John J. Pershing

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

General John Pershing

John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948) was an officer in the United States Army. Pershing eventually rose to the highest rank ever held in the United States military, equivalent only to the posthumous rank of George Washington: General of the Armies. He was born near Laclede, Missouri and graduated from United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1886.

1 Early life
2 West Point years
3 Early career
4 Spanish and Philippine-American Wars
5 Rise to General
6 Pancho Villa and the Mexican Revolution
7 World War I
8 Later career
9 Summary of Service
10 See also
11 External links

[edit]

Early life

John Joseph Pershing was born on September 13, 1860 on a farm near the town of Laclede, Missouri. John's father, John Fletcher Pershing was a local businessman who owned a general store in Laclede and moved his family into the town at the start of 1861. When the American Civil War began, John Fletcher Pershing worked as a sutler for the 18th Missouri Volunteer Infantry Regiment, but himself did not serve in the military nor participate in combat.

John J. Pershing attended a small school in Laclede that was seen as a "select school" and reserved for the more intelligent children who were sons and daughters of high profile citizens. As Pershing's father was a well known businessman in the Laclede area, both Pershing and his brother attended this early form of preparatory school.

Upon graduation from secondary school in 1878, Pershing became a local teacher and became involved with educating local African American children. In this way, living in an atmosphere of 19th century racism, Pershing developed an understanding of racial tolerence that would later come to play in his military career when he commanded a unit of "colored" soldiers.

Between 1880 and 1882, Pershing attended the First Missouri Normal School in Kirksville, Missouri. In the spring of 1882, already 21 years old, Pershing applied to the United States Military Academy after hearing that West Point offered an excellent college level education. Pershing would later admit to his sister that a desire to serve in the military was secondary to attending West Point and that he mainly applied to the school because the education offered was better than that of rural Missouri.

[edit]

West Point years

Cadet Pershing in 1886

John J. Pershing was sworn in as a West Point Cadet in the fall of 1882. He was selected early for leadership and rose to become the senior cadet in all four years at West Point. In 1886, Pershing was elected the Class President and held the rank of Cadet Captain, the highest possible cadet rank at West Point. In a rare honor, Pershing was also selected to command the West Point Honor Guard that attended the funeral of President Ulysses S. Grant.

Pershing graduated from West Point in the summer of 1886 and was commended by the Superintendent of West Point, General Merritt, as having high leadership skills and possessing "superb ability".

Just prior to graduation, Pershing briefly considered petitioning the Army to let him study law and delay his commission. He applied for a furlough from West Point but soon withdrew the request in favor of active Army duty. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army in the fall of 1886, at the age of 26, graduating 30th in a class of 77 at West Point.

[edit]

Early career

Pershing reported for active duty on September 30, 1886 and was assigned to Troop L of the 6th Cavalry stationed at Fort Bayard, New Mexico. While serving in the 6th Cavalry, Pershing participated in several Indian campaigns and was cited for bravery for actions against the Apache.

Between 1887 and 1890, Pershing served with the 6th Cavalry at various postings in California, Arizona, and North Dakota. He also became an expert marksman and, in 1891, was rated second in pistol and fifth in rifle out of all soldiers in the U.S. Army.

On December 9, 1890, Pershing and the 6th Cavalry arrived at Sioux City, Iowa where Pershing played a role in surpressing the last uprisings of the Lakota (Sioux) Indians. A year later, he was assigned as an instructor of military tactics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Pershing would hold this posting until 1895 but was not promoted, remaining as a Second Lieutenant at the age of 35 years old.

While in Nebraska, Pershing also attended law school and graduted in 1893. In addition, he formed a drill company in 1894 which won the Omaha Cup.

On October 1, 1895, Pershing was promoted to First Lieutenant and took command of the United States Army's 10th Cavalry Regiment (one of the original Buffalo Soldier regiments), which was comprised of African-American soldiers under white officers. He commanded actions against the Plains Indians and was responsible for deporting a large number of Creek Indians to Canada. While unsympathetic to Native Americans, Pershing was an outspoken advocate of the value of African American soldiers in the U.S. military.

In 1897, Pershing became an instructor at West Point where he joined the tactical staff. While at West Point, cadets upset over Pershing's harsh treatment and high standards took to calling him "Nigger Jack" as a reference to his service with the 10th Cavalry. This was softened to "Black Jack" by reporters covering Pershing during World War I.

[edit]

Spanish and Philippine-American Wars

Captain John J. Pershing in 1901

Upon the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, First Lieutenant Pershing (now 38 years old) was offered a brevet rank and was commissioned a Major of Volunteers on August 26, 1898. He fought with distinction at Kettle and San Juan Hill in Cuba and was cited for gallantry. In 1919 he was awarded the Silver Citation Star for these actions and, in 1932, the award was upgraded to the Silver Star Medal.

