Lieutenant General (United States)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Please see "Lieutenant General" for other countries which use this rank

In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps and United States Air Force, a Lieutenant General may be referred to as a three-star general, named for the three stars worn on the uniform. The Naval equivalent is Vice Admiral.

For most of the first half of the 19th Century this rank, like that of full General, existed only on paper. Until the American Civil War, only one officer was ever promoted to this rank, Winfield Scott, an honorary, or brevet, promotion in 1855. George Washington was listed as a Lieutenant General on the Continental Army rolls after his death since he wore three stars, but his actual military title was General and Commander In Chief. The first full promotion to Lieutenant General did not take place until Ulysses S. Grant was promoted to that rank and elevated to Commanding General of the United States Army in 1864.<ref>Note that the Confederate States Army had already been using the rank of "lieutenant general" for its corps commanders prior to the U.S. Army's adoption of the term. The two ranks were not synonymous. Dozens of men held the rank in the Confederate army, while eight men were full generals.</ref>

An Army or Marine Corps Lieutenant General typically commands a corps-sized unit (20,000 to 45,000 soldiers), while an Air Force Lieutenant General commands a large Numbered Air Force consisting of several wings. Additionally, Lieutenant Generals of all services serve as high-level staff officers at various major command headquarters and The Pentagon.

[edit] Famous American Lieutenant Generals

Historic usage (listed in order of receiving the rank):

George Washington, Posthumously promoted to General of the Armies in 1976.
Winfield Scott
Ulysses S. Grant, later promoted to General of the Army of the United States
William Sherman, later promoted to General of the Army of the United States
Philip Sheridan, later promoted to General of the Army of the United States

Current usage:

World War II, Korea and Vietnam

George S. Patton, Commander U.S. Third Army and U.S. Seventh Army during World War II
Jimmy Doolittle, leader of the Doolittle Raid on Japan in World War II and commander of the U.S. 8th Air Force, 12th Air Force and 15th Air Force.
Walton Walker, Commander of XX Corps during World War II, and U.S. Eighth Army during the Korean War. Posthumously promoted to full General.
Leslie Groves, who ran the Manhattan Project
William Hood Simpson, Commander of U.S. Ninth Army during World War II
Robert Sink, former Commander of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (Band of Brothers), the XVIII Airborne Corps and the Strategic Army Corps.

Post Cold War

Ricardo Sanchez Commander U.S. V Corps, former Commander of U.S. ground forces in Iraq
Samuel V. Wilson, Ranger Hall of Fame, Delta Force co-founder, former Commander of the 6th Special Forces, former Deputy to Director, Central Intelligence Agency, former Director, Defense Intelligence Agency, former President of Hampden-Sydney College.

[edit] Notes

	Student Officer	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7	O-8	O-9	O-10	O-11 (wartime only)	Special Grade
Image:Flag of the United States.svg U.S. commissioned officer ranks
United States Navy:	MIDN/OC	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	RDML	RADM	VADM	ADM	FADM	Admiral of the Navy
United States Marine Corps:	Midn	2ndLt	1stLt	Capt	Maj	LtCol	Col	BGen	MajGen	LtGen	Gen	(no equivalent)	(no equivalent)
United States Army:	CDT/OC	2LT	1LT	CPT	MAJ	LTC	COL	BG	MG	LTG	GEN	General of the Army	General of the Armies
United States Air Force:	Cadet	2nd Lt	1st Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig Gen	Maj Gen	Lt Gen	Gen	General of the Air Force	(no equivalent)
United States Coast Guard:	CDT	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	RDML	RADM	VADM	ADM	(no equivalent)	(no equivalent)