List of United States Presidents by military rank

The United States Constitution names the President of the United States the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. armed forces. Many Presidents, however, also served in the military before taking office.


Table of United States Presidents by military rank

US-O12 insignia.svg General of the Armies

Rank order Highest rank Branch President Combat experience Service notes
1 General of the Armies of the United States Virginia militia, Continental Army, United States Army George Washington[1][2] French and Indian War, Revolutionary War Served in the Virginia militia (1752–1758), attaining the rank of colonel; served as commander in chief of the Continental Army (1775–1783) during the Revolutionary War, with the rank of "General and Commander in Chief." Washington was a Lieutenant General in the United States Army at his death. In 1976, then-president Gerald R. Ford posthumously appointed Washington as General of the Armies of the United States and specified that he would forever rank above all officers of the Army, past, present and future. The rank of General of the Armies is considered senior to General of the Army, and has been bestowed on only two officers in history, John J. Pershing, in 1919 for his services in World War I, and George Washington for his service as the first Commanding General of the United States Army. (An equivalent rank, Admiral of the Navy, was given to George Dewey.)

US-O11 insignia.svg General of the Army

Rank order Highest rank Branch President Combat experience Service notes
2 General of the Army United States Army (Regular army) Dwight D. Eisenhower Supreme Commander of the Allied Invasion of Europe, primarily the Battles for Normandy, France and Germany World War II. Graduated West Point; served 1915–1952. Served stateside during World War I and as Supreme Allied Commander during World War II.

(O-10) US-O10 insignia.svg General

Rank order Highest rank Branch President Combat experience Service notes
3 General of the Army United States Army (Regular Army) Ulysses S. Grant Mexican-American War and Civil War Graduated West Point; first Lieutenant General since Washington, appointed as four-star General of the Army in 1866.

(O-8) US-O8 insignia.svg Major General

Rank order Highest rank Branch President Combat experience Service notes
4 Major General North Carolina militia, Tennessee militia, United States Army Andrew Jackson Revolutionary War, Creek War, War of 1812, First Seminole War. Served at age 13 as a militia messenger during the Revolutionary War; was captured, becoming the only President to have been held as a prisoner of war (Washington had surrendered in the French and Indian War but was immediately paroled); served in the War of 1812, attaining the rank of major general and became a national hero after his success at the Battle of New Orleans.
United States Army William H. Harrison Northwest Indian War, War of 1812 Dates of service: 1791–1798, 1812–1814. Became national hero after success at the Battle of the Thames.
Zachary Taylor War of 1812, Black Hawk War, Second Seminole War, and Mexican-American War, Became a national hero because of his achievements in the Mexican-American War.
Brevet Major General of Volunteers United States Army (volunteers) Rutherford B. Hayes Civil War Successful leadership in Virginia/West Virginia region; wounded at the Battle of South Mountain
Major General of Volunteers James A. Garfield His heroic ride at the Battle of Chickamauga later helped him to be elected President.

(O-7) US-O7 insignia.svg Brigadier General

Rank order Highest rank Branch President Combat experience Service notes
9 Brigadier General of Volunteers United States Army (State militia, New Hampshire) Franklin Pierce Mexican-American War Enlisted as Private
9 Brigadier General of Volunteers United States Army Andrew Johnson Appointed Military Governor of Tennessee during Civil War with rank of Brigadier General None
9 Quartermaster General New York State militia Chester A. Arthur Non-combatant service only during Civil War Quartermaster’s Corps. Dates of service: 1860–1862. As a state quartermaster, he could not be mustered into Federal service.
9 Brevet Brigadier General of Volunteers United States Army (State militia, Indiana) Benjamin Harrison Civil War Battle of Perryville
Atlanta Campaign
Battle of Nashville

