List of lieutenant generals in the United States Air Force before 1960


This is a complete list of lieutenant generals in the United States Air Force before 1960, including those appointed in the United States Army from the United States Army Air Forces or United States Army Air Corps before the Air Force was established in 1947. The grade of lieutenant general is ordinarily the second-highest in the peacetime Air Force, ranking above major general and below general.

List of U.S. Air Force lieutenant generals before 1960

The following list of lieutenant generals includes all officers of the United States Air Force, United States Army Air Forces, and United States Army Air Corps who were appointed to that rank prior to January 1, 1960.
Entries are indexed by the numerical order in which each officer was appointed 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 officer's name, date of rank, date the officer vacated the active-duty rank, number of years on active duty as lieutenant general, positions held as lieutenant general, and other biographical notes.
Italics denote active duty as lieutenant general while on the retired list.
NameDate of rankDate vacatedYrsPositionNotes

  • Commanding General, Panama Canal Department/Caribbean Defense Command, 1941–1942.
  • Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces in the Middle East, 1942–1943.
  • Commanding General, European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army, 1943.
    		•  Died in office.
  • Chief, Army Air Forces, 1941–1942.
  • Commanding General, Army Air Forces, 1942–1946.
    		•  Promoted to general, 19 Mar 1943; to general of the Army, 21 Dec 1944; to general of the Air Force, 7 May 1949.

    1 May 1945
    10 May 1946
  • Deputy Commander, American-British-Dutch-Australian Command/Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces in Australia, 1942.
  • Deputy Commander, American-British-Dutch-Australian Command, 1942.
  • Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces in Australia, 1942.
  • Commanding General, Allied Air Forces, South West Pacific Area, 1942.
  • Commanding General, Caribbean Defense Command, 1942–1943.
  • Commanding General, Panama Canal Department/Caribbean Defense Command, 1943–1945.
  • Commanding General, Panama Canal Department/Caribbean Defense Command, 1945.
  • Director of Production, Office of the Under Secretary of War, 1942–1944.
  • Director, Army Air Forces Materiel and Services, 1944.
  • Director, Air Technical Service Command, 1944–1945.
    		•  Resigned.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, 1942–1944.
  • Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean/Commanding General, Mediterranean Theater of Operations, U.S. Army, 1944–1945.
    		•  Promoted to general, 7 Mar 1945.
  • Commanding General, Allied Air Forces, South West Pacific Area, 1942.
  • Commanding General, Allied Air Forces, South West Pacific Area/Fifth Air Force, 1942–1944.
  • Commanding General, Far East Air Forces, 1944–1945.
    		•  Promoted to general, 9 Mar 1945.
  • Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces in the South Pacific Area, 1942–1944.
  • Commanding General, U.S. Army Air Forces in the Pacific Ocean Areas/Deputy Commanding General, Twentieth Air Force, 1944–1946.
    		•  Died in office.
  • Commanding General, Twelfth Air Force, 1942–1943.
  • Commanding General, Fifteenth Air Force, 1943–1944.
  • Commanding General, U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe, 1944–1945.
    		•  Promoted to general, 11 Mar 1945.
    10
  • Commanding General, Army Air Forces Training Command, 1943–1946.
    • 11
  • Commanding General, Eighth Air Force, 1942–1943.
  • Commander in Chief, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, 1943–1945.
  • Deputy Commanding General, Army Air Forces/Chief, Air Staff, 1945–1947.
    		•  Promoted to general on the retired list, 26 Apr 1985.
    12
  • Commanding General, Eighth Air Force, 1944–1945.
    		•  Promoted to general on the retired list, 4 Apr 1985.
    13
  • Commanding General, Ninth Air Force, 1943–1944.
  • Commanding General, First Allied Airborne Army, 1944–1945.
  • Commanding General, Third Air Force, 1945–1946.
  • Commanding General, First Air Force, 1946.
