More Stuff on Five and Six Star Generals

[W. Gray]

Army General Ranks:

General of the Armies, six-star
General of the Army, five star
General, four star
Lieutenant General, three star
Major General, two star
Brigadier General, one star


The Congressional resolution authorizing George Washington to be promoted to General of the Armies was effective July 4, 1976.

Congress considered allowing the promotion of Douglas MacArthur to six-star General of the Armies rank in 1955 effective with his 75th birthday, but the proposal was tabled.

After MacArthur's death in 1964, proposals were made to promote MacArthur and George C Marshall to the six-star rank, but the idea was dropped.

Only five men have attained the five-star General of the Army rank in the Army
George C. Marshall, 1944
Douglas MacArthur, 1944
Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1944
Henry Arnold, 1944
Omar Bradley, 1950

Henry Arnold is the only man in history to be a five-star General of the Army and a five-star General of the Air Force. Arnold went to the US Air Force when it was formed in 1947.

Noise has been made at one time or another to promote the following men to five-star rank:

David Patraeus (before his problems)
Colin Powell
Norman Swartzkoff

Since a five-star general is retained on the active rolls even after retirement, he would have to resign in order to run for president to prevent violating the law against holding two federal government positions at the same time. Eisenhower resigned as a five-star in 1952 and was reappointed in 1961.


Four men were promoted to five star Fleet Admiral during WWII.