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Pershing's boyhood home in Linn County, Missouri

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Earning Respect
John Pershing was born in Laclede, Missouri, and he started out as a schoolteacher. One day he saw a notice in the newspaper that urged him to apply to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York. He entered the Academy in 1882, and although he struggled during his first year with the difficult coursework, Pershing was determined to succeed. In his final year he was selected first captain of the Corps of Cadets. This honor meant that Pershing was the most respected student among his teachers as well as his fellow cadets.
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