General John J. Blackjack Pershing
John Joseph 'Blackjack' Pershing (1860-1948) was born in Linn County, Missouri. He was a great American general who led the Expeditionary Force during World War I, and had a hand in many other campaigns during his life. General Pershing was also the Professor of Military Science at the University of Nebraska and taught tactics at The United States Military Academy at West Point. General Pershing was a strict disciplinarian, cold, distant, and demanding, but known well for being fair and just, as well as, being a tireless organizer, and a courageous leader of men.
Career Highlights
- 1891 - Prof. of Military Science and Tactics, University of Nebraska
- 1898 - Serves in the Spanish-American War
- 1901 - Awarded rank of Captain
- 1906 - Promoted to rank of Brigadier General
- 1909 - Military Governor of Moro Province, Philippines
- 1916 - Promoted to rank of Major General
- 1919 - Promoted to General of the Armies
- 1921 - Appointed Appointed Chief of Staff
- 1924 - Retires from active duty Education West Point
General John J. Blackjack Pershing Las Vegas
General John J. Blackjack Pershingpershing
Just before World War I, there were a number of terrorist attacks on the United States forces in the Philippines by Muslim extremists. So Gen. Pershing captured 50 terrorists and had them tied to posts for execution. He then had his men bring in two pigs and slaughter them in front of the now horrified terrorists. Muslims detest pork because they believe pigs are filthy animals. Some of them simply refuse to eat it, while others won't even touch pigs at all, nor any of their by-products. To them, eating or touching a pig, its meat, its blood, etc., is to be instantly barred from paradise (and those virgins) and doomed to hell. The soldiers then soaked their bullets in the pig blood, and proceeded to execute 49 of the terrorists by firing squad. The soldiers then dug a big hole, dumped in the terrorists' bodies and covered them in pig blood and entrails. They let the 50th man go. And for the next forty-two years, there was not a single Muslim extremist attack anywhere in the world. Maybe it is time for this segment of history to repeat itself? The question is, where do we find another Blackjack Pershing?
Pershing was the only person in history to hold the rank of General of the Armies while serving on active duty. In 1919, to honor his service in World War I, Congress authorized the promotion of Pershing to the rank of 'General of the Armies of the United States' and allowed him to design his own insignia. Pershing, in full John Joseph Pershing, byname Black Jack, (born September 13, 1860, Laclede, Missouri, U.S.—died July 15, 1948, Washington, D.C.), U.S. Army general who commanded the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in Europe during World War I. One such soldier was 1st Lieutenant John J. Pershing, the quartermaster of the 10th U.S. Cavalry, the famed “Buffalo Soldiers.” Pershing’s experiences in Cuba gave him important battlefield experience and showed him how an army at war behaves.