Five-star officers of the United States

Five-star officers of the United States. The five-star ranks are the highest possible military ranks in the United States Armed Forces, established during World War II to create parity with the senior commanders of allied nations like the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. These ranks, including General of the Army and Fleet Admiral, were conferred upon only nine individuals who held monumental command responsibilities. The ranks are considered temporary, activated only during wartime, and no officer has been promoted to one since the era of the Korean War.

History and establishment of the rank

The concept of a five-star rank was first seriously proposed in late 1944, as the United States Department of War sought to ensure its top commanders held equivalent status to allied leaders such as Britain's Bernard Montgomery and the Soviet Union's Georgy Zhukov. Legislative action was swift, with Public Law 78-482 passed by the 78th United States Congress and signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on December 14, 1944. The initial appointments of George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Henry H. Arnold of the United States Army Air Forces were quickly followed by the promotion of United States Navy admirals like William D. Leahy, Ernest King, and Chester W. Nimitz. The establishment of the separate United States Air Force in 1947 led to the creation of the rank of General of the Air Force, to which Arnold was later redesignated.

List of five-star officers

Only nine men have ever held the U.S. five-star rank. The first group was appointed in December 1944: United States Army Generals of the Army George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Henry H. Arnold (who later became a General of the Air Force). In December 1944 and December 1945, the United States Navy promoted William D. Leahy, Ernest King, and Chester W. Nimitz to Fleet Admiral. Following the Japanese surrender, William Halsey Jr. was promoted in December 1945. The final promotion occurred in 1950 during the Korean War, when Omar Bradley was elevated to General of the Army. Notably, all five-star officers served in pivotal roles during World War II, with several, like Eisenhower and MacArthur, later holding supreme command in major theaters like the European Theater of Operations and the South West Pacific Area.

Insignia, pay, and privileges

The insignia for a General of the Army consists of five silver stars in a pentagonal pattern, worn on the shoulder boards and shirt collars, while a Fleet Admiral wears five silver stars in a line on the sleeve and shoulder boards. The pay grade was established as "special" and was set above that of a four-star General or Admiral. By law, five-star officers remain on active duty for life, drawing full pay and allowances until death, a provision intended to ensure their availability for consultation. They were also entitled to an office, an aide, and other support staff, with several, like Omar Bradley, serving in subsequent high-level advisory roles for the Department of Defense and the White House.

Legal status and protocol

The five-star ranks were created as temporary "grades of office" under the United States Code, Title 10, and are not considered permanent ranks in the traditional sense. Upon death, the rank is not maintained by the service. Protocol dictates that a five-star officer is senior to all other commissioned officers regardless of date of rank, a point of order that was crucial for joint command structures during World War II and the Korean War. The rank of General of the Armies, held historically by John J. Pershing and posthumously awarded to George Washington, is considered superior, though it has a separate and unique legal standing. No law has ever rescinded the authority to appoint new five-star officers, but the necessity has not arisen since the Cold War.

In popular culture

Five-star officers have been frequently depicted in films, television, and literature, often embodying the archetype of the American wartime leader. Actors like Henry Fonda portrayed Omar Bradley in *The Longest Day*, while Gregory Peck famously played Douglas MacArthur in *MacArthur*. The command decisions of figures like Dwight D. Eisenhower and Chester W. Nimitz are central to documentaries and series such as *The World at War* and *Victory at Sea*. Their distinctive five-star insignia is an instantly recognizable symbol of ultimate military authority, featured in video games like *Call of Duty* and in the exhibits of museums like the National Museum of the United States Army and the National Museum of the United States Navy.

Category:Military ranks of the United States Category:United States military personnel