The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a

military decoration Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medallion. Civil decorations award ...

of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. The performance must be such as to merit recognition for service that is clearly exceptional. The exceptional performance of normal duty will not alone justify an award of this decoration. The Army's Distinguished Service Medal is equivalent to the Naval Service's

Navy Distinguished Service Medal The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919 and is presented to Sailors and Marines to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritorio ...

, Air and Space Forces'

Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation, state or country. Examples include: *Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in act ...

, and the

Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal The Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal (CGDSM) is a military decoration of the United States Coast Guard that was established 4 August 1949 and is presented to coast guardsmen for "Exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty ...

. Prior to the creation of the Air Force's Distinguished Service Medal in 1960, United States Air Force airmen were awarded the Army's Distinguished Service Medal.

Description

*The coat of arms of the United States in Gold surrounded by a circle of Dark Blue enamel, 1 ½ inches in diameter, bearing the inscription "FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MCMXVIII". *On the reverse is a scroll for the name of the recipient (which is to be engraved) upon a trophy of flags and weapons. The medal is suspended by a bar attached to the ribbon.

Ribbon

*The ribbon is wide and consists of the following stripes: # Scarlet 67111; # Ultramarine Blue 67118; # White 67101; # Ultramarine Blue; # Scarlet. *Additional awards of the Distinguished Service Medal are denoted by

oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device to denote preceding decorations and awards consisting of a miniature bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on the stem. It is authorized by the United States Armed Forces for a spec ...

Criteria

The Distinguished Service Medal is awarded to any person - effectively, general officers - who, while serving in any capacity with the United States Army, has distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility. The performance must be such as to merit recognition for service which is clearly exceptional. Exceptional performance of normal duty will not alone justify an award of this decoration. For service not related to actual war, the term "duty of a great responsibility" applies to a narrower range of positions than in time of war and requires evidence of a conspicuously significant achievement. However, justification of the award may accrue by virtue of exceptionally meritorious service in a succession of high positions of great importance. Awards may be made to persons other than members of the Armed Forces of the United States for wartime services only, and only then under exceptional circumstances with the express approval of the president in each case.

Components

*The following are authorized components of the Distinguished Service Medal and applicable specifications: #Decoration (regular size): MIL-D-3943/7. ##NSN for decoration set: 8455-00-444-0007. ##NSN for replacement medal is 8455-00-246-3830. #Decoration (miniature size): MIL-D-3943/7. NSN 8455-00-996-5008. #Ribbon: MIL-R-11589/52. NSN 8455-00-252-9922. #Lapel Button (metal replica of ribbon bar): MIL-L-11484/4. NSN 8455-00-253-0809.

History of the Distinguished Service Medal

The Distinguished Service Medal was authorized by Presidential Order dated January 2, 1918, and confirmed by Congress on July 9, 1918. It was announced by War Department General Order No. 6, 1918-01-12, with the following information concerning the medal: "A bronze medal of appropriate design and a ribbon to be worn in lieu thereof, to be awarded by the President to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the Army shall hereafter distinguish himself or herself, or who, since 04-06-1917, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility in time of war or in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United States." The Act of Congress on July 9, 1918, recognized the need for different types and degrees of heroism and meritorious service and included such provisions for award criteria. The current statutory authorization for the Distinguished Service Medal is Title 10,

United States Code The United States Code (formally The Code of Laws of the United States of America) is the official Codification (law), codification of the general and permanent Law of the United States#Federal law, federal statutes of the United States. It ...

, Section 3743.

Recipients

*Among the first awards of the Distinguished Service Medal for service in World War I, were those to the Commanding Officers of the Allied Armies: #Marshal

Ferdinand Foch Ferdinand Foch ( , ; 2 October 1851 – 20 March 1929) was a French general, Marshal of France and a member of the Académie Française and French Academy of Sciences, Académie des Sciences. He distinguished himself as Supreme Allied Commander ...

#Marshal

Joseph Joffre Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre , (; 12 January 1852 – 3 January 1931) was a French general who served as Commander-in-Chief of French forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front from the start of World War I until the end of 19 ...

#General

Philippe Petain Philippe is a masculine given name, cognate to Philip, and sometimes also a surname. The name may refer to: * Philippe of Belgium (born 1960), King of the Belgians (2013–present) * Philippe (footballer) (born 2000), Brazilian footballer * Prin ...

of France #General

Louis Franchet d'Espèrey Louis may refer to: People * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer Other uses * Louis (coin), a French coin * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also ...

of France #General Sir

Arthur Currie General Sir Arthur William Currie, (5 December 187530 November 1933) was a senior officer of the Canadian Army who fought during World War I. He had the unique distinction of starting his military career on the very bottom rung as a pre-war ...

of Canada #General Sir

John Monash General (Australia), General Sir John Monash (; 27 June 1865 – 8 October 1931) was an Australian civil engineer and military commander of the World War I, First World War. He commanded the 13th Brigade (Australia), 13th Infantry Brigade befor ...

of Australia #Field Marshal

Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig (; 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a senior officer of the British Army. During the First World War he commanded the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front from late 1915 until t ...

of Britain #General

Armando Diaz Armando Diaz, 1st Duke della Vittoria, (5 December 1861 – 28 February 1928) was an Italian general and a Marshal of Italy. He is mostly known for his role as Chief of Staff of the Regio Esercito during World War I from November 1917. He ...

of Italy #General

Cyriaque Gillain Cyriaque Cyprien Victor Gillain (11 August 1857 – 17 August 1931) was a Belgian officer who served in World War I and was chief of the Belgian general staff between April 1918 and February 1920. Youth and education Gillain was born in Bi ...

of Belgium #General

John Joseph Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was an American army general, educator, and founder of the Pershing Rifles. He served as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forc ...

of the United States #

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...

Živojin Mišić Živojin Mišić ( sr-cyrl, Живојин Мишић; 19 July 1855 – 20 January 1921) was a field marshal who participated in all of Serbia's wars from 1876 to 1918. He directly commanded the First Serbian army in the Battle of Kolubara an ...

of Serbia More than 2,000 awards were made during World War I, and by the time the United States entered World War II, approximately 2,800 awards had been made. From July 1, 1941, to June 6, 1969, when the Department of the Army stopped publishing awards of the DSM in Department of the Army General Orders, over 2,800 further awards were made. Prior to World War II the DSM was the only decoration for non-combat service in the U.S. Army. As a result, before World War II the DSM was awarded to a wider range of recipients than during and after World War II. During World War I awards of the DSM to officers below the rank of brigadier general were fairly common but became rare once the

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States military, military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievemen ...

was established in 1942. Until the first award of the

Air Force Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force and is presented to airmen and guardians to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritorious service to the United S ...

in 1965,

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

personnel received this award as well, as was the case with several other Department of the Army decorations until the Department of the Air Force fully established its own system of decorations.

Notable recipients

Because the Army Distinguished Service Medal is principally awarded to general officers, a list of notable recipients would include nearly every general, and some admirals, since 1918, many of whom received multiple awards, as well as a few civilians and sergeants major prominent for their contributions to national defense. General

Martin Dempsey Martin “Marty” Edward Dempsey (born 14 March 1952), is an American retired military officer who served as the 18th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 2011 to September 2015. He previously served as the 37th Chief of Staff of ...

, former

chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: appointment; gra ...

