Pershing House facts for kids

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Pershing House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Pershing House Fort Sam Houston
Pershing House Location in Texas Show map of Texas Pershing House Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Staff Post Rd., Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas  United States
Architect	Alfred Giles
Part of	Fort Sam Houston (ID75001950)
NRHP reference No.	74002058
Added to NRHP	July 30, 1974

The Pershing House is located on Fort Sam Houston, in the Bexar County city of San Antonio in the U.S. state of Texas. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Bexar County, Texas on July 30, 1974. Although this Commanding General housing was actually constructed in 1881, it has been referred to by its current name since John J. Pershing served as the base Commandant in 1917. Architect Alfred Giles was contracted to design the 10,830 square feet (1,000 m²), two-story house. In various phases during the 20th century, improvements have included the installation of electricity and air conditioning. The porch is now enclosed, and the plumbing upgraded.

At one point in its existence, Fort Sam Houston was the largest Army post within the United States. The commanding officers who have called the house a home were some of the most accomplished leaders in the United States Army prior to their being given charge of the base. Numerous Medal of Honor recipients have lived in the house. Almost half of the base commandants were buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Pershing had been transferred to Fort Sam Houston from Fort Bliss, following his participation in the Pancho Villa Expedition. He would only be at Fort Sam Houston for two months before being given charge of the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe. Pershing held the highest rank ever given an American army officer, and was one of the architects of the Treaty of Versailles.

The names of the house's residents appear on a plaque presented to Fort Sam Houston by Julia Cotton White, wife of base commandant General Isaac D. White. The plaque continues to be updated as an historical record of who lived there. Mrs. White died in 1989.

