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Fleet Admiral (U.S.)
Encyclopedia
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
rank, and it is considered to be the highest possible rank attainable in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Fleet Admiral ranks immediately above admiral
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
and is equivalent to General of the Army
General of the Army (United States)
General of the Army is a five-star general officer and is the second highest possible rank in the United States Army. A special rank of General of the Armies, which ranks above General of the Army, does exist but has only been conferred twice in the history of the Army...
and General of the Air Force
General of the Air Force (United States)
General of the Air Force is a five-star general officer rank and is the highest possible rank in the United States Air Force. General of the Air Force ranks immediately above a general and is equivalent to General of the Army in the United States Army and Fleet Admiral in the United States Navy;...
. The Fleet Admiral rank is reserved for wartime use only and the grade is not currently active.
A special grade of Admiral of the Navy
Admiral of the Navy (United States)
Admiral of the Navy is a rank in the United States Navy that has only been held once in history, by George Dewey. In recognition of his victory at Manila Bay in 1898, Congress authorized a single officer to hold the rank of Admiral, and promoted Dewey to this rank in March 1899...
, which ranks above Fleet Admiral, was once conferred to Admiral George Dewey
George Dewey
George Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
following the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
(1898) in 1903, but it ceased to exist after his death on 16 January 1917.
The insignia for a Fleet Admiral is composed of five silver stars in a pentagon
Pentagon
In geometry, a pentagon is any five-sided polygon. A pentagon may be simple or self-intersecting. The sum of the internal angles in a simple pentagon is 540°. A pentagram is an example of a self-intersecting pentagon.- Regular pentagons :In a regular pentagon, all sides are equal in length and...
al design with a two-inch rank stripe, below four smaller stripes, worn on the service dress uniform.
In keeping with a tradition dating back to the 18th-century British Navy, a Fleet Admiral is entitled to full Admiral's pay and fringe benefits, including a small staff, for the remainder of his life.
Fleet Admirals of the United States
The United States rank of Fleet Admiral was created by an Act of CongressAct of Congress
An Act of Congress is a statute enacted by government with a legislature named "Congress," such as the United States Congress or the Congress of the Philippines....
on a temporary basis under Pub.L.
Public law
Public law is a theory of law governing the relationship between individuals and the state. Under this theory, constitutional law, administrative law and criminal law are sub-divisions of public law...
78-482 on December 14, 1944, and made permanent by on March 23, 1946. It was held during and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
by the following officers:
- William D. LeahyWilliam D. LeahyFleet Admiral William Daniel Leahy was an American naval officer, building his reputation through administration and staff work. As Chief of Naval Operations he was the senior officer in Navy, overseeing the preparations for war. After retiring from the Navy he was appointed by his close friend...
– December 15, 1944, - Ernest J. King – December 17, 1944,
- Chester W. Nimitz – December 19, 1944,
- William F. Halsey, Jr. – December 11, 1945.
The timing of the first three appointments was carefully planned, such that a clear order of seniority and a near-equivalence between the services was established for the Generals of the Army promoted at the same time.
A close contender to receive the rank of Fleet Admiral was Admiral Raymond A. Spruance. However, U.S. Representative Carl Vinson
Carl Vinson
Carl Vinson was a United States Representative from Georgia. He was a Democrat and the first person to serve for more than 50 years in the United States House of Representatives...
, a strong supporter of Admiral Halsey, reportedly blocked the final promotion of Spruance to Fleet Admiral on several occasions. However, Congress then responded by passing an Act of Congress, unprecedented for an individual, that stated that Admiral Spruance would receive a full four-star admiral
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
's salary during the rest of his lifetime.
Since 1945, there have been no additional Fleet Admirals appointed for the U.S. Navy. However, the rank of Fleet Admiral still remains listed on official rank insignia precedence charts, and if needed, this rank could be reestablished at the discretion of Congress and the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. Some documents, especially those teaching new sailors the officer's rank structure, have incorrectly stated that the rank officially expired upon the death of Fleet Admiral Nimitz in 1966.
U.S. Naval tradition holds that the rank Admiral of the Navy is considered senior to that of Fleet Admiral. The only person ever to hold the rank of Admiral of the Navy was George Dewey
George Dewey
George Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
. Dewey was awarded this rank in 1903 to commemorate his service in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
.
All five-star officers are, technically, unable to retire from active duty. This is more of a convention of honor than a practical matter, since five-star officers continue to be paid full salary and benefits for life, unless (as Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
did upon his election to the office of President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
) they formally resign their commission. President Eisenhower's commission was reinstated back to 1944 by an Act of Congress signed by President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
immediately following Eisenhower's leaving office in January 1961.
See also
- United States Navy officer rank insigniaUnited States Navy officer rank insigniaIn the United States Navy, officers have various ranks. Equivalency between services is by pay grade.-Rank categories:In the U.S. Navy, pay grades for officers are:...
- List of U.S. military leaders by rank
- List of Fleet and Grand Admirals
- List of comparative military ranks