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From: emery@aries.mitre.org (David Emery)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Rank of military officers
Message-ID: <1991Feb8.015631.19593@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 8 Feb 91 01:56:31 GMT
References: <1991Feb4.063141.20048@cbnews.att.com>
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From: emery@aries.mitre.org (David Emery)
Mike forgot the first, and most important 5-star General:  George
Marshall.  The story I understand is that the rank was created so that
Marshall could deal with British Field Marshalls on an equal basis,
and also because we figured out we needed a new rank for Army Group
commander.  Legend has it that the name "General of the Army" came
from Marshall's insistence that he'd "be damned if he'd be called
Field Marshall Marshall!"  I think there were 5 Army/Army Air Force
and 2 or 3 Navy 5-stars.

				dave