This is a complete list of four-star admirals in the United States Navy. The rank of

admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some 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, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

(or ''full admiral'', or ''four-star admiral'') is the highest rank normally achievable in the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...

. It ranks above vice admiral (''three-star admiral'') and below fleet admiral (''five-star admiral''). There have been 275 four-star admirals in the history of the

. Of these, 234 achieved that rank while on active duty, 40 were promoted upon retirement in recognition of combat citations, and

one 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...

was promoted posthumously. Admirals entered the Navy via several paths: 237 were commissioned via the

U.S. Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of ...

(USNA), 22 via

Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps The Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) program is a college-based, commissioned officer training program of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. Origins A pilot Naval Reserve unit was established in September 192 ...

(NROTC), 9 via

Officer Candidate School An officer candidate school (OCS) is a military school which trains civilians and Enlisted rank, enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a Commission (document), commission as Commissioned officer, officers in the armed forces of a country. ...

(OCS), 2 via warrant, 2 via Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS),

via

direct commission A direct commission officer (DCO) is a United States uniformed officer who has received an appointed commission without the typical prerequisites for achieving a commission, such as attending a four-year service academy, a four-year or two-year ...

(direct),

via the Naval Aviation Cadet (NAVCAD) program, and

via the

U.S. Merchant Marine United States Merchant Marines are United States civilian mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of the government and private sectors, an ...

List of admirals

Entries in the following list of four-star admirals are indexed by the numerical order in which each officer was promoted to that rank while on active duty, or by an asterisk (*) if the officer did not serve in that rank while on active duty. Each entry lists the admiral's name, date of rank,Dates of rank are taken, where available, from the ''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships'', or from the U.S. Navy register of active and retired commissioned officers, or from the ''

World Almanac and Book of Facts ''The World Almanac and Book of Facts'' is a US-published reference work, an almanac conveying information about such subjects as world changes, tragedies, and sports feats. It has been published yearly from 1868 to 1875, and again every year sinc ...

''. The date listed is that of the officer's first promotion to admiral, and may differ from the officer's entry in the U.S. Navy register, which lists admirals who reverted to their permanent ranks of rear admiral as ranking from the date of the legislation that ultimately restored them to the rank of admiral, not from the dates of their original appointments. active-duty positions held while serving at four-star rank,Positions listed are those held by the officer when promoted to admiral. Dates listed are for the officer's full tenure, which may predate promotion to four-star rank or postdate retirement from active duty. number of years of active-duty service at four-star rank (Yrs),The number of years of active-duty service at four-star rank is approximated by subtracting the year in the "Date of rank" column from the last year in the "Position" column. Time spent between active-duty four-star assignments is not counted, nor is time spent on special duty as an unassigned fleet admiral. year commissioned and source of commission,The year commissioned is taken to be the year the officer graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, or equivalent, which may precede the officer's actual date of commission by up to two years. Prior to 1912, graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy were required by law to serve two years at sea as passed midshipmen before receiving their commission as ensign. Sources of commission are listed in parentheses after the year of commission and include: the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

(USNA),

(NROTC),

(OCS), warrant; the

Massachusetts Maritime Academy Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Mass Maritime) is a public university in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, focused on maritime-related fields. It was established in 1891 and is the second oldest state maritime academy in the United States. Originally ...

(MMA), and the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

(USMA). number of years in commission when promoted to four-star rank (YC),The number of years in commission before being promoted to four-star rank is approximated by subtracting the year in the "Commission" column from the year in the "Date of rank" column. and other biographical notes.Notes include years of birth and death; awards of the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

Congressional Gold Medal The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress. It is Congress's highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. The congressional pract ...

Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, along with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by the president of the United States to recognize people who have made "an especially merito ...

, or honors of similar significance; major government appointments; university presidencies or equivalents; familial relationships with other four-star officers or significant government officials such as U.S. Presidents, cabinet secretaries, U.S. Senators, or state governors; and unusual career events such as premature relief or death in office.

Tombstone admirals

The Act of Congress of 4 March 1925, allowed officers in the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard to be promoted one grade upon retirement if they had been specially commended for performance of duty in actual combat. Combat citation promotions were colloquially known as "

tombstone promotion A tombstone promotion is an advance in rank awarded at retirement. It often does not include any corresponding increase in retired pay, in which case it is an honorary promotion whose only benefit is the right to be addressed by the higher rank an ...

s" because they conferred all the perks and prestige of the higher rank including the loftier title on their tombstones but no additional retirement pay. The Act of Congress of 23 February 1942, enabled tombstone promotions to three- and four-star grades. Tombstone promotions were subsequently restricted to citations issued before 1 January 1947, and finally eliminated altogether effective 1 November 1959. Any admiral who actually served in a grade while on active duty receives precedence on the retired list over any tombstone admiral holding the same retired grade. Tombstone admirals rank among each other according to the dates of their highest active duty grade.

History

Four-star positions

1866–1941

The rank of admiral was created in 1866 to honor the Civil War achievements of

David Farragut David Glasgow Farragut (; also spelled Glascoe; July 5, 1801 – August 14, 1870) was a flag officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was the first rear admiral, vice admiral, and admiral in the United States Navy. Fa ...

. Upon his death, another Civil War hero, David D. Porter Jr., succeeded to the title. In 1873, Congress stated that further vacancies in the grade would not be filled, and the rank lapsed with Porter's death in 1890. Congress revived the rank in 1899 to honor

George Dewey George Dewey (December 26, 1837January 16, 1917) was Admiral of the Navy, the only person in United States history to have attained that rank. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, with ...

, stipulating that the grade would again cease to exist upon his death or retirement. In 1903, Dewey was promoted to the unique rank of

Admiral of the Navy Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some 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, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

, which during his lifetime was considered to be equivalent to an admiral of the fleet, but was later declared to be senior to the five-star grade of fleet admiral. The Act of 3 March 1915, provided that the commanders in chief of the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

, and

Asiatic Asiatic refers to something related to Asia. Asiatic may also refer to: * Asiatic style, a term in ancient stylistic criticism associated with Greek writers of Asia Minor * In the context of Ancient Egypt, beyond the borders of Egypt and the cont ...

Fleets would have the rank of admiral while so serving, and their seconds in command the rank of vice admiral. In 1916, the

Chief of Naval Operations The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...

was also made an admiral while so serving, ranking next after the

. The ranks of admiral and vice admiral were strictly temporary appointments for the duration of an officer's tour in designated billets, and the temporary admiral reverted to his permanent grade of rear admiral immediately upon vacating the office bearing the title. In 1917, Congress accommodated the Navy's desire to reorganize the fleet by authorizing the President to appoint three admirals and three vice admirals for any six fleet command positions. All fleet command tours lasted one year except for the commander in chief of the U.S. Fleet, whose term was sometimes renewed for a second year, and the commander in chief of the

Asiatic Fleet The United States Asiatic Fleet was a fleet of the United States Navy during much of the first half of the 20th century. Before World War II, the fleet patrolled the Philippine Islands. Much of the fleet was destroyed by the Japanese by Februar ...