(O-6) US-O6 insignia.svg Colonel

Rank order Highest rank Branch President Combat experience Service notes
13 Colonel Virginia militia, Albemarle County Thomas Jefferson None Like other Virginia gentlemen, he had militia duties, and did administrative work
Virginia militia, Orange County James Madison None, served between 1775-1781 during the Revolutionary War. Also see Service Notes. Left militia to enter Virginia legislature. (Some sources claim Madison briefly assumed command of an artillery battery during the British assault on Washington during the War of 1812. If true, he would join Washington (Whiskey Rebellion) as having seen military service as commander-in-chief.)
State militia, Tennessee James K. Polk Unknown Served 1821
United States Army (State militia, New York National Guard, 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment aka the Rough Riders). Theodore Roosevelt Spanish American War Famous for charge up San Juan Hill. Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. As ex-president, volunteered for service in World War I, but President Wilson declined.
United States Army (National Army) Harry S. Truman World War I Served 1905–1911, then in World War I, 129th Field Artillery (1917–1919), Army Reserves (1919–1953)[3]

(O-5)US Navy O5 insignia.svg Commander

Rank order Highest rank Branch President Combat experience Service notes
18 Commander United States Navy (U.S. Naval Reserve) Lyndon B. Johnson World War II Awarded Silver Star medal by General Douglas MacArthur for his role as an observer on a B-26 bomber mission.[4][5] (Controversial.).[6][7]
18 Commander United States Navy (U.S. Naval Reserve) Richard Nixon World War II Served 1942–1945 on various islands in the South Pacific and Commanded SCAT units in the South Pacific.[8]

(O-4) US-O4 insignia.svg Major / US Navy O4 insignia.svg Lieutenant Commander

Rank order Highest rank Branch President Combat experience Service notes
20 Major Continental Army, Virginia State Troops James Monroe Revolutionary War Dates of service: 1776–1779. Crossed the Delaware River with Washington (he is holding the flag in the famous painting); wounded in the Battle of Trenton. As Secretary of State during the War of 1812, scouted and deployed troops during the British invasion of Washington.
20 Brevet Major of Volunteers United States Army (Volunteers) William McKinley Civil War Served in the Army of the Potomac, originally with the 23rd Ohio Infantry same as President Rutherford B. Hayes. First major engagement in West Virginia in 1861 and was present at the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia.
20 Lieutenant Commander United States Navy (U.S. Naval Reserve) Gerald Ford World War II Years of service: 1942–1946. Served on USS Monterey. Earned 10 battle stars.[9][10]
20 Major Union Continentals (home guard), New York Militia Millard Fillmore None, Mexican-American War, Civil War Years of service: 1861 (after departure from Presidency) [11]

(O-3) US-O3 insignia.svg Captain / US Navy O3 insignia.svg Lieutenant

Rank order Highest rank Branch President Combat experience Service notes
24 Captain State militia, Virginia. John Tyler War of 1812 Raised a company for the defense of Richmond in 1813
24 Lieutenant United States Navy (U.S. Naval Reserve) John F. Kennedy World War II Commanded a PT boat. Earned Purple Heart and Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism in the PT-109 Incident.[12]
24 Lieutenant United States Navy (U.S. Naval Reserve) Jimmy Carter[13][14] None, USNA Midshipman during World War II, served during Korean War, but never sent to Korea Years of service: 1946–1953. Graduated 59th in class of 1946 out of 820, United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Submarine service (Nuclear Specialist)
24 Captain United States Army (U.S. Army Reserve) Ronald Reagan None, served during World War II Served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve; served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, attaining the rank of captain. Was barred from combat because of poor eyesight. Narrated pre-flight training films under the Army Air Forces Motion Picture Unit.

(O-2) US-O2 insignia.svg First Lieutenant / US Navy O2 insignia.svg Lieutenant, Junior Grade

Rank order Highest rank Branch President Combat experience Service notes
29 Lieutenant, Junior Grade United States Navy (U.S. Naval Reserve) George H. W. Bush[15] World War II Youngest pilot in the United States Navy during World War II (age 19). Earned Distinguished Flying Cross.
29 First Lieutenant United States Air Force (Texas Air National Guard) George W. Bush None He performed Air National Guard duty as an F-102 pilot through April 1972, logging a total of 336 flight hours.