, holds the record for receiving the greatest number of awards of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, at six. He also received three awards of the

Defense Distinguished Service Medal The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to the ...

as well as one award each of the

, the

, and the

, for a total of twelve Distinguished Service Medals. Generals of the Army

Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American general who served as a top commander during World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He served with dis ...

and

Dwight Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...

are tied with five awards each received of the Army Distinguished Service Medal. They also each received one award of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, for a total of six DSMs each. General Lucius D. Clay (Four Star) received three Army DSM awards for his service that included Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces (European Theater) and Military Governor of Germany. During his tenure, Gen. Clay solved his greatest challenge: the Soviet Blockade of Berlin, which was imposed in June 1948. Gen. Clay triggered the Berlin Airlift, which served the city residents during the harsh winter of 1948–1949. He is also a recipient of the Legion of Merit. General

Norman Schwarzkopf Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. ( ; 22 August 1934 – 27 December 2012) was a United States Army general. While serving as the commander of United States Central Command, he led all coalition forces in the Gulf War against Ba'athist Iraq. ...

received two awards of the Army DSM and one award each of the Defense DSM, Navy DSM, the Air Force DSM and the Coast Guard DSM, for a total of six DSMs. General

Lloyd Austin Lloyd James Austin III (born August 8, 1953) is a retired United States Army four-star General (United States), general who served as the 28th United States Secretary of Defense, United States secretary of defense from 2021 to 2025. Before ...

received four awards of the Army DSM and five awards of the Defense DSM for a total of nine DSMs. Among notable recipients below flag rank are: X-1 test pilot

Chuck Yeager Brigadier general (United States), Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager ( , February 13, 1923December 7, 2020) was a United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot who in October 1947 became the first pilot in his ...

and X-15 test pilot

Robert M. White Robert Michael White (July 6, 1924 – March 17, 2010) ( Maj Gen, USAF) was an American electrical engineer, test pilot, fighter pilot, and astronaut. He was one of twelve pilots who flew the North American X-15, an experimental spaceplane join ...

, who both received the DSM as U.S. Air Force majors; director

Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-American film director, producer, and screenwriter who was the creative force behind Frank Capra filmography#Films that won Academy Award ...

, decorated in 1945 as an army colonel; actor

James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military aviator. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morali ...

, decorated in 1945 as an Army Air Forces colonel (later Air Force Brigadier General); Colonel

Wendell Fertig Wendell Fertig (December 16, 1900 – March 24, 1975)Brooks 2003, p. 37. was an American civil engineer, in the American-administered Commonwealth of the Philippines, who organized and commanded an American-Filipino guerrilla warfare, guerrilla ...

, who led Filipino guerrillas behind Japanese lines; Colonel (later Major General) John K. Singlaub, who led partisan forces in the Korean War; and Major

Maude C. Davison Maude C. Davison (27 March 1885 – 11 June 1956) was a Canadian-born, American nurse. After a career in Canada, she moved to the United States. She served as the Chief Nurse of the United States Army Nurse Corps in the Philippines during World W ...

, who led the "

Angels of Bataan The Angels of Bataan (also known as the "Angels of Bataan and Corregidor" and "The Battling Belles of Bataan") were the members of the United States Army Nurse Corps and the United States Navy Nurse Corps who were stationed in the Philippines at ...

and Corregidor" during their imprisonment by the Japanese, and Colonel William S. Taylor, Program Manager Multiple Launch Rocket System. Among notable civilian recipients are Harry L. Hopkins,

Robert S. McNamara Robert Strange McNamara (; June 9, 1916 – July 6, 2009) was an American businessman and government official who served as the eighth United States secretary of defense from 1961 to 1968 under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson ...

and

Henry L. Stimson Henry Lewis Stimson (September 21, 1867 – October 20, 1950) was an American statesman, lawyer, and Republican Party politician. Over his long career, he emerged as a leading figure in U.S. foreign policy by serving in both Republican and Demo ...

. Samuel W. Koster received a DSM, but this was rescinded due to his involvement in covering up the My Lai massacre Notable American and foreign recipients include:

United States Army

General of the Armies 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 fo ...

John J. Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was an American army general, educator, and founder of the Pershing Rifles. He served as the commander of the American Expeditionary For ...

– Commander of the

American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was a formation of the United States Armed Forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I, composed mostly of units from the United States Army, U.S. Army. The AEF was establis ...

General of the Army Army general or General of the army is the highest ranked general officer in many countries that use the French Revolutionary System. Army general is normally the highest rank used in peacetime. In countries that adopt the general officer fou ...

George C. Marshall George Catlett Marshall Jr. (31 December 1880 – 16 October 1959) was an American army officer and statesman. He rose through the United States Army to become Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army under presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. ...

–

US Army Chief of Staff US or Us most often refers to: * ''Us'' (pronoun), the objective case of the English first-person plural pronoun ''we'' * US, an abbreviation for the United States US, U.S., Us, us, or u.s. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Albums * ...

(two awards) *General of the Army

–

Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers The Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (), or SCAP, was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the United States-led Allied occupation of Japan following World War II. It issued SCAP Directives (alias SCAPIN, SCAP Index Number) ...

(five awards) *General of the Army

Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...

–

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...

Supreme Allied Commander Europe The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) is the commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Allied Command Operations (ACO) and head of ACO's headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). The commander is ...

(five awards) *General of the Army

Omar N. Bradley Omar Nelson Bradley (12 February 1893 – 8 April 1981) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the United States Army during and after World War II, rising to the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He wa ...

–

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: appointment; gra ...

(four awards) *

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

John Abizaid John Philip Abizaid (born 1 April 1951) is a retired United States Army general and former United States Central Command (CENTCOM) commander who served as the United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2019 to 2021. In 2007, Abizaid retired ...

– Commander US Central Command *General

Creighton Abrams Creighton Williams Abrams Jr. (15 September 1914 – 4 September 1974) was a United States Army General (United States), general who commanded military operations in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1972. He was then Chief of Staff of the United Sta ...

– US Army Chief of Staff (five awards) *General

– Commander US Central Command (four awards) *General Julius W. Becton Jr. – African American combat veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars. *General J. H. Binford Peay III – Commander US Central Command (two awards) *General

Tasker H. Bliss Tasker Howard Bliss (December 31, 1853 – November 9, 1930) was a United States Army officer who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army during World War I, from September 22, 1917, until May 18, 1918. He was also a diplomat involved i ...

– US Army Chief of Staff *General George W. Casey Jr. – US Army Chief of Staff (two awards) *General Richard E. Cavazos - Commander United States Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) (two awards) *General Peter W. Chiarelli – US Army Vice Chief of Staff *General

Mark W. Clark Mark Wayne Clark (1 May 1896 – 17 April 1984) was a United States Army officer who fought in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. He was the youngest four-star general in the U.S. Army during World War II. During World War I, he wa ...

– Commander of the

United Nations Command United Nations Command (UNC or UN Command) is the multinational military force established to support the South Korea, Republic of Korea (South Korea) during and after the Korean War. It was the first attempt at collective security by the U ...

(four awards) *General Lucius D. Clay – Commanding General European Theater and Military Governor of Germany (three awards) *General

J. Lawton Collins General Joseph Lawton Collins (1 May 1896 – 12 September 1987) was a senior United States Army officer. During World War II, he served in both the Pacific and European Theaters of Operations, one of a few senior American commanders to do so. H ...

