John Joseph Pershing was born near Laclede, Missouri, on 13 
September 1860, attended the State Normal School, then 
graduated from the United States Military Academy, 1886

*** was commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to the 
6th Cavalry, July 1886

*** performed garrison and field duties in the Southwest and 
Northern Plains, 1886-1890, and participated in the Wounded 
Knee campaign

*** was professor of military: science and tactics at 
University of Nebraska, 1891-1895, studying law concurrently 
and receiving his degree, 1893

*** was promoted to first lieutenant and assigned to the 
10th Cavalry, October 1892

*** served in Montana, 1895-1896

*** after a brief tour at Army headquarters, was assistant 
instructor in tactics at West Point, 1897-1898

*** served with the 10th in Cuba, including operations at 
San Juan Hill

*** was promoted to major of volunteers, detailed in 
ordnance, and assigned to Army headquarters and the Office 
of the Assistant Secretary of War, 1898-1899, where he 
organized a Bureau of Insular Affairs

*** was reverted to a regular captaincy, June 1901, and 
assigned successively to the 1st and 10th Cavalry

*** served in the Philippines as a departmental adjutant 
general and engineer officer, collector of customs, and 
cavalry squadron commander, participating in actions against 
Moros, 1899-1903

*** served on the War Department General Staff, 1903-1904, 
and as assistant chief of staff of the Southwestern 
Division, 1904

*** attended the Army War College, 1904-1905

*** married Frances Warren, 1905

*** was military attache to Japan and an observer of the 
Russo-Japanese War, 1905-1906

*** at President Roosevelt's nomination, was promoted to 
brigadier general over 862 senior-ranking officers, 
September 1906

*** commanded the Department of California, 1006, and Fort 
McKinley, 1907-1908 was assigned to the Office of the Chief 
of Staff, 1908-1909

*** was governor of Moro Province and commander, Department 
of Mindanao, 1909-1913

*** commanded the 8th Infantry Brigade at the Presidio of 
San Francisco, 1914-1916, where in 1915 he lost his wife and 
three daughters in a fire

*** led the Mexican Punitive Expedition, 1916-1917, 
receiving promotion to major general during the campaign

*** was promoted to general, October 1917

*** commanded the American Expeditionary Forces in France in 
World War I, 1917-1919

*** was advanced to the rank of General of the Armies, 
September 1919

*** moved his headquarters to Washington, prepared a report 
on the war, and made an extended tour of military 
inspection, 1919-1921

*** was chief of staff of the United States Army 1 July 
1921-13 September 1924

*** established the War Plans Board

*** pressed for national preparedness a strong Army, 
increased efficiency and economy, officer schooling, and a 
well-regulated militia 

*** retired from active service, September 1924

*** was chairman of the American Battle Monuments 
Commission, 1923-1948, and headed the Tacna-Arica Boundary 
Commission 1925,1926

*** died in Washington, D.C., on 15 July 1948

From: COMMANDING GENERALS AND CHIEFS OF STAFF, 1775-1982, 
William Gardner Bell, Center of Military History, United States 
Army, Washington, D.C., 1983

Transcribed and edited by:
Larry W. Jewell
jewell@mace.cc.purdue.edu