, whose command was considered a backwater. (The

was appointed for four years.) Officers would typically "fleet up" to admiral or vice admiral for their year of fleet command and then revert to rear admiral to mark time until mandatory retirement. ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:10 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:50 right:130 left:20 AlignBars = late Define $start = 1860 Define $end = 1950 DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:$start till:$end TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:10 start:$start Colors = id:cno value:rgb(1,0,0) legend: CNO id:cincus value:rgb(0,0.7,0.7) legend: CINCUS id:battle value:rgb(0,1,0) legend: COMBATFOR id:atlantic value:rgb(0,0.7,0.7) legend: Atlantic_Fleet id:pacific value:rgb(0,1,0) legend: Pacific_Fleet id:asiatic value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0) legend: Asiatic_Fleet id:europe value:rgb(0,0,1) id:navy value:rgb(0,0,1) legend: Other_Navy id:jcs value:rgb(0,0,0) legend: JCS id:time value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9) id:category value:rgb(0.9,0.9,1) id:period value:rgb(0.5,0.5,1) id:none value:rgb(1,1,1) Legend = orientation:vertical position:right LineData = layer:back width:0.1 color:time at:1870 at:1880 at:1890 at:1900 at:1910 at:1920 at:1930 at:1940 at:1941 BarData = barset:PM bar:period_0 bar:period_1 bar:end_period bar:start_officers bar:officers bar:farragut bar:porter bar:dewey bar:fletcher bar:howard bar:cowles bar:winterhalter bar:winslow bar:caperton bar:benson bar:mayo bar:knight bar:sims bar:wilson bar:rodman bar:gleaves bar:coontz bar:strauss bar:jones bar:eberle bar:anderson bar:washington bar:robison bar:williams bar:hughes bar:jackson bar:wiley bar:bristol bar:desteiguer bar:pratt bar:nulton bar:mcvay bar:chase bar:schofield bar:taylor bar:leigh bar:mcnamee bar:standley bar:sellers bar:reeves bar:upham bar:brumby bar:laning bar:murfin bar:leahy bar:hepburn bar:yarnell bar:bloch bar:kalbfus bar:hart bar:richardson bar:stark bar:snyder bar:end_officers PlotData= width:6 align:left fontsize:S shift:(4,-4) anchor:till barset:PM bar:period_0 from:1860 till:1860 color:none text:"

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

" bar:period_1 from:1861 till:1865 color:period bar:period_0 from:1897 till:1897 color:none text:"

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

" bar:period_1 from:1898 till:1899 color:period bar:period_0 from:1916 till:1916 color:none text:"

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

" bar:period_1 from:1917 till:1920 color:period bar:period_0 from:1940 till:1940 color:none text:"

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

" bar:period_1 from:1941 till:1945 color:period bar:start_officers from:$start till:$end color:category bar:farragut from: 1866 till: 1870 color:navy text:"

" bar:porter from: 1870 till: 1891 color:navy text:"

David D. Porter David Dixon Porter (June 8, 1813 – February 13, 1891) was a United States Navy admiral and a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the U.S. Navy. Promoted as the second U.S. Navy officer ever to attain the rank of ...

" bar:dewey from: 1899 till: 1917 color:navy text:"

" bar:fletcher from: 1915 till: 1916 color:atlantic text:" Frank F. Fletcher" bar:howard from: 1915 till: 1915 color:pacific text:" Thomas B. Howard" bar:cowles from: 1915 till: 1915 color:asiatic text:" Walter C. Cowles" bar:winterhalter from: 1915 till: 1917 color:asiatic text:"

Albert G. Winterhalter Albert Gustav Winterhalter (October 5, 1856 – June 5, 1920) was an admiral in the United States Navy. He was commander in chief of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet from 1915 to 1917. He could speak or read eleven languages by the time he was appointe ...

" bar:winslow from: 1915 till: 1916 color:pacific text:" Cameron M. Winslow" bar:caperton from: 1916 till: 1919 color:pacific text:"

William B. Caperton William Banks Caperton (June 30, 1855 – December 12, 1941) was an admiral of the United States Navy. He held major posts ashore and afloat, chief of which were commanding the naval forces intervening in Haiti (1915–16) and Santo Domingo (191 ...

" bar:benson from: 1916 till: 1919 color:cno text:"

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 Born in Bibb County, Georgi ...

" bar:mayo from: 1916 till: 1919 color:atlantic bar:mayo from: 1919 till: 1919 color:cincus text:"

Henry T. Mayo Henry Thomas Mayo (8 December 1856 – 23 February 1937) was an admiral of the United States Navy. Mayo was born in Burlington, Vermont, 8 December 1856. Upon graduation from the United States Naval Academy in 1876 he experienced a variety of n ...

" bar:knight from: 1917 till: 1918 color:asiatic text:"

Austin M. Knight Austin Melvin Knight (December 16, 1854 – February 26, 1927) was an admiral in the United States Navy. He was commander in chief of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet from 1917 to 1918. His 1901 textbook ''Modern Seamanship'' was a standard reference for ov ...

" bar:sims from: 1918 till: 1919 color:europe text:"

William S. Sims William Sowden Sims (October 15, 1858 – September 28, 1936) was an admiral in the United States Navy who fought during the late 19th and early 20th centuries to modernize the navy. During World War I, he commanded all United States naval force ...

" bar:wilson from: 1919 till: 1921 color:atlantic text:" Henry B. Wilson Jr." bar:rodman from: 1919 till: 1921 color:pacific text:"

Hugh Rodman Admiral Hugh Rodman KCB (6 January 1859 – 7 June 1940) was an officer in the United States Navy who served during the Spanish–American War and World War I, later serving as the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet from 1919 to 1921. ...

" bar:gleaves from: 1919 till: 1921 color:asiatic text:"

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. A ...

" bar:coontz from: 1919 till: 1923 color:cno bar:coontz from: 1923 till: 1925 color:cincus text:"

Robert E. Coontz Robert Edward Coontz (June 11, 1864 – January 26, 1935) was an admiral in the United States Navy, who sailed with the Great White Fleet and served as the second Chief of Naval Operations. Early life Robert Coontz, son of Benton Coontz, w ...

" bar:strauss from: 1921 till: 1922 color:asiatic text:" Joseph Strauss" bar:jones from: 1921 till: 1922 color:atlantic bar:jones from: 1922 till: 1923 color:cincus text:"

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 ...

" bar:eberle from: 1921 till: 1921 color:pacific bar:eberle from: 1921 till: 1923 color:battle bar:eberle from: 1923 till: 1927 color:cno text:"

Edward W. Eberle Edward Walter Eberle (August 17, 1864 – July 6, 1929) was an Admiral (United States), admiral in the United States Navy, who served as List of Superintendents of the United States Naval Academy, Superintendent of the United States Naval Aca ...

" bar:anderson from: 1922 till: 1923 color:asiatic text:" Edwin A. Anderson" bar:washington from: 1923 till: 1925 color:asiatic text:"

Thomas Washington Thomas Washington (6 June 1865 – 15 December 1954) was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War I. Early life and career Thomas Washington and his brother Richard were twin of Virginia and her farmer husband R.A. Washington, both ...

" bar:robison from: 1923 till: 1925 color:battle bar:robison from: 1925 till: 1926 color:cincus text:"

Samuel S. Robison Admiral Samuel Shelburne Robison CB, USN (May 10, 1867 – November 20, 1952) was a United States Navy officer whose service extended from the 1890s through the early 1930s. He held several major commands during World War I, and from 1928 to 193 ...