– US Army Chief of Staff (four awards) *General Bantz J. Craddock – Commander US European Command *General

Malin Craig Malin Craig (5 August 1875 – 25 July 1945) was a general in the United States Army who served as the 14th Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1935 to 1939. He served in World War I and was recalled to active duty during World War II ...

– US Army Chief of Staff (three awards) *General

Martin E. Dempsey Martin “Marty” Edward Dempsey (born 14 March 1952), is an American retired military officer who served as the 18th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 2011 to September 2015. He previously served as the 37th chief of Staff o ...

– Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (six awards) *General

Oliver W. Dillard Oliver Williams Dillard Sr. (September 28, 1926 – June 16, 2015) was a United States Army major general, the fifth black officer in the U.S. Army to attain flag rank. He was a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame and Officer Cand ...

– African American infantry officer and combat veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars (two awards) *General

Ann E. Dunwoody Ann Elizabeth Dunwoody (born 14 January 1953) is a retired general of the United States Army. She was the first woman in United States military and uniformed service history to achieve a four-star officer rank, receiving her fourth star on 14 ...

– First female US Army four-star general

United States Army Materiel Command The U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC) is the primary provider of materiel to the United States Army. The command's mission includes the management of installations, as well as maintenance and parts distribution. AMC operates depots; arsenals; am ...

(two awards) *General

John W. Foss John William Foss (13 February 1933 – 25 April 2020) was a United States Army general, and commander of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. Military career Foss was born in Hutchinson, Minnesota, on 13 February 1933. He beg ...

– Commander Training and Doctrine Command (three awards) *General

Tommy Franks Tommy Ray Franks (born 17 June 1945) is a retired United States Army General (United States), general. His last army post was as the Commander of the United States Central Command, overseeing United States Armed Forces, United States military op ...

– Commander US Central Command (two awards) *General John Galvin – NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe *General

Alfred Gruenther General (United States), General Alfred Maximilian Gruenther (3 March 1899 – 30 May 1983) was a senior United States Army Officer (armed forces), officer, American Red Cross, Red Cross president, and Bridge (game), bridge player. After be ...

– NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (four awards) *General

Alexander Haig Alexander Meigs Haig Jr. (; 2 December 192420 February 2010) was United States Secretary of State under President Ronald Reagan and White House chief of staff under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Prior to and in between these cabine ...

– NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe *General

Carter Ham Carter Frederick Ham (born 16 February 1952) is a retired United States Army General Officer who served as the second commander of United States Africa Command. As commander of Africa Command, he led Operation Odyssey Dawn, the initial United St ...

– Commander of

United States Africa Command The United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM, U.S. AFRICOM, and AFRICOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for ...

*General John J. Hennessey – Commander

United States Readiness Command In 1961 the United States Strike Command (STRICOM) was established at MacDill Air Force Base as a unified combatant command capable of responding to global crises. The name of the command was originally derived from the acronym for Swift Tactica ...

*General John L. Hines – US Army Chief of Staff *General

Harold K. Johnson Harold Keith Johnson (22 February 1912 – 24 September 1983) was a United States Army general who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1964 to 1968. Regarded as a premier tactician, Johnson became skeptical that the level of ...

– US Army Chief of Staff (two awards) *General George Joulwan – NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe *General

Lyman L. Lemnitzer Lyman Louis Lemnitzer (29 August 1899 – 12 November 1988) was a United States Army General (United States), general who served as the fourth chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1960 to 1962. He then served as the Supreme Allied Commander ...

– NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (four awards) *General

Peyton C. March General Peyton Conway March (December 27, 1864April 13, 1955) was a senior officer of the United States Army. He served in the Philippines, on the Mexican border, and World War I. March was the ninth Chief of Staff from 1918 to 1921, accomplishi ...

– US Army Chief of Staff *General Edward C. Meyer – US Army Chief of Staff *General

Mark Milley Mark Alexander Milley (born 20 June 1958) is a retired United States Army general who served as the 20th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 1, 2019, to September 30, 2023. He had previously served as the 39th chief of staff of ...

– Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (four awards) *General

Lauris Norstad Lauris Norstad (March 24, 1907 – September 12, 1988) was an American general officer in the United States Army and United States Air Force. Early life and military career Lauris Norstad was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Martin and Marie No ...

– NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe *General

George S. Patton George Smith Patton Jr. (11 November 1885 – 21 December 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, then the Third Army in France and Germany after the Alli ...

– Commander US 3rd Army (three awards) *General

David Petraeus David Howell Petraeus (; born 7 November 1952) is a retired United States Army General (United States), general who served as the fourth director of the Central Intelligence Agency from September 2011 until his resignation in November 2012. Pri ...

– Commander International Security Assistance Force (three awards) *General

Colin Powell Colin Luther Powell ( ; – ) was an Americans, American diplomat, and army officer who was the 65th United States secretary of state from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African-American to hold the office. He was the 15th National Security ...

– Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (two awards) *General

Dennis Reimer Dennis Joe Reimer (born 12 July 1939) is a retired general of the United States Army, who served as the 33rd Chief of Staff of the Army from June 20, 1995, to June 21, 1999. He is also a graduate of Ranger and Airborne school. Early life and ...

– US Army Chief of Staff *General Matthew B. Ridgeway – US Army Chief of Staff (four awards) *General

Bernard W. Rogers Bernard William Rogers (16 July 1921 – 27 October 2008) was a United States Army general who served as the 28th Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and later as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander in Chief, United St ...

– NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe *General

Peter Schoomaker Peter Jan Schoomaker (born 12 February 1946) is a retired four-star general of the United States Army who served as the 35th Chief of Staff of the United States Army from June 2003 to April 2007. Schoomaker's appointment as Chief of Staff was u ...

– US Army Chief of Staff (three awards) *General

– Commander of

Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...

(three awards) *General

John Shalikashvili John Malchase David Shalikashvili ( ka, ჯონ მალხაზ დავით შალიკაშვილი, tr, ; 27 June 1936 – 23 July 2011) was a United States Army general who served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe from 1992 ...

– Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff *General

Hugh Shelton Henry Hugh Shelton (born 2 January 1942) is a former United States Army officer who served as the 14th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1997 to 2001. Early life, family and education Shelton was born in Tarboro, North Carolina and gra ...

– Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (three awards) *General

Eric Shinseki Eric Ken Shinseki (; , born 28 November 1942) is a retired United States Army general who served as the seventh United States secretary of veterans affairs from 2009 to 2014 and as the 34th chief of staff of the Army from 1999 to 2003. Shinseki ...

– US Army Chief of Staff (two awards) *General

Joseph Stilwell Joseph Warren "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell (19 March 1883 – 12 October 1946) was a United States Army general who served in the China Burma India theater during World War II. Stilwell was appointed as Chief of Staff for Chiang Kai-shek, the Chine ...

– Commander of the

China Burma India Theater China Burma India Theater (CBI) was the United States military designation during World War II for the China and Southeast Asian or India–Burma (IBT) theaters. Operational command of Allied forces (including U.S. forces) in the CBI was ...

*General

Maxwell D. Taylor Maxwell Davenport Taylor (26 August 1901 – 19 April 1987) was a senior United States Army Officer (armed forces), officer and diplomat during the Cold War. He served with distinction in World War II, most notably as commander of the 101st Air ...

– US Army Chief of Staff *General

James Van Fleet General (United States), General James Alward Van Fleet (19 March 1892 – 23 September 1992) was a United States Army officer who served during World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Van Fleet was a native of New Jersey, who was raised i ...

