had a successful meet, winning the most medals and setting various records. Upon returning to the U.S., MacArthur received orders to assume command of the Philippine Department. In 1929, while he was in Manila, Louise obtained a divorce, ostensibly on the grounds of "failure to provide". In view of Louise's great wealth, William Manchester described this legal fiction as "preposterous".