" bar:williams from: 1925 till: 1927 color:asiatic text:" Clarence S. Williams" bar:hughes from: 1925 till: 1926 color:battle bar:hughes from: 1926 till: 1927 color:cincus bar:hughes from: 1927 till: 1930 color:cno text:" Charles F. Hughes" bar:jackson from: 1926 till: 1927 color:battle text:"

Richard H. Jackson Richard Harrison Jackson (May 10, 1866 – October 2, 1971) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy. Originally cashiered from the Navy for poor grades at the U.S. Naval Academy, he was commissioned ensign by special act of Congress for ...

" bar:wiley from: 1927 till: 1929 color:cincus text:"

Henry A. Wiley Admiral Henry Ariosto Wiley (31 January 1867 – 20 May 1943) was an officer in the United States Navy during the Spanish–American War, World War I, and World War II. Biography Born in Pike County, Alabama, Wiley graduated from the United States ...

" bar:bristol from: 1927 till: 1929 color:asiatic text:"

Mark L. Bristol Mark Lambert Bristol (April 17, 1868 – May 13, 1939) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy. Biography He was born on April 17, 1868, in Glassboro, New Jersey. Bristol graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1887. During the Spa ...

" bar:desteiguer from: 1927 till: 1928 color:battle text:"

Louis R. de Steiguer Admiral Louis Rodolph de Steiguer (March 18, 1867 – April 20, 1947) was an officer in the United States Navy, U.S. Navy. He was Commander of the Battle Fleet, U.S. Battle Fleet from 1927 to 1928. Early career Born in Athens, Ohio, on March 18, ...

" bar:pratt from: 1928 till: 1929 color:battle bar:pratt from: 1929 till: 1930 color:cincus bar:pratt from: 1930 till: 1933 color:cno text:"

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 l ...

" bar:nulton from: 1929 till: 1930 color:battle text:"

Louis M. Nulton Louis McCoy Nulton (August 8, 1869 – November 10, 1954) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who was List of Superintendents of the United States Naval Academy, superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy from 1925 to 1928 and command ...

" bar:mcvay from: 1929 till: 1931 color:asiatic text:"

Charles B. McVay Jr. Charles Butler McVay Jr. (September 19, 1868 – October 28, 1949) was an admiral in the United States Navy after World War I. In 1907–1909, after the cruise of the Great White Fleet, he commanded the tender USS ''Yankton''. He then held vari ...

" bar:chase from: 1930 till: 1931 color:cincus text:"

Jehu V. Chase Admiral Jehu Valentine Chase (January 10, 1869 – May 24, 1937) was a career navy officer, who is most remembered for his leadership of USS ''Minnesota'' during World War I. Chase was born in Pattersonville, Louisiana on 10 January 1869, and g ...

" bar:schofield from: 1930 till: 1931 color:battle bar:schofield from: 1931 till: 1932 color:cincus text:"

Frank H. Schofield Frank Herman Schofield (January 4, 1869 – February 20, 1942) was a decorated admiral in the United States Navy, where he served with distinction in the Spanish–American War and World War I. He was also acting governor of Guam from January ...

" bar:taylor from: 1931 till: 1933 color:asiatic text:"

Montgomery M. Taylor Montgomery Meigs Taylor (13 October 1869 – 21 October 1952) was an Admiral (United States), admiral in the United States Navy. He served in the Navy from 1890 to 1933, fought in the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War in 1898, ...

" bar:leigh from: 1931 till: 1932 color:battle bar:leigh from: 1932 till: 1933 color:cincus text:"

Richard H. Leigh Admiral Richard Henry Leigh CBE (August 12, 1870 – February 4, 1946) was a United States Navy officer who served during the late 19th and early 20th century. His service included active duty in the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American ...

" bar:mcnamee from: 1932 till: 1933 color:battle text:"

Luke McNamee Luke McNamee (April 4, 1871 – December 30, 1952) was a United States Navy Admiral, businessman, and the 10th and 12th Naval Governor of Guam. He served in the Navy for 42 years, during which time he held multiple commands. During the Spanish–A ...

" bar:standley from: 1933 till: 1933 color:battle bar:standley from: 1933 till: 1937 color:cno text:"

William H. Standley William Harrison Standley (18 December 1872 – 25 October 1963) was an Admiral (United States), admiral in the United States Navy, who served as Chief of Naval Operations from 1933 to 1937. He also served as the U.S. ambassador to the Soviet ...

" bar:sellers from: 1933 till: 1934 color:cincus text:"

David F. Sellers David F. Sellers (February 4, 1874 – January 27, 1949) was an admiral in the United States Navy. He was the first person from New Mexico to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. Biography David Foote Sellers was a native of Austin, Te ...

" bar:reeves from: 1933 till: 1934 color:battle bar:reeves from: 1934 till: 1936 color:cincus text:"

Joseph M. Reeves Joseph Mason "Bull" Reeves (November 20, 1872 – March 25, 1948) was an admiral in the United States Navy and an early and important supporter of U.S. Naval Aviation. Though a battleship officer during his early career, he became known as the ...

" bar:upham from: 1933 till: 1935 color:asiatic text:"

Frank B. Upham Frank Brooks Upham (7 September 1872 – 15 September 1939) served in the United States Navy during the Spanish–American War and as an admiral during World War I. Biography Born at Fort Apache, Arizona Territory Upham was appointed to the ...

" bar:brumby from: 1934 till: 1935 color:battle text:" Frank H. Brumby" bar:laning from: 1935 till: 1936 color:battle text:"

Harris Laning Harris Laning (October 18, 1873 – February 2, 1941) was a prominent officer in the United States Navy who eventually rose to the rank of Admiral. He was the uncle of Caleb Barrett Laning, who also achieved that rank. Naval career Laning graduat ...

" bar:murfin from: 1935 till: 1936 color:asiatic text:"

Orin G. Murfin Orin Gould Murfin (April 13, 1876 – October 22, 1956) was an admiral in the United States Navy. Murfin served as the commanding officer of in 1916; , 1923–1925; and , 1928–29. During World War I, he supervised U.S. mine-laying bases in Sc ...

" bar:leahy from: 1936 till: 1937 color:battle bar:leahy from: 1937 till: 1939 color:cno bar:leahy from: 1942 till: 1949 color:jcs text:"

William D. Leahy William Daniel Leahy () (May 6, 1875 – July 20, 1959) was an American naval officer who served as the most senior United States military officer on active duty during World War II. He held multiple titles and was at the center of all major ...

" bar:hepburn from: 1936 till: 1938 color:cincus text:" Arthur J. Hepburn" bar:yarnell from: 1936 till: 1939 color:asiatic text:"

Harry E. Yarnell Admiral Harry Ervin Yarnell (18 October 1875 – 7 July 1959) was an American naval officer whose career spanned over 51 years and three wars, from the Spanish–American War through World War II. Among his achievements was proving, in 1932 war ga ...

" bar:bloch from: 1937 till: 1938 color:battle bar:bloch from: 1938 till: 1940 color:cincus text:"

Claude C. Bloch Claude Charles Bloch (July 12, 1878 – October 4, 1967) was a United States Navy admiral who served as Commander, Battle Force, U.S. Fleet (COMBATFOR) from 1937 to 1938; and Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet (CINCUS) from 1938 to 1940. Early year ...

" bar:kalbfus from: 1938 till: 1939 color:battle text:"

Edward C. Kalbfus Edward Clifford Kalbfus (November 24, 1877 – September 6, 1954), List of military figures by nickname#O, nicknamed "Old Dutch", was a Admiral (United States), four-star admiral in the United States Navy who was commander of the Battle Force of t ...

