Wings Over The Border Volume 4 Number 2 July 2018 MYSTERY MAN by Ken Emery Alvaro Obregon Francisco Serrano “Pancho” Villla ???? Julio Modero Villa’s physician, Dr. Raschboum Gen. Pershing General John “Black Jack” Pershing assumed command at Fort Bliss, TX, on On August 26 of that year, Pershing hosted April 21, 1914. He brought with him the 8th Mexican Constitutionalist General Pancho Brigade from the Presidio near San Villa and Alvaro Obregon. They met on a Francisco. The Mexican Revolution was in Rio Grande bridge, after which Pershing progress and his brigade patrolled and escorted his guests to a review at Fort guarded the border between Sierra Blanca, Bliss, then to socialize at his home. A well- TX, and Columbus, NM. www.wingsovertheborder.com 1 known photo was taken while they were on Blanca. It was after he arrived in Texas that the bridge. The three generals are easily he met Pershing for the first time. identified – but who is the American officer behind Pershing? Pancho Villa raided Columbus on March 9, 1916, after which General Pershing was Many books have included this picture. ordered to lead a force into Mexico in Molloy Mason’s The Great Pursuit, Frank pursuit of Villa. Patton’s unit, the 8th Cavalry, McLynn’s Villa and Zapata, Eileen wasn’t included to participate in the Welsome’s The General and the Jaguar, “Punitive Expedition,” so he petitioned John S. D. Eisenhower’s Intervention, Pershing to be reassigned. Pershing Frank E. Vandiver’s Black Jack, Leon V. hesitated, then agreed. (Pershing recently Metz’ Desert Army, and Fred Morales’ had started seeing Patton’s sister, Nita, Francisco Villa are a few. Most don’t identify which probably didn’t hurt George’s cause.) the young officer – but when they do, there Although the assignment was supposed to is a dispute. be temporary, Patton remained with Pershing throughout the Punitive Expedition Welsome says that the officer is none other and then on to France. There, Pershing than the later-famous Lt. George Patton, as assigned him to the US Tank Corps where does Wikipedia online Patton biography. Patton was to gain his renown. Metz and Morales identify him as Lt. James L. Collins. The prevailing wisdom among Patton went on to become a four-star history buffs in Columbus leans toward general, one of the United States’ most Patton. The review of the careers of the two successful and famous personages of may resolve the issue. WWII. Then, shortly after the war in Europe ended, he died in an auto accident in Everyone knows George Patton, one of the Heidelberg, Germany, in 1945. most successful, flamboyant, and sometimes controversial generals of World James Lawton Collins graduated from West War II. It isn’t necessary to elaborate on his Point in 1907. He was posted to the later career other than to remark that as a Philippines with the 8th Cavalry during the young officer, he was both flamboyant and Moro Insurrection and there became successful. The controversy would come Pershing’s aide-de-camp. When Pershing later. returned to the US as commander at the Presidio, Collins came with him and Patton graduated from West Point in 1909. remained his aide throughout the time An accomplished athlete, he finished 5th in there, at Fort Bliss, and with the Punitive a modern pentathlon at the 1912 Summer Expedition. Finally, he served as Pershing’s Olympics. He was accepted into the aide-de-camp in France during WWI. Mounted School at Fort Riley, Kansas, in September 1913, a two-year course, There are many references to Collins in graduating in June 1915. Pershing’s biographies, suggesting that he was his general’s constant companion as On August 15, 1915, Patton was ordered to one would expect a trusted aide to be. the 8th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Bliss. He When Norman Walker of the Associated was assigned to guard the railroad at Hot Press called Fort Bliss early on the morning Wells, Texas, 23 miles east of Sierra of August 27, 1915, to inquire about the fire that had killed most of Pershing’s family, he 2 expected to talk to Collins. Only belatedly WINGS FOR THE FUTURE did he realize that the man he had on the by Michael Owen phone was Pershing. Thus he became the person who gave the general the dreadful But from the past... What you see in the news. Collins accompanied Pershing to photo is a 1/4 scale replica of a contempo- California to make the necessary rary of the Curtiss Jenny, a De Haviland arrangements, and then back to their duty DH-4 of WWI. It was known as a “day station at Fort Bliss. He likely was a close bomber” during the war, and afterwards