General of the Air Force
General of the Air Force: the five-star rank, held by one officer, Henry H. “Hap” Arnold, from 1949 until his death in 1950. The Department of War lists it as reserved for wartime.
How to read it
The insignia is five silver stars. Arnold commanded the Army Air Forces in the Second World War and retired in 1946. On 7 May 1949 Congress appointed him the first General of the Air Force, and the National Air and Space Museum describes him as the only five-star general the Air Force has had. He died in January 1950.
Also searched as: five-star general.
Ranks and insignia as the Department of the Air Force’s own instructions and pages set them out. Pay grades are the Department of Defense’s.
Five stars in two services
Arnold wore five stars first as a General of the Army: the museum’s example of his wartime uniform carries that insignia. In 1949 President Harry S. Truman transferred his commission to the Air Force. The Army’s rank, General of the Army, is also listed as reserved for wartime.
More air Force ranks
Browse symbols drawn with stars.
Sources
- U.S. Military Rank Insignia, Resources: U.S. Military Rank Insignia (enlisted and officer insignia by paygrade), U.S. Department of Defense (defense.gov), Officer insignia table, five-star grades
- Henry H. Arnold (official biography), Biography: General of the Air Force Henry H. Arnold, U.S. Air Force (af.mil), Biography
- Insignia, Rank, General of the Air Force, Gen. Henry "Hap" Arnold, National Air and Space Museum, object A19610010003, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Summary; Physical Description
Last reviewed September 29, 2026 by Rory Hansen. How we research