" bar:hart from: 1939 till: 1942 color:asiatic text:"

Thomas C. Hart Thomas Charles Hart (June 12, 1877July 4, 1971) was an admiral in the United States Navy, whose service extended from the Spanish–American War through World War II. Following his retirement from the navy, he served briefly as a United States Se ...

" bar:richardson from: 1939 till: 1940 color:battle bar:richardson from: 1940 till: 1941 color:cincus text:"

James O. Richardson James Otto Richardson (18 September 1878 – 2 May 1974) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served from 1902 to 1947. As commander in chief of the United States Fleet (CinCUS), Richardson protested the redeployment of the Pacific portio ...

" bar:stark from: 1939 till: 1942 color:cno bar:stark from: 1942 till: 1945 color:navy text:"

Harold R. Stark Harold Rainsford 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 ...

" bar:snyder from: 1940 till: 1941 color:battle text:" Charles P. Snyder"

1941–1991

During

, the President was authorized to create as many admirals and vice admirals as he deemed necessary for the duration of the emergency. Most of these new creations retired at the end of the war, having been promoted to reward service in the fleet or headquarters, or to achieve parity with wartime counterparts. Although three- and four-star ranks remained temporary appointments, the practice of reverting to a lower grade pending retirement largely halted after 1942, when Congress authorized officers to be retired in the highest grade in which they served on active duty.Act of Congress of 16 July 1942. The rank of fleet admiral was created in 1944, and the four officers promoted to that grade were allowed to remain on active duty permanently. By 1956, the Navy had equilibrated at a total of seven permanent billets bearing four-star rank: the

(CNO); the

Vice Chief of Naval Operations The vice chief of naval operations (VCNO) is the second highest-ranking commissioned United States Navy officer in the United States Department of the Navy, Department of the Navy and functions as the principal deputy of the Chief of Naval Opera ...

(VCNO), the commanders in chief of the unified commands in the

(CINCPAC) and

(CINCLANT); the commander in chief of the

U.S. Pacific Fleet The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a theater-level component command of the United States Navy, located in the Pacific Ocean. It provides naval forces to the Indo-Pacific Command. Fleet headquarters is at Joint Base Pearl Harbor� ...

(CINCPACFLT); the commander in chief of

U.S. Naval Forces, Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean United States Naval Forces Europe and Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF), is the United States Navy component command of the United States European Command and United States Africa Command. Prior to 2020, NAVEUR-NAVAF was previously referred to as United States ...

(CINCNELM) (retitled commander in chief of

U.S. Naval Forces Europe United States Naval Forces Europe and Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF), is the United States Navy component command of the United States European Command and United States Africa Command. Prior to 2020, NAVEUR-NAVAF was previously referred to as United States ...

(CINCUSNAVEUR) in 1960); and the commander in chief of

North Atlantic Treaty Organization The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

(NATO) forces in

Southern Europe Southern Europe is the southern regions of Europe, region of Europe. It is also known as Mediterranean Europe, as its geography is essentially marked by the Mediterranean Sea. Definitions of Southern Europe include some or all of these countrie ...

(CINCSOUTH). In 1965, an eighth billet was added when the chief of naval material (CNM) was promoted to admiral. Occasionally this count would fluctuate when a Navy officer was selected as the

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

(CJCS), as the chairman's four-star representative to the

NATO Military Committee The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Military Committee (NATO MC) is the body of NATO that is composed of member states' Chiefs of Defence (CHOD). These national CHODs are regularly represented in the MC by their permanent Military Representative ...

(USMILREP), or as the

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...

or deputy director of central intelligence; or by special legislation.In 1994, special legislation authorized

Charles R. Larson Charles Robert Larson (November 20, 1936 – July 26, 2014) was an Admiral of the United States Navy. Military career A 1958 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Larson twice served as Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis ...

to resume the superintendency of the

, then a two-star billet, as a full admiral. When the long-serving director of the naval nuclear reactor program,

Hyman G. Rickover Hyman G. Rickover (January 27, 1900 – July 8, 1986) was an admiral in the U.S. Navy. He directed the original development of naval nuclear propulsion and controlled its operations for three decades as director of the U.S. Naval Reactors offic ...

, was finally compelled to retire in 1982, his successor was promoted to admiral and appointed

director of naval nuclear propulsion Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...

, institutionalizing the position as a permanent four-star billet. To compensate, another four-star billet was eliminated by merging

Allied Forces Southern Europe Allied Joint Force Command Naples (JFC Naples) is a NATO military command based in Lago Patria, in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy. It was activated on 15 March 2004, after effectively redesigning its predecessor command, Allied Forces Sou ...

with

. Similarly, when the

U.S. Atlantic Fleet The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFF) is a service component command of the United States Navy that provides naval forces to a wide variety of U.S. forces. The naval resources may be allocated to Combatant Commanders such as United Stat ...

commander (CINCLANTFLT) was separated from the Atlantic unified commander in 1985, the number of four-star billets was conserved by eliminating the chief of naval material position. The U.S. Atlantic Fleet was replaced by

U.S. Fleet Forces Command The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFF) is a service component command of the United States Navy that provides naval forces to a wide variety of U.S. forces. The naval resources may be allocated to Combatant Commanders such as United Stat ...

(COMUSFF) in 2006. ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:10 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:50 right:130 left:20 AlignBars = late Define $start = 1940 Define $end = 2000 DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:$start till:$end TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:10 start:$start Colors = id:jcs value:rgb(0,0,0) legend: CJCS/VJCS id:cno value:rgb(1,0,0) legend: CNO id:vcno value:rgb(0.7,0.7,0.7) legend: VCNO id:atlantic value:rgb(0,0.7,0.7) legend: Atlantic_Fleet id:pacific value:rgb(0,1,0) legend: Pacific_Fleet id:asiatic value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0) legend: Asiatic_Fleet id:nuclear value:rgb(0,1,1) legend: Nuclear_propulsion id:navy value:rgb(0,0,1) legend: Other_Navy id:joint value:rgb(0.7,0,1) legend: Joint_(military) id:federal value:rgb(1,0,1) legend: Joint_(other) id:general value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9) id:time value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9) id:category value:rgb(0.9,0.9,1) id:period value:rgb(0.5,0.5,1) id:none value:rgb(1,1,1) Legend = orientation:vertical position:right LineData = layer:back width:0.1 color:time at:1941 at:1950 at:1960 at:1970 at:1980 at:1990 at:1991 BarData = barset:PM bar:period_0 bar:period_1 bar:period_2 bar:end_period bar:start_officers bar:officers bar:leahy bar:hart bar:stark bar:kimmel bar:king bar:nimitz bar:ingersoll bar:halsey bar:spruance bar:ingram bar:horne bar:edwards bar:hewitt bar:kinkaid bar:richmondturner bar:robinson bar:towers bar:ramsey bar:cooke bar:moreell bar:mitscher bar:conolly bar:blandy bar:denfeld bar:radford bar:sherman bar:fechteler bar:carney bar:mccormick bar:donaldduncan bar:stump bar:wright bar:cassady bar:arleighburke bar:briscoe bar:boone bar:felt bar:curts bar:hollowayjr bar:hopwood bar:russell bar:brown bar:dennison bar:haroldpagesmith bar:sides bar:anderson bar:ricketts bar:davidmcdonald bar:griffin bar:sharp bar:moorer bar:rivero bar:thach bar:ward bar:royjohnson bar:mccain bar:galantin bar:holmes bar:hyland bar:clarey bar:wendt bar:zumwalt bar:charlesduncan bar:arnold bar:cousins bar:bringle bar:kidd bar:colbert bar:gayler bar:weisner bar:hollowayiii bar:worthbagley bar:rickover bar:johnston bar:shear bar:weinel bar:michaelis bar:davidbagley bar:stansfieldturner bar:murphy bar:hayward bar:long bar:davis bar:whittle bar:train bar:watkins bar:crowe bar:inman bar:small bar:williams bar:kinnear bar:mckee bar:foley bar:wesleymcdonald bar:hays bar:white bar:baggett bar:lyons bar:trost bar:busey bar:moreau bar:kelso bar:hardisty bar:carter bar:jeremiah bar:edney bar:demars bar:hogg bar:howe bar:larson bar:jeromejohnson bar:end_officers PlotData= width:6 align:left fontsize:S shift:(4,-4) anchor:till barset:PM bar:period_0 from:1941 till:1945 color:period text:"