  • Member, Joint Chiefs of Staff Evaluation Board, Office of the Secretary of War, 1946–1947.
  • Chairman, Military Liaison Committee, Atomic Energy Commission, 1947–1948.
  • Secretary General, Air Board, 1948.
    • 14
  • Chief, Air Staff, 1943–1944.
  • Deputy Commanding General, Army Air Forces/Chief, Air Staff, 1944–1945.
  • Commanding General, U.S. Army Air Forces in the Pacific Ocean Area/Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific, 1945.
  • Commanding General, U.S. Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific, 1945–1946.
    • 15
    1 Mar 1955
    4 Nov 1955
  • Commanding General, Air Transport Command, 1942–1946.
  • Commanding General, Air Transport Command/Director of Information, Army Air Forces, 1946.
  • Senior Army Air Forces Representative, Military Staff Committee, United Nations/Director of Information, Army Air Forces, 1946.
  • Special Consultant to Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force, 1955.
    • 16
  • Commander in Chief, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces/Commanding General, Twelfth Air Force, 1945.
  • Commander, U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe, 1945.
  • Commanding General, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, 1945–1946.
  • Commanding General, Air Training Command, 1946–1948.
  • Commanding General, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, 1948–1950.
  • Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, 1950–1951.
    		•  Promoted to general, 29 Oct 1951.
    17
  • Commanding General, Ninth Air Force, 1944–1945.
  • Assistant Chief of the Air Staff for Operations, 1945–1946.
  • Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, U.S. Army, 1946.
  • Director, Central Intelligence Group, 1946–1947.
  • Deputy Commanding General, Army Air Forces/Chief, Air Staff, 1947.
    		•  Promoted to general, 1 Oct 1947.
    18
  • Commanding General, Eastern Air Command/U.S. Army Air Forces, India-Burma Theater, 1944–1945.
  • Commanding General, U.S. Army Air Forces, China Theater, 1945–1946.
  • Chief, Selection Branch, Army Air Forces Headquarters, 1946.
  • Commanding General, Air Defense Command, 1946–1948.
  • Commanding General, Continental Air Command, 1948–1949.
  • Commanding General, Far East Air Forces, 1949–1951.
    • 19
  • Commanding General, Mediterranean Allied Strategic Air Forces/Fifteenth Air Force, 1943–1945.
  • Commanding General, Twentieth Air Force, 1945.
  • Commanding General, Air Technical Service Command, 1945–1946.
  • Commanding General, Air Materiel Command, 1946–1947.
  • Commanding General, Alaskan Department, 1947.
  • Commander in Chief, Alaskan Command, 1947–1950.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, U.S. Air Force, 1950.
    		•  Promoted to general, 10 Oct 1950.
    20
  • Commanding General, Fifth Air Force, 1944–1945.
  • Commanding General, Pacific Air Command, U.S. Army, 1945–1947.
  • Commanding General, Far East Air Forces, 1947–1949.
  • Commanding General, Continental Air Command, 1949–1950.
  • Commanding General, Continental Air Command/Air Defense Command, 1950.
  • Commanding General, Air Defense Command, 1950–1951.
    • 21
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel and Administration, U.S. Air Force, 1947–1948.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, U.S. Air Force, 1948–1950.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, U.S. Air Force, 1950–1951.
  • Commandant, Air University, 1951–1953.
    • 22
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Materiel, U.S. Air Force, 1947–1949.
  • Inspector General, U.S. Air Force, 1949–1950.
  • The Inspector General, U.S. Air Force, 1950–1952.
  • Commandant, National War College, 1952–1953.
  • Commandant, National War College/Chairman, Inter-American Defense Board, 1953–1955.
    • 23
  • Deputy Commanding General, Air Materiel Command, 1947–1949.
  • Commander, Air Materiel Command, 1949–1951.
    		•  Promoted to general, 29 Jul 1951.
    24
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, U.S. Air Force, 1947–1950.
  • Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, 1951.
  • Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe/Commanding General, Allied Air Forces Central Europe, 1951–1953.
    		•  Promoted to general, 5 Jul 1952.
    25
  • Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, 1947–1948.
  • Commanding General, Strategic Air Command, 1948–1957.
    		•  Promoted to general, 29 Oct 1951.
    26
  • Commanding General, Tactical Air Command, 1946–1948.
  • Special Assistant for Reserve Forces, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, 1948–1949.
  • Head, Joint Technical Planning Committee, Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1949.
  • Head, Joint Technical Planning Committee, Joint Chiefs of Staff/Commander, Joint Task Force 3, 1949–1951.
    • 27
  • Air Comptroller, 1947–1948.
  • Comptroller, U.S. Air Force, 1948–1949.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Comptroller, U.S. Air Force, 1949–1951.
  • Commander, Air Materiel Command, 1951–1959.
    		•  Promoted to general, 19 Feb 1954.
    28.
    28 Feb 1953
    8 Nov 1953
    30 Jun 1953
    31 Jul 1956
  • Senior Air Force Member, Military Staff Committee, United Nations, 1947–1948.
  • Senior Air Force Member, Military Staff Committee, United Nations/U.S. Delegate, Inter-American Defense Board, 1948–1949.
  • Senior Air Force Member, Military Staff Committee, United Nations/U.S. Delegate, Inter-American Defense Board/Special Assistant for Air Academy matters, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, 1949–1953.
  • Senior Air Force Member, Military Staff Committee, United Nations/U.S. Delegate, Inter-American Defense Board/Special Assistant for Air Academy matters, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, 1953.
  • Special Assistant to Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force, for Air Academy matters, 1953–1954.
  • Superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy, 1954–1956.
    • 29
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Materiel, U.S. Air Force, 1949–1951.
    • 30
  • Commander in Chief, Alaskan Command, 1950–1953.
    • 31
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, U.S. Air Force, 1950–1951.
    • 32
  • Commanding General, Fifth Air Force, 1948–1951.
  • Commander, Air Research and Development Command, 1951–1953.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, U.S. Air Force, 1953–1954.
    		•  Promoted to general, 19 Feb 1954.
    33
  • Commander, Air Training Command, 1948–1954.
    • 34
  • Deputy Commanding General, Far East Air Forces, 1951.
  • Commanding General, Tactical Air Command, 1951.
  • Commanding General, Far East Air Forces/United Nations Air Forces, 1951–1954.
    		•  Promoted to general, 5 Jul 1952.
    35
  • Commander, Military Air Transport Service, 1948–1951.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, U.S. Air Force, 1951–1953.
  • Commander, Air University, 1953–1955.
    		•  Promoted to general, 29 May 1955.
    36
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, U.S. Air Force, 1951–1953.
    		•  Promoted to general, 30 Jun 1953.
    37
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Materiel, U.S. Air Force, 1951–1954.
    		•  Promoted to general, 1 Apr 1954.
    38
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Comptroller, U.S. Air Force, 1951–1955.
  • Commander, Continental Air Command, 1955–1957.
    • 39
    1 May 1953
    1 Jul 1957
  • Commanding General, Fifth Air Force, 1951–1952.
  • Director, Joint Staff, 1953–1954.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, U.S. Air Force, 1954–1957.
    		•  Promoted to general, 1 Jul 1957.
    40
    26 Jul 1954
    1 Aug 1960
  • Commanding General, Fifth Air Force, 1952–1953.
  • Commander in Chief, U.S. Northeast Command/Commander, Northeast Air Command, 1954–1956.
  • Commander, Northeast Air Command, 1956–1957.
  • Chief of Staff, U.S. European Command, 1957–1960.
    • 41
  • Commander in Chief, U.S. Northeast Command/Commanding General, Northeast Air Command, 1952–1954.
  • Commander, Air Training Command, 1954–1958.
    • 42
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Development, U.S. Air Force, 1951–1954.