In March of 1899, after suffering from malaria and spending a sick furlough in the United States, Pershing was put in charge of the Office of Customs and Insular Affairs which oversaw occupation forces gained in the Spanish-American War to include Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam.

When the Philippine-American War broke out, Pershing was ordered to Manila and reported for duty on August 17, 1899. He was assigned to the Department of Mindanao and Jolo and commanded efforts to surpress Philippine insurrectionists. On November 27, 1900, Pershing was appointed Adjutant General of his Department and served in this posting until March 1, 1901. He was cited for bravery for actions on the Cagayan River while attempting to destroy a rebel stronghold at Macajambo.

In the spring of 1901, Pershing's brevet commission was revoked and he was recommissioned as a Captain in the Regular Army. He served with the First Cavalry in the Philippines, continuing actions against Philippine rebels. He later joined the 15th Cavalry where he served as Intelligence Officer, participating in actions against the Moros where he was cited for bravery at Lake Lanao. In June of 1901 he also briefly served as Commander of Camp Vicars, Philippines, after the previous camp commander had been promoted to Brigadier General.

[edit]

Rise to General

In June of 1903, Pershing was ordered to return to the United States. He was forty three years old and still a Captain in the U.S. Army. President Theodore Roosevelt petitioned the Army General Staff to promote Pershing to Colonel, but Pershing's superiors declined the notion and also would not consider a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel or even Major. This angered Roosevelt, but since the President could only promote Army officers in the General ranks, his hands were tied.

In 1904, Pershing was assigned as the Assistant Chief of Staff of the Southwest Army Division stationed at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In October of 1904 he attended the Army War College and then was ordered to Washington, DC for "general duties unassigned".

Brigadier General John Pershing

Since Theodore Roosevelt could not yet promote Pershing, he petioned the United States Congress to authorize a diplomatic posting and Pershing was stationed as military attaché in Tokyo in 1905. Also in 1905, Pershing married the daughter of powerful U.S. Senator Francis E. Warren of Wyoming, which greatly helped his military career.

After serving as an observer in the Russo-Japanese War, Pershing returned to the United States in the fall of 1905 now forty five years old. In a move that shocked the Army establishment, President Theodore Roosevelt convinced Congress to authorize the appointment of Pershing as a Brigadier General in the United States Army, thus skipping three ranks. This promotion outraged several high ranking Army officers who would state, for the rest of their careers, that Pershing's appointment was as the result of political connections and not military abilities.

In 1908, Pershing briefly served as a U.S. military observer in the Balkans, an assignment which was based out of Paris, France. Upon returning the United States, at the end of 1909, Pershing was assigned once again to the Philippines, an assignment which he served until 1912. While in the Philippines, he served as Commander of Fort McKinley, near Manila, and also was the governor of the Moro Province. The last of Pershing's four children was born in the Philippines and it was during this time that he became an Episcopalian.

[edit]

Pancho Villa and the Mexican Revolution

In January 1914, Pershing was assigned to command the Army 8th Brigade, responsible for security along the U.S.-Mexico border. In March 1915, under the command of General Frederick Funston, Pershing led the 8th Brigade on the failed 1916–17 Punitive Expedition into Mexico in search of the outlaw Pancho Villa. During this time, George S. Patton served as one of Pershing's assistants.

While Pershing was stationed in Mexico, he suffered a devastating personal tragedy. At the Presidio military complex in San Francisco, his wife and three young daughters were burned to death in a house fire, only his six year old son Warren was saved. Many who knew Pershing said he never recovered from the deaths of his wife and daughters.

[edit]

World War I

In 1917, following America's declaration of war on Germany, President Woodrow Wilson named Pershing to command of the American Expeditionary Forces, a post which he retained until 1918. Pershing was responsible for the organization, training, and supply of an inexperienced force that eventually grew from 27,000 men to over two million soldiers. In this way, Pershing is credited with the creation of the "National Army", a combined draft and professional Army force that was called upon to fight the First World War.

Major General Pershing of the National Army

Pershing was appointed a Major General in the National Army and his force deployed to Europe. Upon arriving in France, Pershing fought continual political campaigns to keep the AEF from being split up to augment British and French forces. During this time, George C. Marshall served as one of Pershing's assistants and Douglas MacArthur was one of his Division Commanders.

General John J. Pershing
in 1918

In 1918, Pershing was commissioned as a full General and led the United States forces in Europe to final victory over the Germans. While in Europe, Pershing openly scorned the slow trench warfare of the previous three years on the Western Front, believing that to fight over a small area of no-man's land was very costly and senseless. Under his command, the American Expeditionary Force developed advanced mobile warfare, relying on direct assaults on enemy positions as well as close-quarter shelling of targets.

