General John "Black Jack" Pershing was the commander of the American Expeditionary Force in World War I. General Pershing led the American Forces to victory and was awarded with the rank of General of the Armies (in effect a six star general compared to General of the Army a five star general). It is a rank that only he and General George Washington have held. But did you know that Pershing was not President Woodrow Wilson's first choice? President Wilson's first choice to lead the American Forces if the United States were to ever enter the war was Major General Frederick Funston, Kansas 1890. General Funston was deemed as the superior officer and American's best soldier by Wilson. Unfortunately General Funston died of a heart attack just months before the United States entered the war thus paving the way for the ascension of General Pershing.

In the history of the Medal of Honor only 5 pairs of brothers have been awarded the medal. The first pair of brothers to receive the Medal were John C. Black, Wabash, 1862 and William P. Black Wabash, 1864 who were raised in Danville Illinois. Phi Delta Theta is the only fraternity to hold this very rare distinction among its alumni.

Robert Patterson, Union College, 1912 a Distinguished Service Cross Recipient, who later served as Undersecretary of War under Pres. Roosevelt and then Secretary of War under Pres. Truman was a very accomplished soldier and politician. One of the accomplishments he was the most proud of was his efforts in desegrating the US Army. He strongly opposed units which were composed of just one race believing that there should be no racial distinction between soldiers who fight for the cause of freedom.

In 1938, then Major Wilbur R. McReynolds, Ohio University, 1915 (later a general) led the effort to develop a high-calorie, balanced meal that could be stored easily, for fighting troops in the field. The first C-rations consisted of six cans. Three held meat and vegetables and the others biscuits, coffee and sugar. The c-rations eventually gave way to k-rations a more desirable version of its predecessor. In turn k-rations became the MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) which are used today.

The first and last Canadian fighter pilots to lose their lives in World War II were both Phis. Horace George Yelland, Univ. of Manitoba, 1936 was the first Canadian pilot to lose his life when his airplane crashed on December 1, 1939 during a reconnaissance flight. Robert Hampton Gray, University of British Columbia, 1940 was killed on August 9, 1945. Gray was not only the last Canadian pilot to die but is often regarded as the last Canadian to die in World War II. Japan surrendered less than a week after Gray's death.

Vern Haugland University of Montana, 1931 was a well known war correspondent during World War II. During one of his assignments the B-26 he was riding on was shot down over New Guinea. He parachuted and fought and survived through the jungles for five weeks before finally being picked up by Allied Forces. For his ordeal, he was personally awarded the Silver Star by General Douglass MacArthur. What was so special about this particular Silver Star? It was the first one ever awarded to a civilian.
*Also listed under Facts about Phis in the Media

Operation Downfall was the name given to the Allied invasions of Japan by Allied forces during World War II. The invasions never took place because of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Lt. General Charles P. Hall Univ. of Mississippi, 1909 was slated to command his XI Corps during the invasion. With 113,000 men, he would've commanded the largest unit during the campaign.