General of the Armies of the United States, more commonly referred to as General of the Armies, is the highest military rank in the United States. The rank has been conferred three times: to John J. Pershing in 1919, as a personal accolade for his command of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I; to George Washington in 1976, as a posthumous honor during the United States Bicentennial celebrations; and to Ulysses S. Grant in December 2022, when Congress authorized the president to posthumously appoint him to the rank.
General of the Armies John J. Pershing, the only person to hold the rank during his own lifetime
The office of General of the Armies was created for George Washington in 1799, but he was not actually appointed until 1976.
John J. Pershing was General of the Armies from September 3, 1919, until his death on July 15, 1948.
The General of the Armies had a spacious office in the old State, War, and Navy Building until 1947.
General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing, nicknamed "Black Jack", was a senior American United States Army officer. He served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) during World War I from 1917 to 1920. In addition to leading the AEF to victory in World War I, Pershing notably served as a mentor to many in the generation of generals who led the United States Army during World War II, including George C. Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar Bradley, Lesley J. McNair, George S. Patton, and Douglas MacArthur.
John J. Pershing
Pershing as a cadet in 1886
Captain John J. Pershing, c. 1902
Pershing with his wife Helen and three of their children