" bar:period_1 from:1947 till:1991 color:period text:"

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

" bar:period_2 from:1950 till:1953 color:period text:"

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

" bar:period_2 from:1961 till:1975 color:period text:"

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

" bar:period_2 from:1990 till:1991 color:period text:"

Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...

" bar:start_officers from:$start till:1991 color:category bar:leahy from: 1942 till: 1949 color:jcs text:"

" bar:hart from: 1940 till: 1942 color:asiatic text:"

" bar:stark from: 1940 till: 1942 color:cno bar:stark from: 1942 till: 1945 color:navy text:"

" bar:kimmel from: 1941 till: 1942 color:pacific text:"

Husband E. Kimmel Husband Edward Kimmel (February 26, 1882 – May 14, 1968) was a United States Navy four-star admiral who was the commander in chief of the United States Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT) during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was removed fro ...

" bar:king from: 1941 till: 1942 color:atlantic bar:king from: 1942 till: 1946 color:cno text:"

Ernest J. King Ernest Joseph King (23 November 1878 – 25 June 1956) was an American naval officer who served as Commander in Chief, United States Fleet (COMINCH) and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) during World War II. As COMINCH-CNO, he directed the Un ...

" bar:nimitz from: 1942 till: 1946 color:pacific bar:nimitz from: 1946 till: 1948 color:cno text:"

Chester W. Nimitz Chester William Nimitz (; February 24, 1885 – February 20, 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 C ...

" bar:ingersoll from: 1942 till: 1944 color:atlantic bar:ingersoll from: 1944 till: 1945 color:navy text:" Royal E. Ingersoll" bar:halsey from: 1942 till: 1945 color:navy text:"

William F. Halsey Jr. William Frederick "Bull" Halsey Jr. (October 30, 1882 – August 16, 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 ...

" bar:spruance from: 1944 till: 1945 color:navy bar:spruance from: 1945 till: 1946 color:pacific bar:spruance from: 1946 till: 1948 color:navy text:" Raymond A. Spruance" bar:ingram from: 1944 till: 1946 color:atlantic text:"

Jonas H. Ingram Admiral (United States), Admiral Jonas Howard Ingram (October 15, 1886 – September 9, 1952) was an officer in the United States Navy during World War I and World War II. He commanded the United States Atlantic Fleet during World War II and was ...

" bar:horne from: 1944 till: 1945 color:vcno text:"

Frederick J. Horne Admiral Frederick Joseph Horne (February 14, 1880 – October 18, 1959) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy. As the first Vice Chief of Naval Operations, he directed all Navy logistics during World War II. Early career Horne w ...

" bar:edwards from: 1945 till: 1946 color:vcno bar:edwards from: 1946 till: 1947 color:navy text:" Richard S. Edwards Jr." bar:hewitt from: 1945 till: 1949 color:navy text:"

H. 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 ...

" bar:kinkaid from: 1945 till: 1950 color:navy text:"

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 t ...

" bar:richmondturner from: 1945 till: 1947 color:navy text:"

Richmond K. Turner Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner (May 27, 1885 – February 12, 1961), commonly known as Admiral Kelly Turner, served in the United States Navy during World War II, and is best known for commanding the Amphibious Force during the campaign across ...

" bar:robinson from: 1945 till: 1946 color:navy text:" Samuel M. Robinson" bar:towers from: 1945 till: 1946 color:navy bar:towers from: 1946 till: 1947 color:pacific text:" John H. Towers" bar:ramsey from: 1946 till: 1948 color:vcno bar:ramsey from: 1948 till: 1949 color:pacific text:" DeWitt C. Ramsey" bar:cooke from: 1946 till: 1948 color:asiatic text:"

Charles M. Cooke Jr. Admiral Charles Maynard "Savvy" Cooke Jr., USN (19 December 1886 – 24 December 1970), was a United States Navy four star admiral who saw service in World War I and World War II and later served as commander of United States Seventh Fleet (COMSE ...

" bar:moreell from: 1946 till: 1946 color:navy text:"

Ben Moreell Admiral Ben Moreell (September 14, 1892 – July 30, 1978) was the chief of the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Yards and Docks and of the Civil Engineer Corps. Best known to the American public as the father of the Navy's Seabees, Moreell's life spanned e ...

" bar:mitscher from: 1946 till: 1947 color:atlantic text:"

Marc A. Mitscher Marc Andrew "Pete" Mitscher (January 26, 1887 – February 3, 1947) was a pioneer in naval aviation who became an Admiral (United States), admiral in the United States Navy, and served as commander of the Fast Carrier Task Force in the Pacific d ...

" bar:conolly from: 1946 till: 1950 color:navy text:" Richard L. Conolly" bar:blandy from: 1947 till: 1950 color:atlantic text:" William H.P. Blandy" bar:denfeld from: 1947 till: 1948 color:pacific bar:denfeld from: 1948 till: 1949 color:cno text:"

Louis E. Denfeld Louis Emil Denfeld (April 13, 1891 – March 28, 1972) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served as Chief of Naval Operations from December 15, 1947 to November 1, 1949. He also held several significant surface commands during Wo ...

" bar:radford from: 1949 till: 1953 color:pacific bar:radford from: 1953 till: 1957 color:jcs text:" Arthur W. Radford" bar:sherman from: 1949 till: 1951 color:cno text:"

Forrest P. Sherman Forrest Percival Sherman (October 30, 1896 – July 22, 1951) was an Admiral (United States), admiral in the United States Navy and the youngest person to serve as Chief of Naval Operations until Admiral Elmo Zumwalt in 1970. The was named ...

" bar:fechteler from: 1950 till: 1951 color:atlantic bar:fechteler from: 1951 till: 1953 color:cno bar:fechteler from: 1953 till: 1956 color:joint text:" William M. Fechteler" bar:carney from: 1950 till: 1952 color:navy bar:carney from: 1952 till: 1953 color:joint bar:carney from: 1953 till: 1955 color:cno text:"

Robert B. Carney Robert Bostwick Carney (March 26, 1895 – June 25, 1990) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander-in-chief of the NATO forces in Southern Europe (1951–1953) and then as Chief of Naval Operations (1953–1954) du ...

