John J. Pershing

John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), was a general officer in the United States Army. He led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. Pershing is the only person to be promoted in his own lifetime to the highest rank ever held in the United States Army, which is known as General of the Armies. (A retroactive Congressional edict passed in 1976 promoted George Washington to the same rank but with higher seniority).

Pershing holds the first United States officer service number (O-1). He was regarded as a mentor by the generation of American generals who led the United States Army in Europe during World War II, including George C. Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar N. Bradley, and George S. Patton.

Summary of service

Dates of rank
 No Insignia in 1886 Second Lieutenant, United States Army: July 1, 1886 13px|center First Lieutenant, United States Army: October 20, 1892 40px|center Major of Volunteers, U.S. Army: August 18, 1898 - June 30, 1901 33px|center Captain, U.S. Army (reverted to permanent rank July 1, 1901): February 2, 1901 33px|center Brigadier General, United States Army: September 1906 66px|center Major General, United States Army: May 1916 133px|center General, National Army, Army of the United States: October 1917 133px|center General of the Armies of the United States, Army of the United States: September 3, 1919
As there was no prescribed insignia for this rank, General Pershing chose the four stars of a full general, except in gold. The rank has been argued to be equivalent to "6-star" general, as the insignia of the next lowest rank "General of the Army" is designated by five stars.  According to the biography Until the Last Trumpet Sounds by Gene Smith, Pershing never wore the rank on his uniform.

Assignment history

 1882: Cadet, United States Military Academy
 1886: Troop L, Sixth Cavalry
 1891: Professor of Tactics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
 1895: 1st Lieutenant, 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
 1917: Commanding General, American Expeditionary Forces, Europe
 1921: Chief of Staff of the United States Army
 1924: Retired from active military service
 1925: Chief Commissioner assigned by the United States in the arbitration case for the provinces of Tacna and Arica between Peru and Chile.

References
Notes

Sources

Further reading
Richard Goldhurst, Pipe Clay and Drill: John J. Pershing, the classic American soldier, (Reader's Digest Press, 1977)
Gene Smith, Until the Last Trumpet Sounds: The Life of General of the Armies John J. Pershing (Wiley, New York, 1998) 
Donald Smythe, Guerrilla Warrior: The Early Life of John J. Pershing (Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1973) 
Donald Smythe, Pershing: General of the Armies (Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1986) 
Frank E. Vandiver, Black Jack: The Life and Times of John J. Pershing - Volume I (Texas A&M University Press, Third printing, 1977) 
Frank E. Vandiver, Black Jack: The Life and Times of John J. Pershing - Volume II (Texas A&M University Press, Third printing, 1977) 

Other websites

Pershing Museum 
Biography of John J. Pershing 
New York Times obituary
Black Jack Pershing in Cuba 
CHAPTER IV, General of the Armies John J. Pershing, State Funeral, 15-19 July 1948  in The Last Salute: Civil and Military Funeral, 1921-1969  by B. C. Mossman and M. W. Stark, United States Army Center of Military History

Category:1860 births
Category:1948 deaths
Category:American generals
Category:American military personnel of the Spanish-American War
Category:American military personnel of World War I
Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
Category:Deaths from congestive heart failure
Category:Deaths from coronary artery disease
Category:Military people from Missouri