– Commander US 8th Army in Korea *General Jonathan M. Wainwright – Commander Allied Forces Philippines *General

Walton Walker Walton Harris Walker (3 December 1889 – 23 December 1950) was a United States Army four-star rank, four-star General (United States), general who served with distinction in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, where he commanded the ...

– Commander US 8th Army in Korea (two awards) *General

William Westmoreland William Childs Westmoreland (26 March 1914 – 18 July 2005) was a United States Army general, most notably the commander of United States forces during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1968. He served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army f ...

– US Army Chief of Staff (four awards) *General Earle G. Wheeler – Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (two awards) *Lieutenant General A.C. Roper – Vice Commander, U.S. Element, North American Aerospace Defense Command and Deputy Commander, U.S. Northern Command *

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

John B. Coulter (three awards) *Lieutenant General Harris W. Hollis – Commanding General, 9th and 25th Infantry Divisions in South Vietnam *Lieutenant General

Henry E. Emerson Henry Everett "Hank" Emerson (May 28, 1925 – February 4, 2015) was a United States Army lieutenant general. He is best known for having been the commander of the 2nd Infantry Division in South KoreaCharles Flynn – 25th Infantry Division *Lieutenant General

Mark P. Hertling Mark Phillip Hertling (born September 29, 1953) is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General. From March 2011 to November 2012, he served as the Commanding General of United States Army Europe and the Seventh Army. Hertling served in Armor ...

– Commanding General of US Army Europe *Lieutenant General

Kenneth W. Hunzeker Kenneth W. Hunzeker (born 1952, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is a retired officer in the United States Army who attained the rank of lieutenant general. He was commissioned from the United States Military Academy (USMA), West Point, New York, in 1 ...

*Lieutenant General

John C. H. Lee John Clifford Hodges Lee (1 August 1887 – 30 August 1958) was a career US Army engineer, who rose to the rank of lieutenant general (United States), lieutenant general and commanded the Communications Zone (ComZ) in the European Theater of Oper ...

– Commanding General

Army Service Forces The Army Service Forces was one of the three autonomous components of the United States Army during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Ground Forces, created on 9 March 1942. By dividing the Army into three large comman ...

Europe WWII *Lieutenant General

Hunter Liggett Hunter Liggett (March 21, 1857 − December 30, 1935) was a senior United States Army officer. His 42 years of military service spanned the period from the Indian campaigns to the trench warfare of World War I. Additionally, he also identified ...

*Lieutenant General Edward J. O'Neill – with 1 bronze oak leaf cluster in lieu of subsequent award of medal *Lieutenant General

Ricardo Sanchez Ricardo Sanchez (born September 9, 1953) is a former lieutenant general in the United States Army. Early life and education Sánchez was born into a Mexican American family in Rio Grande City, Texas. He spent one year at the University of Tex ...

– Commanding General V Corps (two awards) *Lieutenant General Eric Schoomaker – 42nd Surgeon General of the United States Army *Lieutenant General

William Wilson Quinn William Wilson "Buffalo Bill" Quinn (November 1, 1907 – September 11, 2000) was a United States Army officer, who served in intelligence during World War II. Born in Crisfield, Somerset, Maryland and a 1933 graduate of West Point, Quinn retired ...

– Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor *Lieutenant General Nadja West – 44th Surgeon General of the United States Army * Major General Gladeon M. Barnes – Chief of Research and Engineering *Major General Chester V. Clifton – Military Aide to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson *Major General

William E. Cole William Edward Cole (September 22, 1874 – May 18, 1953) was a decorated officer in the United States Army with the rank of major general. Having served during World War I, he distinguished himself as both a training officer and commander of th ...

– Commander 351st Field Artillery 1917–18 *Major General

William J. Donovan William Joseph "Wild Bill" Donovan (January 1, 1883 – February 8, 1959) was an American soldier, lawyer, intelligence officer and diplomat. He is best known for serving as the head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to ...

– founder of the

Office of Strategic Services The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the first intelligence agency of the United States, formed during World War II. The OSS was formed as an agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines ...

*Major General James L. Dozier – deputy chief of staff at NATO's Southern European land forces *Major General Lawrence J. Fuller – deputy director of the

Defense Intelligence Agency The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is an intelligence agency and combat support agency of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) specializing in military intelligence. A component of the Department of Defense and the United States In ...

*Major General

Charles M. Gettys Charles Martin Gettys (January 1, 1915 – November 20, 1982) was a United States Army Major General who served as commander of the 23rd Infantry Division ( Americal Division) during the Vietnam War. Early life and education Gettys was born in ...

– commanding general, 23rd Infantry Division *Major General George W. Goethals – engineer of the

Panama Canal The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...

*Major General

William C. Gorgas William Crawford Gorgas KCMG (October 3, 1854 – July 3, 1920) was a United States Army physician and 22nd Surgeon General of the U.S. Army (1914–1918). He is best known for his work in Florida, Havana and at the Panama Canal in abating th ...

– Surgeon General of the Army *Major General

Patrick J. Hurley Patrick Jay Hurley (January 8, 1883July 30, 1963) was an American attorney, Republican Party politician, military officer, and diplomat. He was the 51st United States Secretary of War from 1929 to 1933 in the cabinet of Herbert Hoover and a ke ...

*Major General

Edward Mann Lewis Major General Edward Mann Lewis, Order of the Bath, KCB, Order of St Michael and St George, KCMG, (December 10, 1863 – July 27, 1949) was a highly decorated United States Army officer who served his nation for 46 years. During the First World War ...

*Major General

Henry Balding Lewis Major General Henry Balding Lewis, Order of the British Empire, CBE, (May 8, 1889 – May 21, 1966) was a United States Army officer who served in the Border War (1910–19), Border War, Tientsin China, World War I and World War II. He served as ...

*Major General

Robert McGowan Littlejohn Robert McGowan Littlejohn (23 October 1890 – 6 May 1982) was a major general in the United States Army who graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1912. He served with the Pancho Villa Expedition and ...

*Major General

Viet Xuan Luong Việt Xuan Luong () is a retired United States Army Major general (United States), major general. He is the first American officer promoted to general officer rank who was born in Vietnam. He last served as the Commanding General of United State ...

– United States Army, Japan *Major General Franklin Lane McKean - Commander 96th ARCOM, Fort Douglas *Major General

Mason M. Patrick Mason Mathews Patrick (December 13, 1863 – January 29, 1942) was a general officer in the United States Army who led the United States Army Air Service during and after World War I and became the first Chief of the Army Air Corps when it was c ...

*Major General Lowell Ward Rooks - Commander of the 90th Infantry Division *Major General

Maurice Rose Maurice Rose (November 26, 1899 – March 30, 1945) was a career officer in the United States Army who attained the rank of major general. A veteran of World War I and World War II, Rose was commanding the 3rd Armored Division when he was kille ...

– commanding general 3rd Armored Division *Major General John K. Singlaub *Major General Charles F. Thompson *Major General Arthur R. Wilson *Major General

Cedric T. Wins Cedric Terry Wins is a retired United States Army general officer. Major General Wins was the last commander of RDECOM, in the U.S. Army Materiel Command, and the first commanding general (CG) of Combat Capabilities Development Command ( DEVCOM ...