" bar:mccormick from: 1950 till: 1951 color:vcno bar:mccormick from: 1951 till: 1954 color:atlantic text:"

Lynde D. McCormick Lynde Dupuy McCormick (August 12, 1895 – August 16, 1956) was a List of United States Navy four-star admirals, four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations, vice chief of naval operations from 195 ...

" bar:donaldduncan from: 1951 till: 1956 color:vcno text:" Donald B. Duncan" bar:stump from: 1953 till: 1958 color:pacific text:"

Felix B. Stump Felix Budwell Stump (December 15, 1894 – June 13, 1972) was an admiral in the United States Navy and Commander, United States Pacific Fleet from July 10, 1953 until July 31, 1958. Early life and career Stump was born in Parkersburg, West Virgini ...

" bar:wright from: 1954 till: 1960 color:atlantic text:"

Jerauld Wright Admiral Jerauld Wright (June 4, 1898 – April 27, 1995) was an officer in the United States Navy. He served as the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Atlantic Command (CINCLANT) and the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Atlantic ...

" bar:cassady from: 1954 till: 1956 color:navy text:"

John H. Cassady John Howard Cassady (April 3, 1896 – January 25, 1969) was an admiral in the United States Navy. He was Commander in Chief, United States Naval Forces, Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean from 1954 to 1956. Prior to his assignment, Cassady had ...

" bar:arleighburke from: 1955 till: 1961 color:cno text:"

Arleigh A. Burke Arleigh Albert Burke (October 19, 1901 – January 1, 1996) was an admiral of the United States Navy who distinguished himself during World War II and the Korean War, and who served as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower and Kennedy ...

" bar:briscoe from: 1956 till: 1959 color:joint text:" Robert P. Briscoe" bar:boone from: 1956 till: 1958 color:navy bar:boone from: 1958 till: 1960 color:joint text:" Walter F. Boone" bar:felt from: 1956 till: 1958 color:vcno bar:felt from: 1958 till: 1964 color:joint text:"

Harry D. Felt Admiral Harry Donald Felt (June 21, 1902 – February 25, 1992) was an aviator in the United States Navy who led U.S. carrier strikes during World War II and later served as commander in chief of Pacific Command (CINCPAC) from 1958 to ...

" bar:curts from: 1957 till: 1958 color:pacific text:"

Maurice E. Curts Maurice Edwin Curts (March 25, 1898 – February 15, 1976) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander in chief of the United States Pacific Fleet in 1958. Early career He was born in Flint, Michigan to Edwin James Cu ...

" bar:hollowayjr from: 1958 till: 1959 color:navy text:" James L. Holloway Jr." bar:hopwood from: 1958 till: 1960 color:pacific text:" Herbert G. Hopwood" bar:russell from: 1958 till: 1961 color:vcno bar:russell from: 1961 till: 1965 color:joint text:"

James S. Russell James Sargent Russell (March 22, 1903 – April 14, 1996) was an admiral in the United States Navy. Biography Russell was born in Tacoma, Washington, the son of noted architect Ambrose J. Russell and Loella Janet (Sargent) Russell. He attended D ...

" bar:brown from: 1959 till: 1961 color:joint text:"

Charles R. Brown Charles Randall Brown (23 December 1899 – 8 December 1983) was a United States Navy four-star admiral. Brown was appointed to the United States Naval Academy in 1917, graduating in 1921. He was assigned to in July and then transferred ...

" bar:dennison from: 1959 till: 1960 color:navy bar:dennison from: 1960 till: 1963 color:atlantic text:" Robert L. Dennison" bar:haroldpagesmith from: 1960 till: 1963 color:navy bar:haroldpagesmith from: 1963 till: 1965 color:atlantic text:"

Harold Page Smith Admiral Harold Page Smith (February 17, 1904 – January 4, 1993) was a United States Navy four-star admiral who served as Commander in Chief, United States Naval Forces Europe/Commander in Chief, United States Naval Forces, Eastern Atlantic and M ...

" bar:sides from: 1960 till: 1963 color:pacific text:"

John H. Sides Admiral John Harold Sides (April 22, 1904 – April 3, 1978) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander in chief of the United States Pacific Fleet from 1960 to 1963 and was known as the father of the Navy's guided-m ...

" bar:anderson from: 1961 till: 1963 color:cno text:"

George W. Anderson Jr. George Whelan Anderson Jr. (December 15, 1906 – March 20, 1992) was an admiral in the United States Navy and a diplomat. Serving as the Chief of Naval Operations between 1961 and 1963, he was in charge of the US blockade of Cuba during the 1962 ...

" bar:ricketts from: 1961 till: 1964 color:vcno text:"

Claude V. Ricketts Claude Vernon Ricketts (February 23, 1906 – July 6, 1964) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, who served as the Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1961 to 1964. Biography Ricketts graduated from high school in Kansas in 19 ...

" bar:davidmcdonald from: 1963 till: 1963 color:navy bar:davidmcdonald from: 1963 till: 1967 color:cno text:"

David L. McDonald David Lamar McDonald (September 12, 1906 – December 16, 1997) was an admiral in the United States Navy, who served as the 17th Chief of Naval Operations from 1 August 1963 to 1 August 1967 during the Vietnam War era. Early life and education ...

" bar:griffin from: 1963 till: 1965 color:navy bar:griffin from: 1965 till: 1968 color:joint text:"

Charles D. Griffin Admiral (United States), Admiral Charles Donald Griffin (January 12, 1906 – June 26, 1996) was a List of United States Navy four-star admirals, four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander in chief of United States Naval Fo ...

" bar:sharp from: 1963 till: 1964 color:pacific bar:sharp from: 1964 till: 1968 color:joint text:"

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

" bar:moorer from: 1964 till: 1965 color:pacific bar:moorer from: 1965 till: 1967 color:atlantic bar:moorer from: 1967 till: 1970 color:cno bar:moorer from: 1970 till: 1974 color:jcs text:"

Thomas H. Moorer Thomas Hinman Moorer (February 9, 1912 – February 5, 2004) was an admiral and naval aviator in the United States Navy who served as the chief of naval operations from 1967 to 1970, and as the seventh chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1 ...

" bar:rivero from: 1964 till: 1968 color:vcno bar:rivero from: 1968 till: 1972 color:joint text:"

Horacio Rivero Jr. Horacio Rivero Jr. (May 16, 1910 – September 24, 2000), was the first Puerto Rican and Hispanic four-star admiral, and the second Hispanic to hold that rank in the modern United States Navy, after the American Civil War Admiral David Glasg ...

" bar:thach from: 1965 till: 1967 color:navy text:"

John S. Thach John Smith Thach (April 19, 1905 – April 15, 1981) was a World War II Naval Aviator, air combat tactician, and United States Navy admiral. Thach developed the Thach Weave, a combat flight formation which could counter enemy fighters of superior ...

" bar:ward from: 1965 till: 1968 color:joint text:"

Alfred G. Ward Alfred Gustave Ward (November 29, 1908 – April 3, 1982) was an Admiral (United States), admiral in the United States Navy. From 1965 to 1968, Ward was assigned as U.S. Military Representative, NATO Military Committee. During the Cuban Missile Cri ...

" bar:royjohnson from: 1965 till: 1967 color:pacific text:"

Roy L. Johnson Roy Lee Johnson (March 18, 1906 – March 20, 1999) was a highly decorated four-star Admiral in the United States Navy. A Naval Academy graduate, he trained as Naval aviator and distinguished himself as Air Group Commander during several World ...

