<P> By an Act of Congress, on June 1, 1888, the grade was conferred upon Philip Sheridan, who by then was in failing health . The rank of General of the Army ceased to exist with Sheridan's death on August 5, 1888 . </P> <P> As the logistics and military leadership requirements of World War II escalated after the June 1944 Normandy Landings, the United States government created a new version of General of the Army . The five - star rank and authority of General of the Army and equivalent naval fleet admiral was created by an Act of Congress on a temporary basis when Pub. L. 78--482 was passed on 14 December 1944, as a temporary rank, subject to reversion to permanent rank six months after the end of the war . The temporary rank was then declared permanent 23 March 1946 by Pub. L. 79--333, which also awarded full pay and allowances in the grade to those on the retired list . It was created to give the most senior American commanders parity of rank with their British counterparts holding the ranks of field marshal and admiral of the fleet . This second General of the Army rank is not the same as the post-Civil War era version because of its purpose and five stars . </P> <P> The insignia for General of the Army, created in 1944, consists of five stars in a pentagonal pattern, with points touching . The five officers who have held the 1944 version of General of the Army are: </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> George Marshall </Td> <Td> December 16, 1944 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Douglas MacArthur </Td> <Td> December 18, 1944 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Dwight D. Eisenhower </Td> <Td> December 20, 1944 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Henry H. Arnold </Td> <Td> December 21, 1944 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Omar Bradley </Td> <Td> September 22, 1950 </Td> </Tr> </Table>

What do you call a general in the army