Read a guest blog from our TEACH partner, the Military Order of the World Wars!

Veterans Day at Arlington: Honoring General John J. Pershing

Each Veterans Day, Companions of the Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW) gather at the gravesite of General of the Armies John J. “Black Jack” Pershing in Arlington National Cemetery for a longstanding memorial service in his honor. First established by World War I veterans, the Pershing Memorial Service has been hosted by MOWW’s General Meade Chapter of Maryland since 1990.

 

General Pershing founded the Military Order of the World Wars in 1919 after asking his officers to continue serving their communities after their active military service ended. Today, MOWW remains a patriotic, nonpartisan Veterans Service Organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, civic responsibility, leadership, and public service in communities across the country. For more than a century, MOWW Companions have carried out this mission, living by the Order’s motto, “It is nobler to serve than to be served.”

 

General Pershing is remembered as one of America’s most respected military leaders and is perhaps best known for commanding the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. Following his state funeral in July 1948, he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Pershing chose not to have a special memorial built in his honor and instead preferred a simple government-issued headstone so that he could rest among the soldiers he led on the battlefields.

 

The Pershing Memorial Service includes an invocation, presentation of the colors, singing of the National Anthem, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and the reading of the MOWW Preamble. Wreaths are laid at Pershing’s gravesite by MOWW, other veteran organizations, and representatives of allied nations. Music is provided by “Pershing’s Own,” the U.S. Army Band, which has long been part of this observance. The ceremony closes with the solemn playing of “Taps.”

 

Each year, this memorial service honors General Pershing’s legacy while also paying respect to the veterans who served with him and those who have followed in their path. This year’s Pershing Memorial Service will be held at 2:30 p.m. on November 11 at Arlington National Cemetery and all are welcome to attend.