Residents of Pershing House

Fort Sam Houston commandants who lived at Pershing House

Residency	Name	Image	Birth–Death	Burial	Notes	Refs
1881–83	Brigadier General Augur, Christopher Christopher C. Augur		(1821–1898)	Arlington National Cemetery	American Civil War veteran
1883	Brigadier General Mackenzie, Ranald Ranald S. Mackenzie		(1840–1899)	West Point Cemetery	Red River War (1874), retired from the Army six months after arriving at Fort Sam Houston.
1883–84	Lieutenant General Schofield, John John M. Schofield		(1831–1906)	Arlington National Cemetery	Medal of Honor July 2, 1892, for action at Wilson's Creek, Missouri, August 10, 1861. Later served as U.S. Secretary of War, Schofield Barracks named in his honor.
1884–1892	Brigadier General Stanley, David David S. Stanley		(1828–1902)	United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery	Medal of Honor March 29, 1893, for action at Franklin, Tennessee November 30, 1864
1892–95	Major General Wheaton, Frank Frank Wheaton		(1833–1903)	Arlington National Cemetery	American Civil War veteran
1895–97	Major General Bliss, Zenas Zenas R. Bliss		(1835–1900)	Arlington National Cemetery	Medal of Honor awarded December 38, 1898, for action during the American Civil War at Fredericksburg, Virginia on December 13, 1862
1897–98	Major General Graham, William William Montrose Graham, Jr.		(1834–1916)	Congressional Cemetery	American Civil War veteran and nephew of George Meade
1899–1901	Brigadier General McKibbin, Chambers Chambers McKibbin		(1841–1918)	Arlington National Cemetery	American Civil War veteran
1902–1904	Brigadier General Grant, Frederick Frederick Dent Grant		(1850–1912)	West Point	Spanish–American War veteran
1904–1906	Brigadier General Lee, Jesse Jesse M. Lee				Served in the Philippines
1906–1907	Brigadier General McCaskey, William William S. McCaskey		(1843–1914)	San Francisco National Cemetery	Informed George Armstrong Custer's widow about the Battle of the Little Bighorn
1907–1910	Brigadier General Myer, Albert Albert L. Myer
1910–1911	Brigadier General Hoyt, Ralph Ralph W. Hoyt
1911–1912	Brigadier General Duncan, Joseph Joseph Wilson Duncan		(1853–1912)	Arlington National Cemetery	Participated in the capture of Mount Dajo, Philippine Islands
1913–1915	General Bliss, Tasker Tasker H. Bliss		(1853–1930)	Arlington National Cemetery	U.S. Army Chief of Staff, multiple awards and citations from multiple countries, USS Tasker H. Bliss (AP-42) named in his honor
1915–1917	Major General Funston, Frederick Frederick Funston		(1865–1917)	San Francisco National Cemetery	Medal of Honor awarded February 10, 1900, for action Rio Grande de la Pampanga, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 27 April 1899
1917	General of the Armies of the United States Pershing, John John J. Pershing		(1860–1948)	Arlington National Cemetery	Multiple international awards and recognitions, received the highest rank ever given an American army officer. Helped frame the Treaty of Versailles
1917	Major General Parker, James James Parker		(1854–1934)	Saint Marys Episcopal Churchyard	Medal of Honor awarded March 8, 1902, for action at Vigan, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 4 December 1899.
1917–1918	Major General Ruckman, John John Wilson Ruckman		(1858–1921)	West Point	Distinguished Service Medal awarded 1926 for service during World War I
1918	Major General Holbrook, Willard Willard Ames Holbrook		(1860–1932)	Arlington National Cemetery	Distinguished Service Medal awarded 1919 for action at the Mexican–American border
1918–1919	Major General Cabell, D DeRosey Carroll Cabell, Sr.		(1861–1924)	San Francisco National Cemetery	Distinguished Service Medal for service during the Mexican Border Wars (1916–1918)
1919–1921	Major General Dickman, J Joseph T. Dickman		(1857–1927)	Arlington National Cemetery	Multiple awards, USS Joseph T. Dickman (APA-13) named in his honor
1921–1922	Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Hines, John John L. Hines		(1868–1968)	Arlington National Cemetery	Multiple awards and recognitions; May 5, 2000, the United States Postal Service Distinguished Soldiers, a set of four stamps which featured Hines, Audie Murphy, Alvin York and Omar Bradley
1922–1924	Major General Lewis, Edward Edward Mann Lewis		(1863–1949)	San Francisco National Cemetery	Distinguished Service Medal awarded 9 July 1919 for service during World War I Spanish–American War (Cited for Gallantry at the Battle of El Caney), The Philippines, United States occupation of Veracruz, Commanded the 8th Corps Area and the Hawaiian Department after WWI
1924, 1925–1928	Major General Hinds, Ernest Ernest J. Hinds		(1864–1941)	Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery	USS Ernest Hinds named in his honor
1924–1925	General Summerall, Charles Charles Pelot Summerall		(1867–1955)	Arlington National Cemetery	Multiple awards, Chief of Staff United States Army
1928	Major General Donaldson, T Thomas Quinton Donaldson, Jr.		(1864–1934)	Arlington National Cemetery	Inspector General, instructor of Military Science
1928–1930	Major General Lassiter, W William Lassiter				Distinguished Service Medal for service in World War I, Silver Star Citation for service in the Spanish–American War
