Black Jack in John F. Kennedy's funeral procession
A coal-black Morgan-American Quarter Horse cross, Black Jack served in the Caisson Platoon of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). Named in honor of General John J. (Black Jack) Pershing, he was the riderless horse in more than 1,000 Armed Forces Full Honors Funerals (AFFHF), the majority of which were in Arlington National Cemetery. With boots reversed in the stirrups, he was a symbol of a fallen leader.
Early life
Black Jack was foaled January 19, 1947, and came to Fort Myer from the Cavalry remount station at Fort Reno, Oklahoma, on November 22, 1952. Black Jack was the last of the Quartermaster–issue horses branded with the Army's U.S. brand (on the left shoulder) and his Army serial number 2V56 (on the left side of his neck).[1]
Career
Black Jack served a long and respectable military career. Among the highlights were that he participated in four state funerals:[1]
- Presidents:
- John F. Kennedy (1963)[2]
- Herbert Hoover (1964)[2]
- Lyndon B. Johnson (1973)[2]
- Five-star general:
- Douglas MacArthur (1964)[2]
Army Major General Philip C. Wehle was the commanding general of the Military District of Washington during those state funerals, except for LBJ's; during LBJ's, it was Army Major General James Adamson.
Death and burial
Black Jack died after a 29-year military career on February 6, 1976. He was cremated, with his remains laid to rest in a plot at Fort Myer, Virginia, on Summerall Field; his final resting place lies 200 feet (60 m) northeast of the flagpole in the southeast corner of the parade field. He is one of only two horses in United States history to be buried with Full Military Honors, the other being Comanche.[3]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The Old Guard - 1/3 Battalion HHC Caisson Platoon". Army.mil. http://www.army.mil/info/organization/unitsandcommands/commandstructure/theoldguard/specplt/caisson.htm. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Elsen, William A. (January 25, 1973). "Ceremonial Group Had Busy 5 Weeks". p. D3.
- ↑ Belcher, Nancy Hoyt (July–August 2004). "Guarding History and Tradition". http://www.aaa.com/aaa/006/EnCompass/2004/jun/jun_GuardingHistory.html.
External links
- Black Jack's burial site is at coordinates 38°52′52″N 77°04′52″W / 38.881141°N 77.081130°W
The original article can be found at Black Jack (horse) and the edit history here.