jimnyc
07-13-2020, 11:32 AM
So another thing I learned today that I never knew about. A few of them that fit the bill in this posting.
I had no idea, 1st president George Washington was also promoted to 6 star general of the US Army. It wasn't actually until 1976 that this took place, so none higher. Folks should think about things like this when about to tear down monuments.
“fitting and proper that no officer of the United States Army should outrank Lieutenant General George Washington.” - and he was promoted to "General of the Armies"
And there were others of such rankings never seen before.
Gunny CSM or others that may know - if it states "Although the law did not actually specify the number of stars, some U.S. newspapers and members of Congress described this as a six-star rank" - then what does the military themselves look at him as, and you guys for example?
---
History
On 21 January 1955, a draft resolution was proposed to the U.S. Senate to authorize the then-U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower to appoint Douglas MacArthur, then a five-star General of the Army, to the elevated six-star rank of "General of the Armies of the United States in recognition of the great services to his country", with "such appointment to take effect as of the seventy-fifth anniversary of his birth, January 26, 1955." The proposal had little chance of passing and was never voted on.
The rank of General of the Armies had previously been granted, in 1919, to active-duty four-star General John J. Pershing. The markings used to identify Pershing's new ranking as higher than general was a bank of four gold (rather than silver) stars.
The rank of Admiral of the Navy was created for George Dewey in 1903, out of recognition for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, and the date of rank was made retroactive to 1899. In 1944, the U.S. Navy declared Dewey's rank to be senior to that of the newly created five-star rank of Fleet Admiral.
In 1976, as part of commemorations for the U.S. Bicentennial, General George Washington was posthumously promoted to the rank of General of the Armies of the United States. Although the law did not actually specify the number of stars, some U.S. newspapers and members of Congress described this as a six-star rank. His appointment had been to serve as "General and Commander in Chief of the Army of the United Colonies"
https://i.imgur.com/isco2Qjl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6j6hv0w.png
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-star_rank_in_US_armed_forces
George Washington: America’s Only Six-Star General
Historian James Thomas Flexner referred to George Washington as “the indispensable man.” Americans all know he was a general, but have you ever wondered what grade of general? How many stars did Gen. Washington have?
In today’s Army, a one-star general is a brigadier; two stars is a major general; three stars is a lieutenant general; four stars is just plain general. During World War II, Congress created the five-star general, the modern rank of general of the Army.
There had been an earlier grade that was called general of the Army, and it was held by Gens. Grant, Sherman and Sheridan following the Civil War. But these men were not five-star generals.
Only five men have earned five stars and held the modern rank of general of the Army: George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, “Hap” Arnold and Omar N. Bradley.
Arnold remained a five-star general when the Air Force was established as a service separate from the Army, making him the only man who has been both general of the Army and general of the Air Force.
But what about Washington?
When the Continental Congress named Washington commander in chief of the Continental Army in 1775, he was commissioned a major general. There would be other major generals in the Continental Army, but as CINC, Washington outranked them.
Washington led the Army to victory and then resigned his commission in 1783. After he served as the first president, his successor, John, Adams promoted Washington to lieutenant general.
Washington remained listed on the Army rolls as a lieutenant general through most of the 20th century. This meant that all four-star and five-star generals outranked him.
It rattled some folks that anyone should outrank Washington. Public Law 94-479 was passed in 1976 and stated it was “fitting and proper that no officer of the United States Army should outrank Lieutenant General George Washington.”
The law established “the grade of General of the Armies of the United States” and provided that this grade would have “rank and precedence over all other grades of the Army.” Washington’s promotion to this rank became effective on July 4, 1976.
As it happens, Gen. John J. Pershing had been given the title “general of the armies” after the First World War, but he remained a four-star general. Toward the end of the Second World War, Congress considered promoting Gen. MacArthur to general of the armies. At that time, the Army Institute of Heraldry designed an insignia for this rank that included six stars.
So, how many stars does Gen. Washington have? The law promoting Washington to general of the armies does not mention the number of stars associated with this rank, but the only extant insignia includes six stars.
On Feb. 13, 2013, Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., introduced H.R. 681 “to provide that Washington’s Birthday be observed on February 22, rather than the third Monday in February.”
Wolf said, “President Washington exemplifies the best that America and Americans have to offer the world; principled leadership, personal bravery, a sense of duty and public service, patriotism, [a] recognition of our unique role in world history and a reverence for his Creator. His enduring service deserves to be remembered on his actual birthday.”
Washington remains in the nation’s memory, as he was in his own lifetime, the indispensable man, and as Wolf has noted, he is “the only six-star general in the nation’s history.”