1930–1933	Major General Winans, Edwin Ernest B. Winans		(1869–1947)		Distinguished Service Medal for his performance World War I in commandof the 64th Infantry Brigade, 32nd Division, 1st Army Corps, of the American Expeditionary Force
1933–1934	Major General Hagood, Johnson Johnson Hagood		(1873–1948)	Magnolia Cemetery	World War I veteran whose memoirs were published as Caissons Go Rolling Along
1936	Major General Parker, Frank Frank Parker		(1872–1947)		Commander, 8th Corps Area, Fort Sam Houston, Tex., March–Sept 1936. Retired in 1936
1936–1940	Lieutenant General Brees, J Herbert Jay Brees		(1877–1958)	Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery	Distinguished Service Medal awarded 1919 for service in World War I, Silver Star Citation awarded 1922 for action in France September 27–28, 1918
1941–1942	General Krueger, W Walter Krueger		(1881–1967)	Arlington National Cemetery	World War II Commander Sixth United States Army in the South West Pacific Area; Walter Krueger Middle School named in his honor.
1942–1943	General Hodges, C Courtney Hodges		(1887–1966)	Arlington National Cemetery	World War II Commander First United States Army in Northwest Europe, multiple awards
1944	General Simpson, W William Hood Simpson		(1898–1990)	Arlington National Cemetery	World War II Commander U.S. Ninth Army in northern Europe, multiple awards
1944–1945	General Lucas, John John P. Lucas		(1890–1949)	Arlington National Cemetery	A commander of VI Corps (September 1943 – February 1944) during the Italian Campaign of the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, multiple awards and recognitions
1945	Lieutenant General Patch, Alexander Alexander Patch		(1889–1945)	West Point Cemetery	Commanded both the U.S. Army and the United States Marine Corps forces during the invasion of Guadalcanal, and the Seventh Army in Operation Dragoon (the invasion of southern France). Died November 1945 at Brooke General Hospital
1946–1947	General Wainwright, J Jonathan M. Wainwright		(1883–1953)	Arlington National Cemetery	Medal of Honor awarded September 19, 1945, for March 12 to May 7, 1942 service in the Philippines
1947–1949	4-star General Handy, T Thomas T. Handy		(1892–1982)	Arlington National Cemetery	Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Army
1949–1952	General Lutes, L LeRoy Lutes		(1890–1980)	Arlington National Cemetery	Dwight D. Eisenhower's General Staff as Director of the Service, Supply and Procurement Division, Distinguished Service Award for service 1962–1966
1952–1953	General Hoge, W William M. Hoge		(1894–1979)	Arlington National Cemetery	Directed the construction of the 1,519-mile (2,450 km) ALCAN Highway in nine months, commanded the Provisional Engineer Special Brigade Group in the assault on Omaha Beach
1953	General Dahlquist, J John E. Dahlquist		(1896–1975)	Arlington National Cemetery	World War I division commander, multiple awards and recognitions
1953–1955	General White, I Isaac D. White		(1901–1990)	Unknown	Commander, U.S. Army Pacific
1955–1958	Lieutenant General Collier, John John Howell Collier		(1899–1980)	Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery	A commander of 2nd Armored Division units in World War II and as the Army's Chief of Armor.
1958–1959	General Meloy, Guy Guy S. Meloy, Jr.		(1903–1964)	Arlington National Cemetery	Ccmmander of all U.S. forces in Korea during the Cold War
1959–1961	Lieutenant General Williams, Edward Edward Thomas Williams		(1901–1973)	Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery	Chief of artillery for the Third United States Army in Europe during World War II, commander of the United States Army Field Artillery Center
1961–1962	Lieutenant General Booth, Donale Donald Prentice Booth		(1902–1993)	Arlington National Cemetery	Commanding General of Fourth Army 1961–1962. Retired as Lieutenant General on February 28, 1962
1962–64	Lieutenant General Jark, Carl Carl H. Jark		(1905–1984)	Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery	Distinguished service medal for service February 1952 – July 1964
1964–66	Lieutenant General Colglazier, Robert Robert Wesley Colglazier, Jr.		(1904–1993)	Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery	Distinguished Service Medals for service July 1959 – July 1964 and for service August 1964 – January 1966
1966–1967	Lieutenant General Dunn, Thomas Thomas W. Dunn		(1908–1983)	West Point	Distinguished Service Medal for service in Vietnam (February 1966 – June 1967)
1967–1968	Lieutenant General Lincoln, Lawrence Lawrence J. Lincoln		(1909–2000)	Arlington National Cemetery	Three Distinguished Service Medals, one for service in World War II, two for service in Vietnam (August 1964 – June 1967) and (July 1967 – July 1968)
1968–1971	Lieutenant General Crtiz, Harry Harry H. Critz		(1912–1982)	Fort Sill Post Cemetery	Distinguished Service Medal for service in the Vietnam War; Legion of Honor and Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster for service in the Korean War.
1971	Lieutenant General O'Connor, G George G. O'Connor
1971	4-star General Underwood, George George V. Underwood, Jr.		(1913–1984)	Fort Bliss National Cemetery	Army Distinguished Service Medal awarded for service in Vietnam July 1960 to January 1966
1971–1973	Lieutenant General Cassidy, Patrick Patrick F. Cassidy		(1915–1990)	Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery	Distinguished Service Cross awarded for action in France on June 11, 1944