  • Commander, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, 1954–1955.
    • 43
  • Director, Joint Staff, 1951–1953.
  • Deputy Director of Central Intelligence, 1953–1962.
    		•  Promoted to general, 11 Jul 1958.
    44
  • Commander, Continental Air Command, 1952–1955.
  • U.S. Representative, Military Representative Committee and Standing Group, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, 1956–1958.
    		•  Promoted to general, 31 Aug 1957.
    45
  • Commander, Military Air Transport Service, 1951–1958.
    • 46
  • Commander, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, 1951–1954.
  • Commandant, Armed Forces Staff College, 1954–1957.
    • 47
  • The Inspector General, U.S. Air Force, 1952–1954.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Materiel, U.S. Air Force, 1954–1955.
    • 48
  • Commander in Chief, Alaskan Command, 1953–1956.
  • Commander in Chief, Alaskan Command/Commander, Alaskan Air Command, 1956.
  • Commander, Air Defense Command, 1956–1961.
    • 49
  • Commanding General, Fifth Air Force, 1953–1954.
  • Director, Weapons Systems Evaluation Group, 1954–1957.
  • Commander, Air Research and Development Command, 1957–1959.
    		•  Promoted to general, 10 Mar 1959.
    50
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, U.S. Air Force, 1953–1959.
    		•  Promoted to general, 31 Jul 1959.
    51
  • Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, 1953–1957.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, U.S. Air Force, 1957–1958.
  • Commander, Military Air Transport Service, 1958–1960.
    • 52
  • Commander, Air Research and Development Command, 1953–1954.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Development, U.S. Air Force, 1954–1958.
    • 53
    1 Jun 1959
    28 Jun 1961
  • The Inspector General, U.S. Air Force, 1954–1956.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, 1959–1961.
    		•  Promoted to general, 28 Jun 1961.
    54
  • Commander, Air Research and Development Command, 1954–1957.
    		•  Promoted to general, 30 Jun 1957.
    55
  • Commander, Fifth Air Force, 1954–1956.
  • Deputy Commander in Chief, Continental Air Defense Command/Vice Commander, Air Defense Command, 1956–1957.
    • 56
  • Commander, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, 1955–1957.
    • 57
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Materiel, U.S. Air Force, 1955–1959.
    • 58
  • Chief of Staff, United Nations Command/Far East Command, 1955–1956.
  • The Inspector General, U.S. Air Force, 1956–1959.
  • U.S. Representative, Permanent Military Deputies Group, Central Treaty Organization, 1960–1961.
    • 59
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Comptroller, U.S. Air Force, 1955–1957.
  • Comptroller, U.S. Air Force, 1957–1960.
    • 60
  • Chief of Staff, United Nations Command/Far East Command, 1956–1957.
    • 61
  • Commander, Fifth Air Force, 1956–1957.
  • Commander, U.S. Forces Japan/Fifth Air Force, 1957–1958.
  • Commander, Air Training Command, 1958–1959.
    		•  Promoted to general, 1 Aug 1959.
    62
  • Commander, Air University, 1955–1958.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, U.S. Air Force, 1958–1962.
    		•  Promoted to general, 30 Jun 1962.
    63
  • Commander in Chief, Alaskan Command, 1956–1961.
    • 64
  • Director, National Security Agency, 1956–1960.
    • 65
  • Chief of Staff, United Nations Command/U.S. Forces Korea, 1957–1958.
  • Commander, Air University, 1958–1961.
    • 66
  • Commander, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, 1957–1960.
    • 67
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Programs, U.S. Air Force, 1957–1962.
    		•  Promoted to general, 29 Jun 1962.
    68
  • Commander, Continental Air Command, 1957–1961.
    • 69
  • Vice Commander in Chief, Strategic Air Command, 1954–1961.
  • Commandant, National War College, 1961–1964.
    • 70
  • Vice Commander, Air Materiel Command, 1953–1961.