* Brigadier General Sherwood Cheney – chief of the Army Transport Service during World War I *Brigadier General Charles G. Dawes – Vice President of the United States *Brigadier General

Anna Mae Hays Anna Mae Violet Hays ( McCabe; February 16, 1920 – January 7, 2018) was an American military officer who served as the 13th chief of the United States Army Nurse Corps. She was the first woman in the United States Armed Forces to be promoted to ...

– chief of the

United States Army Nurse Corps The United States Army Nurse Corps (USANC) was formally established by the U.S. Congress in 1901. It is one of the six medical special branches (or "corps") of officers which – along with medical enlisted soldiers – comprise the Army Medica ...

and first female US Army general *Brigadier General Frank T. Hines – director of the

Veterans Administration The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing lifelong healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers an ...

*Brigadier General

Howard Knox Ramey Howard Knox Ramey (28 June 1896 – 26 March 1943) was a United States Army Air Forces general during World War II. Ramey learned to fly in 1918 during World War I and served as an instructor at the Air Corps Advanced Flying School and as ...

*Brigadier General

Frank Merrill Frank Dow Merrill (December 4, 1903 – December 11, 1955) was a United States Army General (United States), general and is best remembered for his command of Merrill's Marauders, officially the 5307th Composite Unit (provisional), in the Burma ...

*Brigadier General Greg Parker *Brigadier General

Russell W. Volckmann Russell William Volckmann (October 23, 1911 – June 30, 1982) was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, a U.S. Army Infantry Branch (United States), infantry officer and a leader of the Philippine Commonwealth, Philippi ...

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

– movie director (received as a colonel,

Army of the United States The Army of the United States was one of the four major service components of the United States Army. Today, the Army consists of the Regular Army, the Army National Guard of the United States, the Army National Guard while in the service of the ...

in WW II) *Colinel Laurie Buckhout – political candidate and business executive *Colonel

Harvey Williams Cushing Harvey Williams Cushing (April 8, 1869 – October 7, 1939) was an American neurosurgeon, pathologist, writer, and draftsman. A pioneer of brain surgery, he was the first exclusive neurosurgeon and the first person to describe Cushing's disease ...

– neurosurgeon *Colonel

Horatio B. Hackett Col. Horatio Balch Hackett, Jr. (May 8, 1880 – September 8, 1941) was a leading American architect and construction executive, a college football player and official, a decorated combat veteran of World War I, and Assistant Administrator of t ...

– Assistant administrator of the

Public Works Administration The Public Works Administration (PWA), part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by United States Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was ...

; noted architect and businessman; football official and player *Colonel

Oveta Culp Hobby Oveta Culp Hobby (January 19, 1905 – August 16, 1995) was an American government official and businesswoman who served as the first United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare from 1953 to 1955. A member of the Republican Party, ...

– director of the

Women's Army Corps The Women's Army Corps (WAC; ) was the women's branch of the United States Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), on 15 May 1942, and converted to an active duty status in the Army of the United S ...

during World War II *Colonel Herbert H. Lehman – Governor of New York and United States Senator *Colonel

Floyd James Thompson Floyd James "Jim" Thompson (July 8, 1933 – July 16, 2002) was a United States Army colonel. He was one of the longest-held American prisoners of war, spending nearly nine years in captivity in the forests and mountains of South Vietnam, Laos, a ...

– The longest-held prisoner of war in American history *Lieutenant Colonel

Clarence O. Sherrill Clarence O. Sherrill (May 24, 1876 – February 6, 1959) was an American military officer, city manager, and lobbyist. The son of a North Carolina politician and Civil War veteran, Sherrill attended colleges in his home state before transferring t ...

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

David A. Reed – U.S. Senator for Pennsylvania, 1922, for service as a major in World War I *Major

Forsyth Wickes Forsyth Wickes (October 26, 1876 – December 20, 1964) was an art collector and philanthropist. Early life Wickes was born in New York City on October 26, 1876. He was the son of Edward Allen Wickes (1843–1918) and Mary Forsyth Wickes (1847� ...

– socialite, philanthropist and collector *Chaplain

Francis P. Duffy Francis Patrick Duffy (May 2, 1871 – June 27, 1932) was a Canadian American soldier, Catholic priest and military chaplain. Duffy served as chaplain for the 69th Infantry Regiment (known as the "Fighting 69th"), a unit of the New York Army N ...

– chaplain of the " Fighting 69th" *Major Herbert O. Yardley – cryptologist *

Sergeant Major of the Army The sergeant major of the Army (SMA) is a unique noncommissioned rank and position of office in the United States Army. The holder of this rank and position is the most senior enlisted soldier in the Army, unless an enlisted soldier is servin ...

Daniel A. Dailey Daniel A. Dailey (born January 11, 1969) is a former United States Army soldier who served as the 15th Sergeant Major of the Army from January 30, 2015, to August 9, 2019. Prior to his tenure as the Sergeant Major of the Army, he served as the C ...

* Command Sergeant Major Adam Nash * Command Sergeant Major

John P. McDwyer John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second Ep ...

* Sergeant First Class

Kyle F. Salone Jr. Kyle or Kyles may refer to: Name * Kyle (given name), a Gaelic given name, usually masculine * Kyle (surname), a surname of Scottish origin * Kyle (musician), a hip hop artist from California * Kyle (Child's Play), played by Christine Elise * ...

United States Navy

Fleet Admiral An admiral of the fleet or shortened to fleet admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to field marshal and marshal of the air force. An admiral of the fleet is typically senior to an admiral. It is also a generic ter ...

Chester W. Nimitz Chester William Nimitz (; 24 February 1885 – 20 February 1966) was a fleet admiral in the United States Navy. He played a major role in the naval history of World War II as Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet, and Commander in Chief, ...

–

Chief of Naval Operations The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the highest-ranking officer of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an Admiral (United States), admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the United States Secretary ...

*Fleet Admiral

William F. Halsey William Frederick "Bull" Halsey Jr. (30 October 1882 – 16 August 1959) was an American Navy admiral during World War II. He is one of four officers to have attained the rank of five-star fleet admiral of the United States Navy, the others be ...

– Commander of the 3rd Fleet *

Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

William S. Benson William Shepherd Benson (25 September 1855 – 20 May 1932) was an admiral in the United States Navy and the first chief of naval operations (CNO), holding the post throughout World War I. Early life and career William was born on a cotton ...

- Chief of Naval Operations *Admiral William J. Crowe, Jr. – Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff *Admiral

William Fechteler William Morrow Fechteler (March 6, 1896 – July 4, 1967) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower administration. Biography Fechteler was born in San Rafael, California, on Mar ...

- Chief of Naval Operations *Admiral

Albert Gleaves Albert Gleaves (January 1, 1858 – January 6, 1937) was a decorated admiral in the United States Navy, also notable as a naval historian. Biography Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Gleaves graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1877. Af ...

- Commander of the Asiatic Fleet *Admiral

Jonathan Greenert Jonathan William Greenert (born May 15, 1953) is a former United States Navy admiral who served as the 30th Chief of Naval Operations from September 23, 2011, to September 18, 2015. He previously served as the 36th Vice Chief of Naval Operations ...

- Chief of Naval Operations *Admiral

Thomas C. Kinkaid Thomas Cassin Kinkaid (3 April 1888 – 17 November 1972) was an admiral in the United States Navy, known for his service during World War II. He built a reputation as a "fighting admiral" in the aircraft carrier battles of 1942 and commanded th ...

