Black Jack was born on January 19, 1947. His breeding was not known, but he was a beautiful black gelding. Black Jack was sent from Fort. Reno, Oklahoma, to the Third Infantry (The Old Guard) at Fort Myer on November 22, 1953. He was named after General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing, Supreme Commander of the American Expeditionary Force in World War I.

He served as a caparisoned (riderless) horse, and took part in the ceremonial functions, including the funerals of Presidents Herbert Hoover, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and General Douglas MacArthur. His service also included thousands of other funeral processions at Arlington National Cemetery. He was always the riderless horse with boots reversed in the stirrups, a symbol of a fallen hero. Black Jack was the last horse issued to the Army by the Quartermaster, and he was the last to carry the "U.S." brand all army horses had. Black Jack was semi-retired on June 1, 1973, and died February 6, 1976, at the age of 29. His ashes were placed in an urn at his monument at Fort. Meyer, Virginia.

Those Americans who watched the funeral of John F. Kennedy will never forget the sight of Black Jack prancing behind the flag covered coffin, a beautiful and restless symbol of the nation's loss, with the empty, reversed boots shining in the stirrups.