The AEF's offensives at Meuse-Argonne and Saint-Mihiel in France were largely responsible for hastening the Allied victory and the German armistice; these successes were largely credited to Pershing, and he became the most celebrated American leader of the war. Critics, however, would claim that Pershing commanded from far behind the lines and was critical of commanders who personally led troops into battle. This would become a hard point with Douglas MacArthur, who saw Pershing as a desk soldier and a negative relationship between the two men had developed by the end of the First World War.

[edit]

Later career

In 1920, in recognition of his distinguished service during World War I, the US Congress authorized the President to promote Pershing to General of the Armies of the United States, a rank created especially for him and one that only he held at the time (Lieutenant General George Washington was posthumously promoted to this rank by President Gerald Ford in 1976). Pershing was authorized to create his insignia for the new rank but declined, wearing the four stars of a regular General for the duration of his career.

An elderly Pershing in the 1940s

There was a movement to make Pershing President of the United States in 1920, but he refused to actively campaign. In a newspaper article he said that he "wouldn't decline to serve" if the people wanted him and this made front page headlines. However Pershing was a Republican Party member, and many Republican Party leaders considered Pershing too closely tied to the policies of Democratic Party President Wilson. The Republican nomination went to Warren G. Harding who won the 1920 Presidential election.

In 1921, Pershing became Chief of Staff of the United States Army and served at this posting for three years. In 1924, now sixty four years old, Pershing retired from active military service but continued to be listed on the active duty rolls as part of his commission as General of the Armies.

During the 1930s, Pershing maintained a private life but was made famous by his memoirs, My Experiences in the World War, which were awarded the 1932 Pulitzer Prize for history.

In 1940, Pershing was an outspoken advocate of aid for the United Kingdom during World War II. After the United States entered the conflict, he was honored with having his image appear on the Army of Occupation of Germany Medal, created in 1941 in tribute to his leadership during the First World War.

The most famous riderless horse, Black Jack, was named for John "Black Jack" Pershing.

In 1944, with the creation of the new five star rank General of the Army, Pershing was acknowledged as the highest ranking officer of the United States military. When asked if this made Pershing a Six Star General, the then Secretary of War (Henry L. Stimson) commented that it did not, since Pershing never wore more than four stars but that Pershing was still to be considered senior to the present 5 Star Generals of World War II

Pershing lived through the entirety of World War II to see America's victory. On July 15, 1948 he died and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, near the gravesites of the soldiers he commanded in Europe, after a state funeral. During the funeral, the most famous riderless horse, Black Jack, was named for Pershing because of Pershing's nickname.

In honor of Pershing's service to his country, the Pershing missile and Pershing tank were later named after him. In addition, Pershing County, in the state of Nevada, is named in his honor. and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad named a diesel engined streamliner train after him in 1939 (known as the General Pershing Zephyr. Various streets, civic center, and towns are today named in honor of John J. Pershing.

[edit]

Summary of Service

[edit]

Dates of Rank

Signature of John Pershing as General of the Armies

August 1886: Second Lieutenant, United States Army
October 1892: First Lieutenant, United States Army
August 1898: Brevet Major of Volunteers, U.S. Army
June 1901: Captain, U.S. Army (reverted to permanent rank)
September 1906: Brigadier General, United States Army
May 1916: Major General, United States Army
October 1917: General, National Army
September 1919: General of the Armies of the United States

General Pershing lands in France in 1918

[edit]

Assignment History

1882: Cadet, United States Military Academy
1886: Troop L, Sixth Cavalry
1891: Professor of Tactics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
1895: Commanding Officer, 10th Cavalry Regiment
1897: Instructor, United States Military Academy, West Point
1898: Major of Volunteer Forces, Cuban Campaign, Spanish-American War
1899: Officer-in-Charge, Office of Customs and Insular Affairs
1900: Adjutant General, Department of Mindanao and Jolo, Philippines
1901: Battalion Officer, 1st Cavalry and Intelligence Officer, 15th Cavalry (Philippines)
1902: Officer-in-Charge, Camp Vicars, Philippines
1904: Assistant Chief of Staff, Southwest Army Division, Oklahoma
1905: Military attaché, U.S. Embassy, Tokyo, Japan
1908: Military Advisor to American Embassy, France
1909: Commander of Fort McKinley, Manila, and governor of Moro Province
1914: Brigade Commander, 8th Army Brigade
1916: Commanding General, Mexican Punitive Expedition
1917: Commanding General for the formation of the National Army
1918: Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, Europe
1921: Chief of Staff of the United States Army
1924: Retired from active military service

[edit]

Awards and decorations

Pershing's ribbons as worn during the First World War

[edit]

United States decorations

In the 1932, seven years after Pershing's retirement from active service, his silver citation star was upgraded to the Silver Star Medal and he became eligable for the Purple Heart. In 1941, he was retroactively awarded the Army of Occupation of Germany Medal for service in Germany following the close of World War I.