In addition, Corwin's claim that Pershing was never really promoted to the rank of General of the Armies is (I hate to say it) absolutely ludicrous.  Every military text book in existence that mentions Pershing speaks of him holding this rank, his service record has documentation of this rank, and check out this link with at least five separate statements that Pershing was a General of the Armies .  I can perhaps imagine that we cant find the actual paper Wilson signed promoting Pershing (it might have been destroyed in the National Personnel Records Center fire) but Pershing was obviously a General of the Armies.  On that point, there can be absolutely no doubt. -