Peyton C. March
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Peyton Conway March (December 27, 1864 - April 13, 1955) was an American soldier and Army Chief of Staff. March was born in Easton, Pennsylvania and attended Lafayette College. In 1884, he was appointed to West Point and graduated in 1888. He was assigned to the 3rd Artillery.
He married Josephine Smith Cunningham (d. 1904) in 1891. They had a son, Peyton, Jr. (b. 1896).
In 1894, March was assigned to the 5th Artillery and promoted to 1st lieutenant. He was sent to the Artillery School in 1896. He organized the Astor Battery and was sent to the Philippines in the Spanish-American War. In 1899, March was the aide to Gen. Arthur MacArthur, Jr.. Later that year he was promoted to major. He continued to serve in the Philippines, and was a provincial governor and commissary of prisoners.
In 1903 he was sent to Fort Riley and commanded the 19th Battery of the field artillery. Later that year he was sent to Washington, DC and served on the newly created General Staff. He was sent as an observer during the Russo-Japanese War.
In 1907, March commanded the 1st Artillery Battalion, 6th Field Artillery. March then served as adjutant of Fort Riley, then served as adjutant at several other commands, including at the War Department.
In 1916, he was promoted to colonel and commanded the 8th Field Artillery on the Mexican border.
During World War I, March was promoted to brigadier general and commanded the 1st Field Artillery Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, American Expeditionary Forces. Later that year, he was promoted to major general and commanded the artillery units of the U.S. First Army and all non-divisional artillery units.
In March 1918, he was recalled to Washington, took over as acting Army Chief of Staff on March 4 and was Army Chief of Staff on May 20, 1918. He was promoted to temporary general.
He served as Chief of Staff until June 30, 1921. As Chief of Staff he reorganized the Army structure, and abolished the distinctions between the Regular Army, the Army Reserves, and the National Guard during war time. He created new technical branches in the service including the Air Corps, Chemical Warfare Corps, Transportation Corps, and Tank Corps. He also centralized control over supply. After the war ended, he supervised the demobilization of the Army. As Chief of Staff he often came into disagreement with Gen. John J. Pershing, who wanted to conduct the AEF as an independent command.
March retired as a major general in 1921.
In 1923, he married Cora V. McEntee.
In June 1930, March was advanced to general on the retired list.
March died in 1955 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Awards and decorations
- Distinguished Service Cross
- Distinguished Service Medal
- Silver Star with four Oak Leaf Clusters
- Mexican Border Service Medal
- Philippine Campaign Medal
- World War I Victory Medal
- Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (UK)
- Grand Officier Légion d'honneur (France)
- Grand Cross Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (Italy)
- Grand Cordon Order of the Rising Sun (Japan)
- Grand Cross Order of George I (Greece)
- Grand Cordon Order of the Crown (Belgium)
- Polonia Restituta 1st Class (Poland)
- War Cross (Czechoslovakia)
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