John & Susan Howell
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BG John Herbert Pigman, "Jack"

BG John Herbert Pigman, "Jack"[1, 2]

Male 1926 - 1978  (51 years)

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  • Photos
    Nancy & Jack Pigman
    Nancy & Jack Pigman
    Just Married
    Jack Pigman
    Jack Pigman
    Jack Pigman
    Jack Pigman
    At West Point Academy

    Histories
    A Tribute to John Herbert Pigman
    A Tribute to John Herbert Pigman
    Written by his wife and posted on the USMA 1950 Memorial Articles site.

  • Name John Herbert Pigman  [3
    Prefix BG 
    Suffix "Jack" 
    Birth 21 Dec 1926  Cloquet, MN Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Gender Male 
    Occupation Brig. General, US Army 
    FindAGrave URL https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126733705 
    FindAGrave ID 126733705 
    FamilySearch ID 9F3K-LRG 
    FamilySearch URL https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/9F3K-LRG 
    Death 21 Feb 1978  Baltimore, Baltimore City, Maryland, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Burial United States Military Academy Post Cemetery, West Point, Orange, New York, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I58  Main
    Last Modified 9 Sep 2020 

    Father John Stanley Pigman,   b. 6 Oct 1904, Garfield, Nebraska, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 5 Jan 1978, Port Charlotte, Charlotte, Florida, United States Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 73 years) 
    Mother Clara Nelcine Skarpmoen,   b. 1 Nov 1908, , , Minnesota Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Sep 1997, , Carlton, Minnesota Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 88 years) 
    Family ID F48  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Father John Stanley Pigman,   b. 6 Oct 1904, , , Minnesota Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1978-01, , Florida Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F3587  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Nancy Lenora Magee,   b. 11 May 1930, Federalsburg, MD Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 Jul 2002, Sun City, AZ Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 72 years) 
    Marriage Y  [3
    Children 
     1. John Herbert Pigman, Jr.,   b. 22 Apr 1951, Salisbury, Wicomico, Maryland, United States Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 17 Oct 1999, Arizona Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 48 years)
     2. Melissa Love Pigman,   b. 31 Jan 1953, Fairfax, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 24 Feb 1993, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Maryland, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 40 years)
    +3. K.E. Pigman
    Family ID F30  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 8 Sep 2020 

    Family 2 P.A. Boyce 
    Family ID F49  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 18 Feb 2003 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 21 Dec 1926 - Cloquet, MN Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • The following article was written by Jack's wife after his death, and is posted here: http://www.usma1950.com/1950/memorials/PigmanJH.htm

      John Herbert Pigman 
      NO. 17381  •  21 December 1926 –  21 February 1978 
      Died 21 February 1978 in Baltimore, Maryland, aged 51 years
      Interment:  West Point Cemetery, West Point, New York 
      THE UNTIMELY DEATH of John H. Pigman, Class of 1950, deeply shocked his many friends in both the military and civilian communities. Jack was such a vibrant, active person. At age 51, in the prime of his life, he was struck with leukemia. He battled valiantly, as was his custom, but passed away quickly.

      Born on 21 December 1926 and raised in Cloquet, Minnesota, one of his teachers there said of Jack, "He was the most outstanding of the more than 10,000 students I have taught." People often felt that way about Jack, he was indeed outstanding.

      In February 1944 Jack enlisted in the Army Specialized Reserve Training Program and trained at Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. His leadership ability was quickly recognized with an appointment as cadet segreant. His training program completed, he was sent to Fort Leavenworth as a private, Air Corps Enlisted Reservist. While there, he applied for and won a Congressional appointment to the Military Academy. He reported to West Point in June 1946.

      In 1950 he graduated 34th in his class of 669. On active duty, his first assignment was as a platoon leader, Company C, 62d Engineers, Far East Command, Korea. In June 1951 he was made company commander. In 1952 he became tactical officer, The Engieer Officer Candidate School, a position he held for 21 months. In Korea he earned a Bronze Star and a Meritorious Service Medal.

      After his return from Korea in 1953, he married Nancy Magee of Berlin, Maryland. They had three children: John H. Pigman Jr., Melissa and Kristen.

      In January 1954 Jack resigned his Regular Army commission to take over the management of a family business in Berlin, Maryland. Under his direction, this grew to be one of the major enterprises on Maryland's Eastern Shore. In Berlin, he supported many worthwhile civic ventures. His exceptional talent as a speaker made him much in demand as a master of ceremonies. He was a member of Berlin's Town Council, the Chamber of Commerce, the American Legion and was at one time time the president of Berlin's Lions Club. He was a director of The Peninsula Bank. In addition, during his years in the petroleum business he was very active in area dealer affairs. His experience and judgment were valued by customers and competitors alike. Many people called on him for advice and he obliged them all. He knew how things should work- and how to fix them when they didn't perform properly.

      Jack's love of the Anny led him to join the Army Reserve in January 1954. A dedicated Reservist, he attended the Artillery and Missile School's Artillery Career Course; the Chemical Center and Schools' Chemical Officer Career Course (Reserve Component); and in 1973 he completed the Command and General Staff Officer Course, Non-Resident. In 1976 he graduated from the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks.

      His ability to lead and inspire his men was evident in the assignments given to him by his superiors. From March 1955 to December 1970, he served in a succession of command and staff positions with the 319th Infantry, the 650th Field Attillery Battilion, 7/6th Field Artillery, 2010th Logistic Command, 489th Chemical Battalion, and finally, as commander of the 275th Supply and Service Battalion. In December 1970 he was made Assistant Chief of Staff of the 97th United States Army Reserve Command (ARCOM), headquartered at Fort Meade, Maryland. In December 1972 Jack became the ARCOM's G4; in May 1976, its Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations and Training. In September 1976 he was selected to be Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Reserve Affairs). In that position, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general and became the first Reserve Officer to serve at North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Brussels, as liaison. In Septeniber 1977 Jack returned to the 97th ARCOM as its new commanding general.

      In 1972 Jack married Patricia Ann Boyce of New York City. Pat shared much of his Reserve travel schedule, including his stint in Brussels.

      At his funeral service held in Ocean City, Maryland on 24 February 1978, the officiating chaplain summed up Jack's philosophy quite nicely: "IN 1954, I met a young lieutenant. He strode across the room briskly, put out his hand and said, 'Hello, I'm Jack Pigman.' A few months ago I met that same young man but this time he was my commanding general. Again he said, 'Hello, I'm Jack Pigman,' just as he had 24 years ago. There was no pretense, no special favors for him, just plain Jack Pigman."

      Three days after his interment at West Point his friends and colleagues in the 97th ARCOM established a memorial fund at West Point to endow an annual award to the outstanding company in Jack's old regiment in the Corps of Cadets. The first John H. Pigman Award was presented at the June 1978 Awards Convocation.

      Jack Pigman was a most impressive man. His vitality, wit and grasp of any situation and an almost immediate solution to any problem, marked him for a greatness cut short only by the tragedy of his death.

      Many lives were enriched by knowing him. He was a man dedicated to his family and friends, his Alma Mater and his country. I will always cherish the wonderful years with him.

      -his wife

  • Sources 
    1. [S2] John S. Howell, Jr., JSH Feb 13 2003 gedcom.

    2. [SAuth] John Spencer Howell, Jr., John Spencer Howell, Jr., (http://www.jhowell.com/ jhowell@jhowell.com).

    3. [S723] Paul Howard with comments by W.L. Howard, M.D., Howard tree - 8 Pages, (8 pages., 8.5 x 11 stapled. Pencil corrections and updates by W.L.Howard.), p. 2.