- Commander Sixteenth Fleet *Admiral

William V. Pratt William Veazie Pratt (28 February 1869 – 25 November 1957) was an admiral in the United States Navy. He served as the President of the Naval War College from 1925 to 1927, and as the 5th Chief of Naval Operations from 1930 to 1933. Early ...

- Chief of Naval Operations *Admiral

U. S. Grant Sharp Jr. Ulysses Simpson Grant Sharp Jr. (April 2, 1906 – December 12, 2001) was a four-star admiral of the United States Navy who served as Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific Fleet ( CINCPACFLT) from 1963 to 1964; and Commander-in-Chief, United ...

- Commander US Pacific Command *Admiral Raymond A. Spruance – Commander of the 5th Fleet (later Ambassador to the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

) *Admiral

Harold Rainsford Stark Harold Raynsford Stark (November 12, 1880 – August 20, 1972) was an officer in the United States Navy during World War I and World War II, who served as the 8th Chief of Naval Operations from August 1, 1939, to March 26, 1942. Early life a ...

- Chief of Naval Operations *Admiral

Carlisle Trost Carlisle Albert Herman Trost (April 24, 1930 – September 29, 2020) was a United States Navy officer who served as the 23rd Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from July 1, 1986, to June 29, 1990. He oversaw ...

– Chief of Naval Operations *Admiral

Henry B. Wilson Henry Braid Wilson, Jr. (23 February 1861 – 30 January 1954) was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War I. Biography Wilson was a native of Camden, New Jersey. He joined the United States Navy in the latter part of the ninetee ...

- Commander of the Atlantic Fleet *

Vice Admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...

Robert L. Ghormley Vice admiral (United States), Vice Admiral Robert Lee Ghormley (October 15, 1883 – June 21, 1958) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander, South Pacific Area during World War II. Ghormley was long considered to be an in ...

*Vice Admiral

Henry Kent Hewitt Henry Kent Hewitt (February 11, 1887 – September 15, 1972) was the United States Navy commander of amphibious operations in North Africa and southern Europe through World War II. He was born in Hackensack, New Jersey and graduated from the Unit ...

(with oak leaf cluster) *

Rear Admiral Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...

Hilary P. Jones Hilary Pollard Jones, Jr. (14 November 1863 – 1 January 1938) was an officer in the United States Navy during the Spanish–American War and World War I. During the early 1920s, he served as Commander in Chief, United States Fleet. Early life ...

*Rear Admiral

Charles P. Plunkett Rear Admiral Charles Peshall Plunkett (15 February 1864 – 24 March 1931) was an officer of the United States Navy who served in the Spanish–American War and World War I. Biography Plunkett was born in Washington, D.C., and was appointed to ...

United States Marine Corps

*General

Paul X. Kelley Paul Xavier Kelley (November 11, 1928December 29, 2019) was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 28th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps from July 1, 1983, to June 30, 1987. Kelley served 37 years active du ...

*General Vernon E. Megee, *General

Peter Pace Peter Pace (born November 5, 1945) is a retired United States Marine Corps General (United States), general who served as the 16th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Pace was the first Marine officer appointed as chairman and the first Marine ...

– Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff *Major General Graves B. Erskine *Major General

Smedley Butler Smedley Darlington Butler (July 30, 1881June 21, 1940) was a United States Marine Corps officer and writer. During his 34-year military career, he fought in the Philippine–American War, the Boxer Rebellion, the Mexican Revolution, World War I, ...

*Major General John A. Lejeune

United States Air Force

Note – includes Army Air Service, Army Air Corps and Army Air Forces *

General of the Air Force General of the Air Force (GAF) 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 Unit ...

Hap Arnold Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold (25 June 1886 – 15 January 1950) was an American general officer holding the ranks of General of the Army and later, General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps (1938–1 ...

– commander of the Army Air Forces *General

Jimmy Doolittle James Harold Doolittle (December 14, 1896 – September 27, 1993) was an American military general and aviation pioneer who received the Medal of Honor for his raid on Japan during World War II, known as the Doolittle Raid in his honor. He ma ...

*General Edwin W. Rawlings *General

Joseph McNarney Joseph Taggart McNarney (28 August 1893 – 1 February 1972) was a four-star general in the United States Army and in the United States Air Force, who served as Military Governor of occupied Germany. Early life Joseph Taggart McNarney was b ...

*General Hoyt S. Vandenberg –

Air Force Chief of Staff The chief of staff of the Air Force (acronym: CSAF, or AF/CC) is the service chief of the United States Air Force. They are the principal military advisor to the secretary of the Air Force on matter pertaining to the Air Force. They are a mem ...

and

Director of Central Intelligence The director of central intelligence (DCI) was the head of the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1946 to 2004, acting as the principal intelligence advisor to the president of the United States and the United States National Se ...

*General

George C. Kenney George Churchill Kenney (6 August 1889 – 9 August 1977) was a United States Army general during World War II. He is best known as the commander of the Allies of World War II, Allied Air Forces in the South West Pacific Area (command), Southw ...

*General

Curtis Lemay Curtis Emerson LeMay (November 15, 1906 – October 1, 1990) was a United States Air Force, US Air Force General (United States), general who was a key American military commander during the Cold War. He served as Chief of Staff of the United St ...

– Air Force Chief of Staff *General

Carl Spaatz Carl Andrew Spaatz (born Spatz; 28 June 1891 – 14 July 1974), nicknamed "Tooey", was an American World War II general. As commander of Strategic Air Forces in Europe in 1944, he successfully pressed for the bombing of the enemy's oil productio ...

– Air Force Chief of Staff *General

Michael E. Ryan Michael Edward Ryan (born December 24, 1941) is a retired United States Air Force (USAF) General (United States), general and was the 16th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force from October 1997 to September 2001. He served as the senior ...

*Lieutenant General

Claire Lee Chennault Claire Lee Chennault (September 6, 1893 – July 27, 1958) was an American military aviator best known for his leadership of the "Flying Tigers" and the Chinese Nationalist Air Force in World War II. Chennault was a fierce advocate of "pursui ...

(with oak leaf cluster) – Leader of the

Flying Tigers The First American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Republic of China Air Force, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was formed to help oppose the Japanese invasion of China. Operating in 1941–1942, it was composed of pilots from the United States Ar ...

*Major General

Billy Mitchell William Lendrum Mitchell (December 29, 1879 – February 19, 1936) was a United States Army officer who had a major role in the creation of the United States Air Force. Mitchell served in France during World War I and, by the conflict's end, ...

, USAAC – Military air power prophet *Brigadier General

– Legendary test pilot *Colonel

Bernt Balchen Bernt Balchen (23 October 1899 – 17 October 1973) was a Norwegian pioneer polar aviator, navigator, aircraft mechanical engineer and military leader. A Norwegian native, he later became an American citizen and was a recipient of the Disting ...

, USAF – Legendary Norwegian-American pilot and arctic explorer. *Captain John Birch, USAAF – Missionary, guerilla leader and namesake of the

John Birch Society The John Birch Society (JBS) is an American right-wing political advocacy group. Founded in 1958, it is anti-communist, supports social conservatism, and is associated with ultraconservative, radical right, far-right, right-wing populist, and ...

*Brigadier General

Darr H. Alkire Darr Hayes Alkire (December 31, 1903 – July 22, 1977) was a pilot for the United States Army Air Service, United States Army Air Corps, the United States Army Air Forces, and the United States Air Force. He was the senior officer in command of ...

