He remains the only military officer in United States history to have worn six stars. His career encompassed - and dramatically affected - the transformation of his country into a world superpower. Now, the first intimate biography of General of the Armies John J. Pershing provides a compelling argument for his singular resonance.

Pershing's military career began in the West, commanding Buffalo Soldiers, participating in the Wounded Knee campaign and, later, chasing Pancho Villa in Mexico. Smith pinpoints these beginnings as the foundations for the general's later achievements, vividly illustrating Pershing's steady string of promotions and the development of his trademark discipline and stoicism.

Filled with compelling anecdotes - including a fascinating account of the young Pershing's controversial promotion to general and his first assignment in Manila - Until the Last Trumpet Sounds climaxes with the rich drama of World War I, providing insight into the mechanisms and underpinnings of Pershing's triumphs as Commander of the American Expeditionary Force in France and unparalleled rank as General of the Armies.