" bar:mccain from: 1967 till: 1968 color:navy bar:mccain from: 1968 till: 1972 color:joint text:"

John S. McCain Jr. John Sidney "Jack" McCain Jr. (January 17, 1911 – March 22, 1981) was a United States Navy admiral who served in conflicts from the 1940s through the 1970s, including as the Commander, United States Pacific Command. The son of a naval officer, ...

" bar:galantin from: 1967 till: 1970 color:navy text:"

Ignatius J. Galantin Ignatius Joseph "Pete" Galantin (September 24, 1910 – July 6, 2004) was a four-star United States Navy admiral, World War II Navy Cross recipient, and the first commander of the Naval Material Command. Early career Galatin was born in New York ...

" bar:holmes from: 1967 till: 1970 color:atlantic text:" Ephraim P. Holmes" bar:hyland from: 1967 till: 1970 color:pacific text:" John J. Hyland Jr." bar:clarey from: 1968 till: 1970 color:vcno bar:clarey from: 1970 till: 1973 color:pacific text:"

Bernard A. Clarey Bernard Ambrose Clarey (May 4, 1912 – June 15, 1996), nicknamed "Chick", was an admiral of the United States Navy. A submarine commander during World War II, he served during the late 1960s as Vice Chief of Naval Operations and in the earl ...

" bar:wendt from: 1968 till: 1971 color:navy text:"

Waldemar F. A. Wendt Waldemar Frederick August Wendt (March 15, 1912 – October 21, 1997) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander in chief of United States Naval Forces Europe from 1968 to 1971. Early career Born in Millstadt, Illino ...

" bar:zumwalt from: 1970 till: 1974 color:cno text:"

Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr. Elmo Russell "Bud" Zumwalt Jr. (November 29, 1920 – January 2, 2000) was a United States Navy officer and the youngest person to serve as Chief of Naval Operations. As an admiral and later the 19th Chief of Naval Operations, Zumwalt played a m ...

" bar:charlesduncan from: 1970 till: 1972 color:atlantic text:"

Charles K. Duncan Charles Kenney Duncan (December 7, 1911 – June 27, 1994) was a United States Navy four star admiral who served as Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic/Commander in Chief, United States Atlantic Command/Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (SACL ...

" bar:arnold from: 1970 till: 1971 color:navy text:"

Jackson D. Arnold Jackson Dominick Arnold (November 3, 1912 – December 8, 2007) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as Chief of Naval Material (CNM) from 1970 to 1971. Early life and education Arnold was born in Gainesville, Florida, t ...

" bar:cousins from: 1970 till: 1972 color:vcno bar:cousins from: 1972 till: 1975 color:atlantic text:"

Ralph W. Cousins Ralph W. Cousins (July 24, 1915 – August 5, 2009) was a four-star admiral and aviator of the United States Navy. As an aircraft carrier pilot, Cousins led dive-bomber attacks against the Imperial Japanese Navy at the Battle of the Coral ...

" bar:bringle from: 1971 till: 1973 color:navy text:" William F. Bringle" bar:kidd from: 1971 till: 1975 color:navy bar:kidd from: 1975 till: 1978 color:atlantic text:"

Isaac C. Kidd Jr. Isaac Campbell Kidd Jr. (August 14, 1919 – June 27, 1999) was an American admiral in the United States Navy who served as the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO's Atlantic Fleet, and also as commander in chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet from 19 ...

" bar:colbert from: 1972 till: 1973 color:joint text:"

Richard G. Colbert Richard Gary Colbert (February 12, 1915 – December 2, 1973) was a List of United States Navy four-star admirals, four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as President of the Naval War College from 1968 to 1971, and as commander in ...

" bar:gayler from: 1972 till: 1976 color:joint text:" Noel A.M. Gayler" bar:weisner from: 1972 till: 1973 color:vcno bar:weisner from: 1973 till: 1976 color:pacific bar:weisner from: 1976 till: 1979 color:joint text:"

Maurice F. Weisner Maurice Franklin Weisner (November 20, 1917October 15, 2006) was a four-star admiral of the United States Navy who served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1972 to 1973; commander in chief, United States Pacific Fleet from 1973 to 1976; and ...

" bar:hollowayiii from: 1973 till: 1974 color:vcno bar:hollowayiii from: 1974 till: 1978 color:cno text:"

James L. Holloway III James Lemuel Holloway III (February 23, 1922 – November 26, 2019) was a United States Navy admiral and naval aviator who was decorated for his actions during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. After the Vietnam War, he was poste ...

" bar:worthbagley from: 1973 till: 1974 color:navy bar:worthbagley from: 1974 till: 1975 color:vcno text:" Worth H. Bagley" bar:rickover from: 1973 till: 1982 color:nuclear text:"

" bar:johnston from: 1973 till: 1975 color:joint text:"

Means Johnston Jr. Means Johnston Jr. (December 5, 1916 – July 14, 1989) was an admiral in the United States Navy. A native of Mississippi, Johnston graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1939. During World War II, Johnston commanded a naval base at Rh ...

" bar:shear from: 1974 till: 1975 color:navy bar:shear from: 1975 till: 1977 color:vcno bar:shear from: 1977 till: 1980 color:joint text:" Harold E. Shear" bar:weinel from: 1974 till: 1977 color:joint text:" John P. Weinel" bar:michaelis from: 1975 till: 1978 color:navy text:" Frederick H. Michaelis" bar:davidbagley from: 1975 till: 1977 color:navy text:" David H. Bagley" bar:stansfieldturner from: 1975 till: 1977 color:joint bar:stansfieldturner from: 1977 till: 1979 color:federal text:"

Stansfield Turner Stansfield Turner (December 1, 1923 January 18, 2018) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served as President of the Naval War College (1972–1974), commander of the United States Second Fleet (1974–1975), Supreme Allied Commander N ...

" bar:murphy from: 1976 till: 1977 color:federal text:"

Daniel J. Murphy Daniel Joseph Murphy Sr. (March 24, 1922 – September 21, 2001) was a four-star Admiral (United States), admiral in the United States Navy and an official in the Jimmy Carter, Carter and Ronald Reagan, Reagan administrations. Murphy grew up in ...

" bar:hayward from: 1976 till: 1978 color:pacific bar:hayward from: 1978 till: 1982 color:cno text:"

Thomas B. Hayward Admiral Thomas Bibb Hayward (May 3, 1924 – March 3, 2022) was Chief of Naval Operations for the United States Navy from July 1, 1978, until June 30, 1982, after which he retired from military service. Naval career Shortly after the commenceme ...

" bar:long from: 1977 till: 1979 color:vcno bar:long from: 1979 till: 1983 color:joint text:"

Robert L. J. Long Robert Lyman John Long (May 29, 1920 – June 27, 2002) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1977 to 1979 and Commander in Chief Pacific from 1979 to 1983.The Reminiscences of Admiral ...

" bar:davis from: 1978 till: 1981 color:pacific text:"

Donald C. Davis Donald Cooke Davis (January 24, 1921 – July 30, 1998) was a Naval Aviator and later an admiral in the United States Navy. He was Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet from 1978 to 1981. Early life and education Donald Cooke Davis was born on Janua ...

