IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1356 

Recognizing the 150th anniversary of the birth of General John J. Pershing, 

an American military hero. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 12, 2010 

Mr. SKELTON submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 150th anniversary of the birth of General 

John J. Pershing, an American military hero. 

Whereas John Joseph Pershing was born near Laclede, Missouri, in 1860, to his parents, John Fletcher Pershing 

and Ann Elizabeth Thompson Pershing; 

Whereas Pershing completed his high school education in 

1878 and supported his family, in his father’s absence, 

by teaching in the public education system of the State 

of Missouri, City of Laclede; 

Whereas Pershing entered the Kirksville Normal School, now 

Truman State University, in Kirksville, Missouri, in 

1880; 


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•HRES 1356 IH 

Whereas Pershing applied to the United States Military 

Academy and left Missouri to be sworn in as a West 

Point cadet in 1882; 

Whereas Pershing was tapped early for leadership and became successively First Corporal, First Sergeant, and 

First Captain, the highest cadet rank before his West 

Point graduation in 1886; 

Whereas Pershing reported for active military duty on September 30, 1886, and began his extraordinary military 

career, distinguishing himself in the Spanish-American 

War, the Philippine-American War, and the Punitive Expedition into Mexico; 

Whereas Pershing’s great personal tragedy, the loss by fire 

of his wife Frances Warren Pershing and three young 

daughters, did not dampen his dedication to military 

service, and when President Woodrow Wilson named Pershing Commander of the American Expeditionary Force, 

following America’s entrance into World War I, he commanded nearly 2 million men in Europe; 

Whereas in 1919 the United States Congress recognized 

Pershing’s distinguished service during World War I and 

authorized the President to promote Pershing to General 

of the Armies of the United States, the highest rank possible for any member of the United States Armed Forces, 

outranking even five-star generals and bestowed on only 

one other American, General George Washington, posthumously in 1976; 

Whereas General Pershing served as mentor to the next generation of America’s great military leaders, including 

George C. Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and George 

S. Patton; 


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•HRES 1356 IH 

Whereas General Pershing died of congestive heart failure on 

July 15, 1948, and the City of Laclede, the State of Missouri, and the entire United States mourned the loss of 

a national hero; 

Whereas General Pershing was buried in Arlington National 

Cemetery on July 19, 1948, after lying in state in the 

Rotunda of the United States Capitol; 

Whereas the life and career of General Pershing continue to 

inspire members of the United States Armed Forces; and 

Whereas the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the 

Missouri Division of State Parks, the Pershing Days 

Committee, and the Pershing Park Memorial Association 

plan to have a celebration honoring General Pershing at 

Pershing Days on September 11, 2010, in Laclede, Missouri: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes the 150th anniversary of the 

3 birth of General John J. Pershing; and 

4 (2) extends the appreciation of a most grateful 

5 Nation for his service to the United States. 

Æ 


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