was confidante of the very private general. used in various roles including that of a mail plane. James Collins went on to become a major general. He commanded the Puerto Rico Division and the 5th Service Command in WWII, retiring in 1946. His two sons, and his younger brother, J. Lawton “Lightning Joe” Collins, also had sterling military careers. All became generals, and Michael, the younger son, became an astronaut. Michael Collins This replica was designed and constructed piloted the Apollo 11 command module by Roy McCaldin of Tucson, AZ a number during the first moon landing on July 20, of years ago, and he flew it to hundreds of 1969, six years after his father died. air shows and events. Mr. McCaldin was a decorated WWII B-17 bomber pilot who, The assumption that the “unknown” officer after the war, became an engineer. He was George Patton may have been made passed away in 2009 at age 85. by some because he did serve with Pershing in Mexico, and was a well-known The lines of the DH-4, as an original or as a figure. He was, however, stationed at Fort sub-scale replica, resemble closely the Riley at the time and didn’t meet Pershing lines of the Curtiss Jenny. The Jenny was until after he was stationed in Texas late in used to support the Punitive Expedition 1915. There is no reason to believe that launched into Mexico only a short time after Patton could have been on that bridge. Pancho Villa’s raid on Columbus, NM on March 9, 1916. James Collins, on the other hand, had served as Pershing’s aide-de-camp since We hope to have the present owner of this the Philippines campaign, and was known replica join Wings Over the Border in a to be close to the general. It is unlikely that future commemoration to overfly the Raid General Pershing would have welcomed Day event to symbolize the Jenny and the Villa and Obregon without his closest aide fact that these aircraft were the first use of in attendance. The officer standing behind American airpower in a major military op- General Pershing on the bridge in that eration. famous 1911 photo is Lt. James L. Collins. Indeed, the aviation support of the Punitive Originally published in Desert Exposure Expedition opened a new chapter in Ameri- January 2011 can military air technology. And it all began Reprinted with permission in Columbus, New Mexico. 3 WHO ARE WE AND FROM THE PRESIDENT... WHY ARE WE HERE? It’s the end of July...travel plans and Wings Over The Border is an approved outdoor fun...monsoon weather...some of us in New Mexico Non-Profit Corporation other parts of the country are sweltering, some dedicated to the preservation and swept away by flooding, some are fearfully restoration of the site where the First Aero watching too-close fires. We, in Columbus, NM Squadron was deployed in response to are hot (nothing new). We are feeling maybe a little smug. Why is that?? you may ask. Yes, we Pancho Villa’s infamous 1916 Raid on are hot, but not nearly as hot as friends and family Columbus. All Memberships and Donations at lower elevations. Yes, we are in monsoon are Tax Deductible. season, but that brings beautiful skies with interesting cloud formations, exceptional Our Goals and Objectives are to obtain, lightning displays and sometimes (but not always) protect and hold for posterity the land once drenching, life sustaining rains. used by the First Aero Squadron, and to Yes, we have wind and plenty restore the land to a condition similar to of it, but tornadoes and how it appeared in 1916; Establishing a cyclones and hurricanes are Memorial, and a self-supporting WWI and very rare, mostly non-existent Classic Period Aviation Museum for the But, BUt, BUT, you First Aero Squadron; Public Education on live dangerously close to the early flight and the historic significance and border. Aren’t you terrified by importance of Columbus, NM and the all the violence there??? (six surrounding region as the birthplace of miles for me and three miles for Velvet and for the US Air Force as the cradle of the US James). It’s pretty flat here and I can easily see the Airpower; and Preservation of local lights at the port of entry and along the fence. and national archival material relating to About ten years ago there was a period of fighting early flight and military and commercial between two competing drug cartels in Palomas, aviation through World War II. Mexico just across the border. It did not affect us on the US side. Dues are $25 per year and should be But, BUt, BUT, what about all the illegals mailed to Wings Over the Border, PO Box swarming into the country like flies??? 1664, Columbus, NM 88029.