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General Pershing's legacy stands tall in memorabilia collection
By Brian Fitzgerald
There are war heroes, and then there are war superheroes. When World
War I is mentioned, one man's name comes to mind above any other military
leader.
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| John J. Pershing Photo from the Theodor Horydczak Collection (Library of Congress) | |
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"There was no hero of the First World War comparable to General
John Joseph Pershing," said BU Chancellor John Silber at the unveiling
of a collection of Pershing memorabilia at BU on November 8. "He
occupied a position in the First World War, as far as U.S. participation
was concerned, comparable to that of Generals George Marshall or Douglas
MacArthur in the Second World War. We're talking about one of the great
military leaders in this country."
In 1917, when Pershing was appointed commander of the American Expeditionary
Forces to France, there did not exist a real overseas fighting force for
him to command. But over 18 months he was able to put together an organized
army of two million men. He was promoted to General of the Armies of the
United States in 1919, a rank shared with only George Washington, who
received it posthumously. Pershing is the only American to be named General
of the Armies -- one rank above five-star general -- in his lifetime.
The Pershing Collection is on display at the Department of Military Science
at 128 Bay State Road, in a building known as Pershing House. It is named
after the late Colonel John W. Pershing (CAS'64), a longtime friend of
BU's Army ROTC program, Alumni Award winner, and the grandson of General
Pershing. "I know that Colonel Pershing would be delighted that the
family artifacts honoring his grandfather now rest here at his alma mater,"
said Lieutenant Colonel R. M. Beckinger, a professor and department chairman.
Colonel Pershing also endowed in perpetuity several need-based scholarships
for Army ROTC cadets who would otherwise be unable to afford a BU education.
"Our enthusiasm is only dampened by the fact that he's not here with
us," said Silber.
The Pershing memorabilia at BU includes the general's hunting rifle (a
Winchester Model 1884 Carbine), bronze busts of him and French general
Marshal Ferdinand Foch, his photo album of World War I, his manuals and
regulation books, a portrait of him in full regalia painted in 1934 by
artist Philip de Lasslo, and a ceremonial hand saw containing nickel-plated
brass screws made from shells used on the battlefield at Chˆateau-Thierry.
It was at this French town in 1918 that the American 3rd Division drove
German forces back across the Marne River to Jauglonne in a pivotal battle.
Silber pointed out that Pershing also had a distinguished military career
before World War I, beginning with service in the Southwest and the Northern
Plains of the United States on assignment with the 6th Cavalry from 1886
to 1890. From 1895 to 1896 he was assigned to the 10th Cavalry, a unit
of the "Buffalo Soldiers" in Montana, earning him the nickname
"Black Jack." Pershing's experiences leading black soldiers
significantly affected him -- he remained concerned with their well-being
and was instrumental in getting the black units of the American Expeditionary
Forces into combat in World War I rather than relegated to support services
in the rear. Pershing also fought with Teddy Roosevelt in the battle of
San Juan Hill in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, where he was decorated
with the Silver Star. He was assigned to the Philippines twice (1899-1903
and 1908-1914), and was a military attaché to Japan during the
1905-1906 Russo-Japanese War.
In 1916, 10 years after he was promoted to brigadier general, he was appointed
commander of the Mexican border forces and sent -- with First Lieutenant
George S. Patton, Jr. -- to capture Pancho Villa in Mexico. Their attempt
was ultimately unsuccessful, but his troops did penetrate 350 miles into
Mexico, routed Villa's revolutionaries, and severely wounded the bandit.
The same year Pershing was promoted to major general and then general.
Pershing's legacy is America's prominent position in world affairs today
-- largely a result of his actions in Europe. Although the French and
the English wanted American soldiers to be divided among their forces
in World War I, he insisted on an independent American Army, which ensured
the leverage of the U.S. government at the subsequent peace conference.
In addition, the training programs that Pershing initiated in 1917 were
the beginnings of the refined mobilization plan of 1941 to 1945, which
produced the powerful, well-organized American fighting force in World
War II. After World War I, Pershing served as chief of staff of the Army,
staunchly supporting national preparedness and a strong Army through efficiency
and economy. Before he died in 1948, he refused the offer of a special
memorial to him in Arlington National Cemetery. His wish instead was to
be buried with his "doughboys," with exactly the same white
government-issue headstone.
"I'm old enough to remember what a national figure he was,"
said Silber. "He was a household name, and still is."
23
November 2001
Boston University
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