The mysterious six-star rank that only three Americans have ever held
In short: In the American military hierarchy, there exists a rank so prestigious it sits above the five-star generals of World War II. Yet, no official six-star insignia was ever created, and the men who held the title often wore only four stars. How did a legislative loophole create this phantom grade?
The rank of General of the Armies is the highest possible grade in the United as a unique, near-mythical distinction. While the five-star 'General of the Army' was established in 1944, the 'General of the Armies' remains a separate, superior tier. Only three individuals have been conferred this honor: John J. Pershing in 1919, George Washington in 1976, and Ulysses S. Grant in 2024.
The prestige of the rank is rooted in legislative maneuvers designed to ensure absolute precedence. When Pershing was promoted in 1919 following his command of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I, Congress repealed laws that would have allowed other officers to outrank him. This created a lasting debate: does the rank represent a six-star grade, or simply a specialized four-star position? While some scholars argue the 1919 law only prevented the Army chief of staff from surpassing him, official Army regulations once distinguished the rank by the number of guns in a salute—19 for a General of the Armies versus 17 for a General of the Army.
The history of the rank is also one of posthumous corrections. George Washington was originally intended to hold the title in 1799, but President John Adams declined the appointment to protect the president's role as commander-in-chief. It took until the 1976 Bicentennial for Congress to officially elevate Washington to the rank. Similarly, the 2024 promotion of Ulysses S. Grant finally brought the Civil War general into the same legislative parity as Pershing, cementing a lineage of American military leadership that transcends standard wartime promotions.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: General of the Armies
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