Civilians

* Grace Banker – Chief telephone operator of mobile for the

Bernard Baruch Bernard Mannes Baruch (August 19, 1870 – June 20, 1965) was an American financier and statesman. After amassing a fortune on the New York Stock Exchange, he impressed President Woodrow Wilson by managing the nation's economic mobilization in W ...

– Chairman, War Industries Board, 1918 *

Evangeline Booth Evangeline Cory Booth, OF (December 25, 1865 – July 17, 1950) was a British evangelist and the fourth General of The Salvation Army from 1934 to 1939. She was the first woman to hold the post. Early life She was born in South Hackney, Lon ...

– General of the

Salvation Army The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestantism, Protestant Christian church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. It is aligned with the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. The organisation reports a worldwide m ...

James F. Byrnes James Francis Byrnes ( ; May 2, 1882 – April 9, 1972) was an American judge and politician from South Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the U.S. Congress and on the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as in the executive branch ...

- Secretary of State during World War II *

Jacqueline Cochran Jacqueline Cochran (May 11, 1906 – August 9, 1980) was an American pilot and business executive. She pioneered women's aviation as one of the most prominent racing pilots of her generation. She set numerous records and was the first woman to br ...

– Aviator and founder of the

Women Airforce Service Pilots The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) (also Women's Army Service Pilots or Women's Auxiliary Service Pilots) was a civilian women pilots' organization, whose members were United States federal civil service employees. Members of WASP became t ...

(WASPs) *

Henry Pomeroy Davison Henry Pomeroy Davison Sr. (June 12, 1867 – May 6, 1922) was an American banker and philanthropist. Biography Henry Pomeroy Davison was born on June 12, 1867, in Troy, Pennsylvania, the oldest of the four children of Henrietta and George B ...

– Director of the

American Red Cross The American National Red Cross is a Nonprofit organization, nonprofit Humanitarianism, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. Clara Barton founded ...

Jane Delano Jane Arminda Delano (March 12, 1862 in Montour Falls, New York – April 15, 1919 in Savenay, Loire-Atlantique, France) was a nurse and founder of the American Red Cross Nursing Service. Personal life A descendant of one of the first settlers to ...

– Founder of the

American Red Cross Nursing Service The American Red Cross Nursing Service was organized in 1909 by Jane Arminda Delano (1862-1919). A nurse and member of the American Red Cross, Delano organized the nursing service as the reserve of the Army Nurse Corps to be ready just before the ...

James Forrestal James Vincent Forrestal (February 15, 1892 – May 22, 1949) was the last Cabinet (government), cabinet-level United States Secretary of the Navy and the first United States Secretary of Defense. Forrestal came from a very strict middle-cla ...

–

Secretary of Defense A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...

Hugh Frayne Hugh Frayne (November 8, 1869 – July 12, 1934) was an American labor leader. He worked for the American Federation of Labor in Pennsylvania and New York City. He was chairman of the labor division of the War Industries Board during World War I ...

– chairman, labor division of the War Industries Board *

Harry Augustus Garfield Harry Augustus "Hal" Garfield (October 11, 1863 – December 12, 1942) was an American lawyer, academic, and public official. He was president of Williams College and supervised the United States Fuel Administration during World War I. He was a ...

– U.S. Fuel Administrator *

Harry Hopkins Harold Lloyd Hopkins (August 17, 1890 – January 29, 1946) was an American statesman, public administrator, and presidential advisor. A trusted deputy to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Hopkins directed New Deal relief programs before ser ...

– Presidential aide to Franklin Roosevelt. * Edward N. Hurley – Chairman, American Shipping Board *

Robert McNamara Robert Strange McNamara (; June 9, 1916 – July 6, 2009) was an American businessman and government official who served as the eighth United States secretary of defense from 1961 to 1968 under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson ...

– Secretary of Defense * Edwin B. Parker – Member of the War Industries Board and arbiter with Germany, Austria and Hungary following World War I *

Hannah J. Patterson Hannah Jane Patterson (November 5, 1879 – August 21, 1937) was an American suffragist and social activist. She was a key member of the women's suffrage movement in Pennsylvania and worked for the National American Woman Suffrage Association. D ...

– Resident director of the Women's Committee of the

Council of National Defense The Council of National Defense was a United States organization formed during World War I to coordinate resources and industry in support of the war effort, including the coordination of transportation, industrial and farm production, financial s ...

Anna Howard Shaw Anna Howard Shaw (February 14, 1847 – July 2, 1919) was a leader of the women's suffrage movement in the United States. She was also a physician and one of the first women to be ordained as a Methodist minister in the United States. Early li ...

– Head of the Women's Committee of the Council of National Defense *

Edward R. Stettinius Edward Reilly Stettinius (February 15, 1865 – September 3, 1925) was an American executive. He was president of Diamond Match Company in Barberton, Ohio, for a time. After the start of World War I, he worked at J. P. Morgan and Company coord ...

– Director general of purchases for the War Department * John F. Stevens – Engineer of the

and the

Great Northern Railway Great Northern Railway or Great Northern Railroad may refer to: Australia * Great Northern Railway (Queensland) in Australia * Great Northern Rail Services in Victoria, Australia *Central Australia Railway was known as the great Northern Railway ...

– Secretary of War * Maude Cleveland (Woodworth) – Chief of the home communication and casualty service, Red Cross, at Brest, France

Foreigners

Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby Field Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby, (23 April 1861 – 14 May 1936) was a senior British Army officer and imperial governor. He fought in the Second Boer War and also in World War I, in which he led the Britis ...

, General (later Field Marshal), British Army *HM

Albert I Albert I may refer to: People Born before 1300 * Albert I, Count of Vermandois (917–987) * Albert I, Count of Namur () * Albert I of Moha *Albert I of Brandenburg (), first margrave of Brandenburg * Albert I, Margrave of Meissen (1158–1195) *Al ...

King of Belgians The monarchy of Belgium is the constitutional and hereditary institution of the monarchical head of state of the Kingdom of Belgium. As a popular monarchy, the Belgian monarch uses the title king/queen of the Belgians and serves as the co ...

Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke (23 July 1883 – 17 June 1963), was a senior officer of the British Army. He was Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom), Chief of the Imperial Gene ...

, field marshal, British Army *

Pietro Badoglio Pietro Badoglio, 1st Duke of Addis Abeba, 1st Marquess of Sabotino ( , ; 28 September 1871 – 1 November 1956), was an Italian general during both World Wars and the first viceroy of Italian East Africa. With the fall of the Fascist regim ...

, general, Italian Army *

William Birdwood, 1st Baron Birdwood Field Marshal William Riddell Birdwood, 1st Baron Birdwood (13 September 1865 – 17 May 1951), was a British Army officer. He saw active service in the Second Boer War on the staff of Lord Kitchener. He saw action again in the First World War ...

, general, British Indian Army (during secondment to Australian Army, later promoted to Field Marshal) *

Julian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal Julian Hedworth George Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy, (11 September 1862 – 6 June 1935), was a British Army officer who served as Governor General of Canada, the List of governors general of Ca ...

, General (later Field Marshal), British Army *Sir

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...

KG, OM, PC, CH, FRS – British Minister of Munitions (later Prime Minister) *

Harry Crerar General Henry Duncan Graham Crerar, (28 April 1888 – 1 April 1965) was a senior officer of the Canadian Army who became the country's senior field commander in the Second World War as commander of the First Canadian Army in the campaign i ...

, lieutenant general, Canadian Army *

Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy), Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope, (7 January 1883 – 12 June 1963) was a British officer of the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He was List of milit ...