(E-2) Private Army-USA-OR-02.svg

Rank order Highest rank Branch President Combat experience Service notes
31 Private United States Army (State militia, Pennsylvania) James Buchanan War of 1812 Only future President who enlisted without going on to become an officer
31 Private State militia, Illinois. Abraham Lincoln Did not experience combat but served during Black Hawk War burying the dead shortly after battles ended. Initially elected to the officer rank of Captain, but was mustered in and out of service during the Black Hawk War, going from Captain to the enlisted rank of Private and finishing his service in an independent spy company commanded by Captain Jacob Early. Honorably discharged without seeing combat. Also served in Stillman's Run and Battle of Kellogg's Grove

Did not serve in uniform

President Service notes
John Adams None. Adams served as chairman of the Continental Congress's Board of War (1776–1777), making him the simultaneous equivalent of today's Secretary of Defense and Chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee.

He did, however, take an active part in a naval battle against the British merchantman, Martha, on March 10, 1778; while in transit to France aboard the 24-gun frigate Boston. The ship's Captain, Samuel Tucker, later related the story that during the thick of the battle, he had discovered Adams "among my marines accoutered as one of them and in the act of defense."[16]
John Quincy Adams None.
Martin Van Buren None.
Grover Cleveland None. He was drafted during the Civil War, but paid $150 for a substitute (a legal option under the terms of the Enrollment Act of 1863, and his substitute survived the war).
William H. Taft None. He was Secretary of War under President Theodore Roosevelt from 1904 to 1908.
Woodrow Wilson None. Served as President during World War I.
Warren G. Harding None.
Calvin Coolidge None.
Herbert Hoover None. He served in a private (civilian) humanitarian capacity in Europe during World War I. However, he was involved in the Siege of Tientsin during the Boxer Rebellion as a guide for US Marines.
Franklin D. Roosevelt None. He attempted to join the Navy during the Spanish American War but was unable as he contracted measles. Served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1913 and through World War I; when the U.S. entered the war in 1917 he offered his resignation so that he could apply for a commission in the Navy, but was refused by the President. Witnessed fighting in World War I. In a post World War I publication "Harvard in the War" he is listed among the Harvard's contributors to World War I effort. He served as President during World War II.
Bill Clinton None. He received a 2-A student draft deferment and thus did not serve in the Vietnam War.
Barack Obama None.
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See also

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References

  1. ^ wikisource:Public Law 94-479
  2. ^ wikisource:Order 31-3 Department of the Army Order Number 31-3 of 13 March 1978
  3. ^ "Military Personnel File of Harry S. Truman". Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum. Retrieved 1 January 2009. 
  4. ^ American Warriors Home Page
  5. ^ Commander Lyndon B. Johnson, USNR from the Naval Historical Center
  6. ^ Caro, Robert (1982). The Years of Lyndon Johnson: The Path to Power. Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-394-49973-5. "The most you can say about Lyndon Johnson and his Silver Star is that it is surely one of the most undeserved Silver Stars in history, because if you accept everything that he said, he was still in action for no more than 13 minutes and only as an observer. Men who flew many missions, brave men, never got a Silver Star." 
  7. ^ Tillman, Barrett and Sakaida, Henry. "LBJ’s Silver Star: The Mission That Never Was". b-26marauderarchive.org. Retrieved 2009-03-22. "The fact is LBJ never got within sight of Japanese forces." 
  8. ^ Commander Richard M. Nixon, USNR from the Naval Historical Center
  9. ^ CNN.com Specials
  10. ^ Lieutenant Commander Gerald R. Ford, USNR from the Naval Historical Center
  11. ^ The American Presidency
  12. ^ Lieutenant John F. Kennedy, USN from the Naval Historical Center
  13. ^ Jimmy Carter's Naval Service record from the Jimmy Carter Library & Museum
  14. ^ Lieutenant James Earle Carter, Jr., USN from the Naval Historical Center
  15. ^ Lieutenant Junior Grade George Bush, USNR from the Naval Historical Center
  16. ^ McCullough, David (2001). John Adams. Simon & Schuster. p. 186. ISBN 978-1-4165-7588-7. "Of the part Adams had played in the action, Tucker was to speak warmly, and later confirm how, at the height of the fray, he had discovered Adams "among my marines accoutered as one of them and in the act of defense."" ]
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Last modified on 13 March 2013, at 02:48