Collecting WW1 General Pershing Memorabilia

In 1915 as Pershing settled into his command at Fort Bliss his wife and four children were still living in San Fransisco although he was preparing them for the move to Texas. On August 27th,1915 he received a telegram that there was a fire at the family home. He lost his wife and three daughters to it with only his young son surviving. He never recovered from the loss but after the funeral with his son and sister he went back to Fort Bliss where his first brush with fame happened.

In 1916 the Mexican revolutionary leader Panch Villa made a raid in to the United Stated. The goverment had to take actions.Pershing led the 8th Brigade in 1916-17 on a Punitive Expedition into Mexico in search of the revolutionary leader Pancho Villa. The whole country nfollowed this action into Mexico. It was considered a failure as Poncho was never caught but put Pershing in the fore front for command when the the United States entered the war in 1917.

With Pershing leading the military force the collector will find more items related to him then the earlier period. Although still somewhat limited and a little more expensive then his WW1 and post war items.

General Pershing's involvement during WW1 started when President Wilson promoted him to Major General and in command of the national army. The U.S. army was very small and inexperirnced but under Pershing it grew from 27,000 men in the begining of 1917 to over two million men by the end of the war.

The General had almost complete control over the army. It is this fact that led the rapid build-up and emplyment as its own army. The allies wanted to use American troops to fill in their very depleted ranks after three years of war. By shear will he kept his troops togther to form the army that in 1918 brought victory. American forces first saw serious action during the summer of 1918 alongside the French at the Second Battle of the Marne. The Franco-American victory at the Second Battle of the Marne marked the turning point of the war on the Western Front. There were further battles pushing right up until the armistice. Pershing in his memiors did not want the war to end unless the German's were completely defeated. He had his troops fight until the very last minute of the war creating another 3,500 U.S. casualties on the last day of the war. This created some critiscm by some of his officers. Netherless after the war General Pershing was created General Of The Armies Of The United States. It was the highest possible ranking at the time. For more indepth reading I would suggest some of the books I have listed above.

Collectables from this period is great and the majority will come from the 1917-1920 period.My list below of collectables related to Pershing come mostly from this period.

After the war there was a movement to elect Pershing as president but he did not actively promote this. He continued to serve in the army until 1924 when he retired at the age of 64.

In 1921 Pershing was at the ground breaking ceremony of The Liberty Memorial in Kansas City. It stands today an excellent WW1 memorial and museum. In 1922 he started the Reserve Officers Association. In 1932 he wrote his autobiography "My Experiences in the World War". He won the 1932 Pulitzer Price for it. Although now leading a private life he still was seen in the public eye as in 1940 when he promoted helping the UK with aid at the begining of the Second World War.

On July 15, 1948, Pershing died at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

During his post war years General Pershing was still quite popular especially with his former soldiers. Collectables were still made but decreased in the amount and type as the years went on until his death when there was a small period of increase interest. Items from his post war and post death years are less in numbers but usually cheaper when found. With the increase interest in the Great War over the last ten years there are many new made collectables related to the General. Check out my Zazzle store for some nice mugs, mouse pads and t-shirts with the General on them.

Finding Pershing collectables is not difficult. There are all types of items with most dating to the WW1 and just after period. The prices overall are still good and someone can build a nice collection fairly easily. Items range from photos and paintings to bookends and autographs. As well as commercial made pieces the collector will find one-of-a-kind items as well. That will make for a very unique collection. Below is just a partial listing of the types of items you will find on a regular basis.
Posters
Autographs
Plates/Cups/China
Books
Stereoviews
Photos
Prints
Paperweights
Cigar Bands/ Box Labels
Calenders
Postcards
Coins/Tokens
Medals
Banks
Cigarette Cards/Silks
Philatelic Items
Sheet Music
Records,
Films
Pillow Covers/Shams
Watch Fobs
Magazines
Documents
Paintings

There are numerious sources to find General Pershing items today. From Ebay to antique shops to even the odd yard sale.