, Admiral of the Fleet, Royal Navy *Sir

, lieutenant general, British Army, commanding Canadian Corps *

Georges de Bazelaire Georges de Bazelaire (January 30, 1858 – March 29, 1954) was a Major General in the French Army. During World War I, Bazelaire commanded the 135th Infantry Regiment, the 27th and 38th Infantry Divisions and the 7th Army Corps. World War I In 1 ...

, major general, VII Army Corps of the French Army during World War I *Sir

Francis de Guingand Major-General Sir Francis Wilfred "Freddie" de Guingand, (28 February 1900 – 29 June 1979) was a British Army officer who served as Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery's chief of staff from the Second Battle of El Alamein until the end of ...

, major general, British Army *

Jean de Lattre de Tassigny Jean Joseph Marie Gabriel de Lattre de Tassigny (2 February 1889 – 11 January 1952) was a French ''général d'armée'' during World War II and the First Indochina War. He was posthumously elevated to the dignity of Marshal of France in 1952. ...

, general, French Army (later a

Marshal of France Marshal of France (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to General officer, generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) ...

) *Sir

Miles Dempsey General Sir Miles Christopher Dempsey, (15 December 1896 – 5 June 1969) was a senior British Army officer who served in both world wars. During the Second World War he commanded the Second Army in northwest Europe. A highly professional car ...

, general, British Army *Sir

John Dill Field Marshal Sir John Greer Dill, (25 December 1881 – 4 November 1944) was a senior British Army officer with service in both the First World War and the Second World War. From May 1940 to December 1941 he was the Chief of the Imperial Gene ...

, field marshal, British Army *

, Marshal of France, French Army *

, field marshal, British Army * Arthur T. Harris, air chief marshal, Royal Air Force (later a

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Marshal of the Royal Air Force (MRAF) is the highest rank in the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF). In peacetime it was granted to RAF officers in the appointment of Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom), Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), and to ...

) * Chiang Kai-shek, general, Chinese Army *

Mariano Goybet Mariano Francisco Julio Goybet (17 August 1861 – 29 September 1943) was a French Army general, who held several commands in World War I. Family His family is an old family from Savoy in France. Its members were notaries, merchants, mayors, cap ...

, general, French Army *

Charles Mangin Charles Emmanuel Marie Mangin (6 July 1866 – 12 May 1925) was a French general during World War I. Early career Charles Mangin was born on 6 July 1866 in Sarrebourg. After initially failing to gain entrance to Saint-Cyr, he joined the 77th In ...

, general, French Army *

Paul Maistre Paul André Marie Maistre, (20 June 1858 – 25 July 1922) was a highly decorated French general who fought in World War I. He graduated from Saint Cyr in 1877, first in his class. He later returned as an instructor. He was promoted to captain in ...

, general, French Army *Sir

Richard McCreery General Sir Richard Loudon McCreery, (1 February 1898 – 18 October 1967) was a career soldier of the British Army, who was decorated for leading one of the last cavalry actions in the First World War. During the Second World War, he was chief ...

, general, British Army *Lord

Alfred Milner Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner, (23 March 1854 – 13 May 1925) was a British politician, statesman and colonial administrator who played a very important role in the formulation of British foreign and domestic policy between the mid-189 ...

, British Secretary of State for War *

, field marshal, Serbian Army *Sir

, general, Australian Army *

Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (; 17 November 1887 – 24 March 1976), nicknamed "Monty", was a senior British Army officer who served in the First World War, the I ...

, field marshal, British Army *Sir

Frederick E. Morgan Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Edgworth Morgan, (5 February 1894 – 19 March 1967) was a senior officer of the British Army who fought in both world wars. He is best known as the chief of staff to the Supreme Allied Commander (COSSAC), the o ...

, lieutenant general, British Army *

Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy), Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (born Prince Louis of Battenberg; 25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979), commonly known as Lord Mountbatten, was ...

, admiral, Royal Navy (later

Admiral of the Fleet An admiral of the fleet or shortened to fleet admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to field marshal and marshal of the air force. An admiral of the fleet is typically senior to an admiral. It is also a generic ter ...

) *

Henri Petain Henri is the French form of the masculine given name Henry, also in Estonian, Finnish, German and Luxembourgish. Bearers of the given name include: People French nobles * Henri I de Montmorency (1534–1614), Marshal and Constable of France * H ...

, Marshal of France, French Army *

Alexander Pokryshkin Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin (; – 13 November 1985) was a Soviet fighter pilot in World War II, and later a marshal of aviation. He was one of the highest-scoring Soviet aces, and the highest-scoring pilot ever to fly an American aircraft, ...

, Marshal of the Soviet Air Force *

Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford Marshal of the Royal Air Force Charles Frederick Algernon Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford, (21 May 1893 – 22 April 1971) was a senior Royal Air Force officer. He served as a bomber pilot in the First World War, and rose to become fi ...

Sir William Robertson, 1st Baronet Field Marshal Sir William Robert Robertson, 1st Baronet, (29 January 1860 – 12 February 1933) was a British Army officer who served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) – the professional head of the British Army – from 1916 to 1 ...

, field marshal, British Army *

Frederick Sykes Sir Frederick Hugh Sykes (23 July 1877 – 30 September 1954) was a British military officer and politician. Sykes was a junior officer in the 15th Hussars before becoming interested in military aviation. He was the first Officer Commanding t ...

Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom) Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) is the title of the professional head of the Royal Air Force, who is a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Air Force Board. The post was created in 1918, with Major General Sir Hugh Trenchard as the ...

Arthur Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder Marshal of the Royal Air Force Arthur William Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder, (11 July 1890 – 3 June 1967) was a British Royal Air Force officer and peer. He was a pilot and squadron commander in the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War and h ...

, air chief marshal, Royal Air Force (later

) *

Sir Henry Worth Thornton Sir Henry Worth Thornton, Order of the British Empire, KBE (November 6, 1871 – March 14, 1933) was a businessman. Thornton served as general superintendent of the Long Island Rail Road from 1911 to 1914, general manager of the Great Eastern Rai ...

, major general, British Army (American-born) * Gerald Trotter, brigadier-general, British Army *

Sir Thomas Montgomery-Cuninghame, 10th Baronet Sir Thomas Andrew Alexander Montgomery-Cuninghame, 10th Baronet (30 March 1877 – 5 January 1945), was a British Army officer and Distinguished Service Order recipient. Early life Montgomery-Cuninghame was born on 30 March 1877 in London, the s ...

of Corsehill, brevet lieutenant colonel, military attache, British Army *

Maxime Weygand Maxime Weygand (; 21 January 1867 – 28 January 1965) was a French military commander in World War I and World War II, as well as a high ranking member of the Vichy France, Vichy regime. Born in Belgium, Weygand was raised in France and educate ...

, general, French Army * Harold St. John Loyd Winterbotham, British

References

Major General Franklin L McKean - https://ocsalumni.org/at_biz_dir/franklin-l-mckean/

External links

Department of the Army Regulation 600-8-22; Military Awards; 2006-12-11; Effective date: 2007-01-11.Department of the Army Regulation 670-1; Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia; 2005-02-03; Effective date: 2005-03-03.Distinguished Service Medal - Criteria, Background, and Images

''Congressional Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, and Distinguished Service Medal Issued by The War Department''
1919 {{USArmy decorations Awards and decorations of the United States Army * Awards established in 1918