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Nov 22, 2022 · Updated on Nov 22, 2022 9:02 AM PST. 4 minute read. SUMMARY. Even though the five-star general rank essentially died in 1981 with Omar Bradley, the idea of a five-star general rising above all others to command so much of the American and allied militaries is remarkably heroic. The five-star genera…. More.
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U.S. Army Five-Star Generals How many U.S. Army five-star generals have there been and who were they? The temporary grade of "General of the Army" (five-star) was provided for by...
Typically, five-star officers hold the rank of general of the army, admiral of the fleet, field marshal, marshal or general of the air force, and several other similarly named ranks. As an active rank, the position exists only in a minority of countries and is usually held by only a very few officers during wartime.
Five of the nine five-star officers are buried at Arlington National Cemetery: Generals Marshall, Arnold and Bradley, and Admirals Leahy and Halsey. Only three U.S. officers have held a rank higher than General of the Army or Fleet Admiral: John J. Pershing, George Washington and Ulysses S. Grant, who hold the rank of General of the Armies.
On December 14, 1944, Public Law 78-482 established the five-star grade of General of the Army, preserving Pershing's status as the only General of the Armies and further stating that nothing would change about the 1919 law that had promoted him:
Five men have held the rank of General of the Army (five star), George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar Bradley, and Henry H. Arnold, who later became the only five-star general in the Air Force. The five-star rank is no longer attainable.
5-Star Generals. ×. Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces. Additionally, the maintains its own "Five Star" status in the form of the rank "Fleet Admiral". This rank was awarded to the following men (their awarding date follows their name):
