Douglas MacArthur - General Of The Armies?

[seanmc1114]

I wasn't sure whether to post this under Ranks And Rates or Ephemera, but felt it might be better suited to this forum.

 

Attached is a 1931 letter from Douglas MacArthur in his capacity as the Army's Chief of Staff to the editor of Fort Benning's Doughboy yearbook. Note that below his signature, where the sender's rank is usually indicated, it refers to him as General Of The Armies. Below that it indicates his position of Chief of Staff.

 

My understanding is that the only officers to ever hold the rank of General of the Armies were George Washington and John J. Pershing. I know the whole history of general officer ranks in the Army is somewhat murky before WWII. Is there any actual significance to the rank as indicated on this letter or should it just be viewed as another embellishment dreamed up by MacArthur?

 

Has anyone else ever seen this reference before?

[Justin B.]

It sure is interesting. My WAG is that Mac, in that period where there was only one active four-star in the Army, considered himself "The General of the Army," as in the one and only full general. The plural may have to do with the 1920s organization into Army Areas, Field Armies and Corps Areas. Maybe Mac felt that now there were permanent numbered armies, the title should reflect that? Or it may be a bit of MacArthur-style affectation or aggrandizement. Or maybe both! Thanks for the post,

Justin B.

 

[trenchbuff]

Super interesting piece! Wonder if any other correspondence exists referring to MacArthur as "General of the Armies", a rank that he never attained.

[Jack's Son]

Nothing ever surprises me about the ego of this man. When he reached five star status, I'm sure he has a six star pattern designed.

[seanmc1114]

For what it's worth, the wikipedia entry for General Of The Armies indicates that during the planning for the invasion of Japan at the end of WWII, it was assumed that the leadership of the invasion forces would require the elevation of a number of Generals to the rank of 5 star General of the Army and thus a new, higher rank would be needed for the overall commander, Douglas MacArthur. According to the article, the attached design for the new 6 star rank was actually created by the War Department but the war ended before it was ever needed.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_of_the_armies

 

Still, even if true, that does not explain his reference to the rank in 1931.

 

[SCINC]

The above design was only one of several proposed. The design actually approved, should it be needed, consisted of a gold US Coat of Arms along with a LARGE five pointed gold star, with small five pointed silver stars in between the arms of the larger star. This was the same design that would have been used for the Navy and for the Air Force, with small differences, should they have been needed. Flags for all three services were also proposed to accompany these grades.

[Jim Baker]

My guess is clerical error.