<P> Before the five - star ranks were established in 1944, two officers had previously been promoted from their four - star ranks to the superior and unique ranks of Admiral of the Navy and General of the Armies: Admiral George Dewey (appointment 1903 retroactive to 1899, died 1917) and General John J. Pershing (appointed 1919, died 1948). In 1944 the Navy and Army specified that these officers were considered senior to any officers promoted to the five - star ranks within their services (but it was not clear if they were senior by rank or by seniority due to an earlier date of rank). </P> <P> Five - star ranks were created in the US military during World War II because of the awkward situation created when some American senior commanders were placed in positions commanding allied officers of higher rank . US officers holding five - star rank never retire; they draw full active duty pay for life . The five - star ranks were retired in 1981 on the death of General of the Army Omar Bradley . </P> <P> Nine Americans have been promoted to five - star rank, one of them, Henry H. Arnold, in two services (US Army then later in the US Air Force). As part of the bicentennial celebration, George Washington was, 177 years after his death, permanently made senior to all other US generals / admirals, with the title General of the Armies, effective on 4 July 1976 . The appointment stated he was to have "rank and precedence over all other grades of the Army, past or present". </P> <P> During World War II and (later) serving NATO, a small number of American five - star commanders have also held the additional title of Supreme Allied Commander, given operational control over all air, land, and sea units led by the four - star commanders of multi-national forces . </P>

How many 5 star general in us history