John J. Pershing General of the Armies, is a public artwork by American artist Robert White, located at the National World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C.. The monument is a tribute to United States Army general John J. Pershing.
John J. Pershing General of the Armies was originally surveyed as part of the Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture! survey in 1994.
Description The sculpture shows General Pershing standing with his head slightly turned, as if overseeing a battlefield in front of him. His proper right hand raises binoculars to his eyes and his proper left hand holds his hat at his side. Wearing a World War I uniform with knickerbockers, tall boots and a long belted jacket, he steps forward with his proper left foot.
Resting on a square of red granite (51 × 53 × 53 in.) in a small plaza, the sculpture is flanked by two tall granite walls.
The front of the rear wall is inscribed (rear wall: H. 10 ft. W. 3 ft. L. 31 ft.):
JOHN J. PERSHING GENERAL OF THE ARMIES.
The back of the rear wall is inscribed:
IN THEIR DEVOTION, THEIR VALOR, AND IN THE LOYAL FULFILLMENT OF THEIR OBLIGATIONS, THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES HAVE LEFT A HERITAGE OF WHICH THOSE WHO FOLLOW MAY EVER BE PROUD JOHN J. PERSHING (Pershing's signature)
The front left wall, which is divided into four sections features an extensive text regarding Pershing's involvement in the Western Front, his leadership in First United States Army, the signing of the Armistice with Germany, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, and an inscription reading (H. 10 ft. W. 3 ft. L. 49 ft.):
ERECTED BY: AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION WALLACE K. HARRISON ARCHITECT FREDERICK (...transcription illegible) ENGINEER ROBERT WHITE SCULPTOR 1983
Information
Authorized by Congress on April 2, 1956, the American Battle Monuments Commission paid the $400,000 for the park. The sculpture was dedicated in October 1983.
Condition
This sculpture was surveyed in 1994 for its condition and was described as "well maintained."
Further reading Walgren, A. S.(2016). The “Forgotten Man” of Washington: the Pershing Memorial and the Battle over Military Memorialization. (Master's thesis). Retrieved from The “Forgotten Man” of Washington: the Pershing Memorial and the Battle over Military Memorialization
References
External links Monument on dcMemorials . Monument on hmdb.com.