" bar:whittle from: 1978 till: 1981 color:navy text:" Alfred J. Whittle Jr." bar:train from: 1978 till: 1982 color:atlantic text:"

Harry D. Train II Harry Depue Train II (born November 5, 1927) is a retired United States Navy Admiral (United States), admiral and a Fellow, Senior Fellow at the Joint Advanced Warfighting School at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia.

" bar:watkins from: 1979 till: 1981 color:vcno bar:watkins from: 1981 till: 1982 color:pacific bar:watkins from: 1982 till: 1986 color:cno text:"

James D. Watkins James David Watkins (March 7, 1927 – July 26, 2012) was a United States Navy Admiral (United States), admiral and former Chief of Naval Operations who served as the United States Secretary of Energy during the George H. W. Bush administration, ...

" bar:crowe from: 1980 till: 1985 color:joint bar:crowe from: 1985 till: 1989 color:jcs text:" William J. Crowe Jr." bar:inman from: 1981 till: 1982 color:federal text:" Bobby R. Inman" bar:small from: 1981 till: 1983 color:vcno bar:small from: 1983 till: 1985 color:navy text:"

William N. Small William Newell Small (February 22, 1927 – December 9, 2016) was a four star admiral in the United States Navy who served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations and Commander in Chief, NATO Allied Forces Southern Europe and United States Naval Forces E ...

" bar:williams from: 1981 till: 1983 color:navy text:" John G. Williams Jr." bar:kinnear from: 1981 till: 1982 color:joint text:" George E. R. Kinnear II" bar:mckee from: 1982 till: 1988 color:nuclear text:"

Kinnaird R. McKee Kinnaird Rowe McKee (August 14, 1929 – December 30, 2013) was an American United States Navy four star admiral who served as Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion from 1982 to 1988. He also served as Superintendent, United States Naval Academy fro ...

" bar:foley from: 1982 till: 1985 color:pacific text:" Sylvester R. Foley Jr." bar:wesleymcdonald from: 1982 till: 1985 color:atlantic text:"

Wesley L. McDonald Wesley Lee McDonald (July 6, 1924February 8, 2009) was a United States Navy admiral and naval aviator. He led the first air strike against North Vietnam after the Gulf of Tonkin incident and was the commander in charge of Operation Urgent Fury, t ...

" bar:hays from: 1983 till: 1985 color:vcno bar:hays from: 1985 till: 1988 color:joint text:"

Ronald J. Hays Ronald Jackson Hays (August 19, 1928 – January 11, 2021) was a United States Navy List of United States Navy four-star admirals, four star admiral who served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1983 to 1985, and as Commander in Chief, United ...

" bar:white from: 1983 till: 1985 color:navy text:"

Steven A. White Steven Angelo White (September 18, 1928 – February 1, 2021) was a four-star admiral who served in the United States Navy from 1948 until 1985. He was the 19th and last Chief of Naval Material. Background Steven ("Steve") Angelo White was ...

" bar:baggett from: 1985 till: 1988 color:joint text:"

Lee Baggett Jr. Lee J. Baggett Jr. (January 11, 1927 – August 10, 1999) was a four star admiral in the United States Navy who served as Commander in Chief Europe in 1985 and Commander in Chief of the United States Atlantic Command from 1985 to 1988. A native o ...

" bar:lyons from: 1985 till: 1987 color:pacific text:" James A. Lyons Jr." bar:trost from: 1985 till: 1986 color:atlantic bar:trost from: 1986 till: 1990 color:cno text:" Carlisle A. H. Trost" bar:busey from: 1985 till: 1987 color:vcno bar:busey from: 1987 till: 1989 color:navy text:" James B. Busey IV" bar:moreau from: 1985 till: 1986 color:navy text:" Arthur S. Moreau Jr." bar:kelso from: 1986 till: 1988 color:atlantic bar:kelso from: 1988 till: 1990 color:joint bar:kelso from: 1990 till: 1994 color:cno text:"

Frank B. Kelso II Frank Benton Kelso II (July 11, 1933 – June 23, 2013) was an admiral of the United States Navy, who served as Chief of Naval Operations from 1990 to 1994. Early life Kelso was born in Fayetteville, Tennessee, on July 11, 1933. He attended public ...

" bar:hardisty from: 1987 till: 1988 color:vcno bar:hardisty from: 1988 till: 1991 color:joint text:"

Huntington Hardisty Huntington Hardisty (February 3, 1929 – October 1, 2003) was a United States Navy four star admiral who served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations (VCNO) from 1987 to 1988; and Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Command (USCINCPAC) from 1988 ...

" bar:carter from: 1987 till: 1988 color:joint bar:carter from: 1988 till: 1991 color:atlantic text:" Powell F. Carter Jr." bar:jeremiah from: 1987 till: 1990 color:pacific bar:jeremiah from: 1990 till: 1994 color:jcs text:"

David E. Jeremiah David Elmer Jeremiah (February 25, 1934 – October 7, 2013) was a United States Navy admiral who served as the second vice chairman and also the acting chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After his retirement from the Navy in February 19 ...

" bar:edney from: 1988 till: 1990 color:vcno bar:edney from: 1990 till: 1992 color:joint text:"

Leon A. Edney Leon Albert "Bud" Edney (born March 1, 1935) is a former United States Navy officer. A native of Dedham, Massachusetts, he retired from the Navy as an admiral and served as vice chief of naval operations for the United States Navy. Naval care ...

" bar:demars from: 1988 till: 1996 color:nuclear text:"

Bruce DeMars Bruce DeMars is a retired United States Navy four star admiral who served as Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion from 1988 to 1996. Early years DeMars was born in Chicago, Illinois, on June 3, 1935, and graduated from the United States Naval Aca ...

" bar:hogg from: 1988 till: 1991 color:joint text:" James R. Hogg" bar:howe from: 1989 till: 1991 color:navy bar:howe from: 1991 till: 1992 color:federal text:" Jonathan T. Howe" bar:larson from: 1990 till: 1991 color:pacific bar:larson from: 1991 till: 1994 color:joint bar:larson from: 1994 till: 1998 color:navy text:"

" bar:jeromejohnson from: 1990 till: 1992 color:vcno text:"

Jerome L. Johnson Jerome LaMarr Johnson (born September 21, 1935) is a retired four-star admiral of the United States Navy who commanded the United States Second Fleet, Joint Task Force 120, and NATO's Striking Fleet Atlantic from 1988 to 1990. He served as Vice Ch ...

1991–present

With the end of the

U.S. Atlantic Command United States Atlantic Command (acronym from 1947-1993 USLANTCOM, after 1993 USACOM) was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense. In 1999, U.S. Atlantic Command was renamed and given a new mission as United State ...

was repurposed as the joint force trainer, becoming

U.S. Joint Forces Command United States Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense. USJFCOM was a functional command that provided specific services to the military. The last commander was Army Gen. Ray Odie ...

in 1999. The change in mission cost the Navy its traditional monopoly over that command, which has since rotated among all the services, but the Navy made up the difference through repeated appointments to other

combatant commands A unified combatant command (CCMD), also referred to as a combatant command, is a joint military command of the United States Department of Defense that is composed of units from two or more service branches of the United States Armed Forces, an ...

and to the vice chairmanship of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VJCS). All military commanders in chief were retitled "Commanders" in 2002, when the title of "Commander in Chief" was reserved solely to the President of the United States.

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * {{US Navy navbox

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

United States Navy admirals United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...

Admirals Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some 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, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...