Joseph W. Dooley is secretary general of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution and a member of the Army Historical Foundation.
https://laresistance.news/reedom/george-washington-americas-only-six-star-general/
I had no idea, 1st president George Washington was also promoted to 6 star general of the US Army. It wasn't actually until 1976 that this took place, so none higher. Folks should think about things like this when about to tear down monuments.
“fitting and proper that no officer of the United States Army should outrank Lieutenant General George Washington.” - and he was promoted to "General of the Armies"
And there were others of such rankings never seen before.
Gunny CSM or others that may know - if it states "Although the law did not actually specify the number of stars, some U.S. newspapers and members of Congress described this as a six-star rank" - then what does the military themselves look at him as, and you guys for example?
---
History
On 21 January 1955, a draft resolution was proposed to the U.S. Senate to authorize the then-U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower to appoint Douglas MacArthur, then a five-star General of the Army, to the elevated six-star rank of "General of the Armies of the United States in recognition of the great services to his country", with "such appointment to take effect as of the seventy-fifth anniversary of his birth, January 26, 1955." The proposal had little chance of passing and was never voted on.
The rank of General of the Armies had previously been granted, in 1919, to active-duty four-star General John J. Pershing. The markings used to identify Pershing's new ranking as higher than general was a bank of four gold (rather than silver) stars.
The rank of Admiral of the Navy was created for George Dewey in 1903, out of recognition for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, and the date of rank was made retroactive to 1899. In 1944, the U.S. Navy declared Dewey's rank to be senior to that of the newly created five-star rank of Fleet Admiral.
In 1976, as part of commemorations for the U.S. Bicentennial, General George Washington was posthumously promoted to the rank of General of the Armies of the United States. Although the law did not actually specify the number of stars, some U.S. newspapers and members of Congress described this as a six-star rank. His appointment had been to serve as "General and Commander in Chief of the Army of the United Colonies"
https://i.imgur.com/isco2Qjl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6j6hv0w.png
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-star_rank_in_US_armed_forces
George Washington: America’s Only Six-Star General
Historian James Thomas Flexner referred to George Washington as “the indispensable man.” Americans all know he was a general, but have you ever wondered what grade of general? How many stars did Gen. Washington have?
In today’s Army, a one-star general is a brigadier; two stars is a major general; three stars is a lieutenant general; four stars is just plain general. During World War II, Congress created the five-star general, the modern rank of general of the Army.
There had been an earlier grade that was called general of the Army, and it was held by Gens. Grant, Sherman and Sheridan following the Civil War. But these men were not five-star generals.
Only five men have earned five stars and held the modern rank of general of the Army: George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, “Hap” Arnold and Omar N. Bradley.
Arnold remained a five-star general when the Air Force was established as a service separate from the Army, making him the only man who has been both general of the Army and general of the Air Force.
But what about Washington?
When the Continental Congress named Washington commander in chief of the Continental Army in 1775, he was commissioned a major general. There would be other major generals in the Continental Army, but as CINC, Washington outranked them.
Washington led the Army to victory and then resigned his commission in 1783. After he served as the first president, his successor, John, Adams promoted Washington to lieutenant general.
Washington remained listed on the Army rolls as a lieutenant general through most of the 20th century. This meant that all four-star and five-star generals outranked him.
It rattled some folks that anyone should outrank Washington. Public Law 94-479 was passed in 1976 and stated it was “fitting and proper that no officer of the United States Army should outrank Lieutenant General George Washington.”
The law established “the grade of General of the Armies of the United States” and provided that this grade would have “rank and precedence over all other grades of the Army.” Washington’s promotion to this rank became effective on July 4, 1976.
As it happens, Gen. John J. Pershing had been given the title “general of the armies” after the First World War, but he remained a four-star general. Toward the end of the Second World War, Congress considered promoting Gen. MacArthur to general of the armies. At that time, the Army Institute of Heraldry designed an insignia for this rank that included six stars.
So, how many stars does Gen. Washington have? The law promoting Washington to general of the armies does not mention the number of stars associated with this rank, but the only extant insignia includes six stars.
On Feb. 13, 2013, Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., introduced H.R. 681 “to provide that Washington’s Birthday be observed on February 22, rather than the third Monday in February.”
Wolf said, “President Washington exemplifies the best that America and Americans have to offer the world; principled leadership, personal bravery, a sense of duty and public service, patriotism, [a] recognition of our unique role in world history and a reverence for his Creator. His enduring service deserves to be remembered on his actual birthday.”
Washington remains in the nation’s memory, as he was in his own lifetime, the indispensable man, and as Wolf has noted, he is “the only six-star general in the nation’s history.”
Joseph W. Dooley is secretary general of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution and a member of the Army Historical Foundation.
https://laresistance.news/reedom/george-washington-americas-only-six-star-general/