  • Vice Commander, Air Force Logistics Command, 1961.
    		•  Promoted to general, 29 Jun 1961.
    71
  • Vice Commander, Tactical Air Command, 1956–1960.
  • Comptroller, U.S. Air Force, 1960–1961.
    • 72
  • Commandant, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, 1957–1961.
  • Commander in Chief, Alaskan Command, 1961–1963.
    • 73
  • Director, Joint Staff, 1958–1960.
    • 74
  • Vice Commander, Air Defense Command, 1957–1959.
    • 75
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Development, U.S. Air Force, 1958–1961.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Research and Technology, U.S. Air Force, 1961.
    • 76
  • Chief of Staff, United Nations Command/U.S. Forces Korea, 1958–1959.
  • Vice Commander, Air Defense Command, 1959–1961.
  • Commander, Air Defense Command, 1961–1963.
    		•  Promoted to general, 4 Jun 1963.
    *
  • 77
  • Commander, U.S. Forces Japan/Fifth Air Force, 1958–1961.
  • Chairman, Inter-American Defense Board, 1961–1963.
  • Commander, Air Training Command, 1963–1964.
    • 78
  • Commander, Air Research and Development Command, 1959–1961.
  • Commander, Air Force Systems Command, 1961–1966.
    		•  Promoted to general, 1 Jul 1961.
    79
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Materiel, U.S. Air Force, 1959–1961.
  • Deputy Chief of Staff, Systems and Logistics, U.S. Air Force, 1961–1962.
    		•  Promoted to general, 1 Jul 1962.
    80
  • Commander, Eighth Air Force, 1955–1961.
    		•  Promoted to general, 30 Jun 1961.
    81
  • Commander, Fifteenth Air Force, 1955–1965.
    • 82
  • Commander, Second Air Force, 1957–1961.
  • Vice Commander in Chief, Strategic Air Command, 1961–1962.
    		•  Promoted to general, 1 Oct 1962.
    83
  • Commander, Air Training Command, 1959–1963.
    • 84
  • Chief of Staff, United Nations Command/U.S. Forces Korea, 1959–1961.

    • Timeline

    An officer held the active-duty grade of lieutenant general in the U.S. Army or U.S. Air Force until his death, retirement, resignation, reassignment to a lesser position, or promotion to a higher grade such as general or general of the Army.

    ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:10
    PlotArea = top:50 bottom:50 right:130 left:20
    AlignBars = late
    DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
    Period = from:01/01/1940 till:31/12/1975
    TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
    ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:10 start:01/01/1940
    Define $now = 27/07/1953
    Colors =
    id:ga value:rgb legend: Gen.Army
    id:gen value:rgb legend: Gen._
    id:genret value:rgb legend: Gen._
    id:genusa value:rgb legend: Gen._
    id:ltg value:rgb legend: Lt.gen.
    id:ltgret value:rgb legend: Lt.gen._
    id:ltgusa value:rgb legend: Lt.gen._
    id:time value:rgb
    id:era value:rgb
    id:erabar value:rgb
    Legend = orientation:vertical position:right
    1. Manually hardcoded positions of timescale labels and tick lines.
    Define $lefttime = 20
    Define $righttime = 670
    Define $toptime = 950
    Define $toptimetick = 955
    Define $toptimetext = 960
    Define $bottomtime = 50
    Define $bottomtimetick = 45
    Define $bottomtimetext = 31
    Define $time1940 = 8
    Define $tick1940 = 20
    Define $time1950 = 188
    Define $tick1950 = 200
    Define $time1960 = 369
    Define $tick1960 = 381
    Define $time1970 = 549
    Define $tick1970 = 561
    LineData =
    layer:back
    width:0.1
    color:time
    at:01/01/1940
    at:01/01/1950
    at:01/01/1960
    at:01/01/1970
    layer:back width:0.5 color:era frompos:60 tillpos:920
    at:07/12/1941
    at:02/09/1945
    at:25/06/1950
    at:27/07/1953
    at:11/12/1961
    at:27/01/1973
    1. Top timescale tick lines.
    color:erabar
    points:
    points:
    points:
    points:
    points:
    1. Uncomment these lines to check alignment of top timescale tick lines with bottom timescale tick lines.
    2. points:
    3. points:
    4. points:
    5. points:
    TextData =
    fontsize:9
    tabs:
    pos: text:^World War II
    pos: text:^Korean War
    pos: text:^Vietnam War
    1. Top timescale year labels.
    fontsize:8
    pos: text:1940
    pos: text:1950
    pos: text:1960
    pos: text:1970
    1. Uncomment these lines to check alignment of top timescale year labels with bottom timescale year labels.
    2. pos: text:1940
    3. pos: text:1950
    4. pos: text:1960
    5. pos: text:1970
    BarData =
    barset:PM
    bar:spacer00
    bar:spacer0
    bar:era1
    bar:spacer1
    bar:emmons
    bar:andrews
    bar:arnold
    bar:brett
    bar:knudsen
    bar:mcnarney
    bar:kenney
    bar:harmon
    bar:spaatz
    bar:yount
    bar:eaker
    bar:doolittle
    bar:brereton
    bar:giles
    bar:george
    bar:cannon
    bar:vandenberg
    bar:stratemeyer
    bar:twining
    bar:whitehead
    bar:edwards
    bar:craig
    bar:chidlaw
    bar:norstad
    bar:lemay
    bar:quesada
    bar:rawlings
    bar:harmonhubert
    bar:wolfe
    bar:kepner
    bar:nugent
    bar:partridge
    bar:harper
    bar:weyland
    bar:kuter
    bar:white
    bar:cook
    bar:stone
    bar:everest
    bar:barcus
    bar:myers
    bar:craigie
    bar:cabell
    bar:johnson
    bar:smithjoseph
    bar:schlatter
    bar:boatner
    bar:atkinson
    bar:anderson
    bar:odonnell
    bar:tunner
    bar:putt
    bar:landon
    bar:power
    bar:ramey
    bar:timberlake
    bar:irvine
    bar:rogers
    bar:asensio
    bar:barnes
    bar:smithfrederic
    bar:strother
    bar:armstrong
    bar:samford
    bar:todd
    bar:lindsay
    bar:gerhart
    bar:hall
    bar:griswold
    bar:mckee
    bar:eckert
    bar:mundy
    bar:picher
    bar:lynn
    bar:wilson
    bar:lee
    bar:burns
    bar:schriever
    bar:bradley
    bar:sweeney
    bar:old
    bar:mcconnell
    bar:briggs
    bar:wetzel
    bar:spacer2
    bar:era2
    PlotData=
    width:6 align:left fontsize:9 shift: anchor:till
    barset:PM
    color:erabar
    bar:era1 from: 07/12/1941 till: 02/09/1945
    bar:era1 from: 25/06/1950 till: 27/07/1953
    bar:era1 from: 11/12/1961 till: 27/01/1973
    bar:era2 from: 07/12/1941 till: 02/09/1945
    bar:era2 from: 25/06/1950 till: 27/07/1953
    bar:era2 from: 11/12/1961 till: 27/01/1973
    bar:emmons from: 25/10/1940 till: 26/09/1947 color:ltgusa
    bar:emmons from: 26/09/1947 till: 30/06/1948 color:ltg text:"Delos C. Emmons"
    bar:andrews from: 19/09/1941 till: 03/05/1943 color:ltgusa text:"Frank M. Andrews"
    bar:arnold from: 15/12/1941 till: 18/03/1943 color:ltgusa
    bar:arnold from: 19/03/1943 till: 20/12/1944 color:genusa
    bar:arnold from: 21/12/1944 till: 30/06/1946 color:ga text:"Henry H. Arnold"
    bar:brett from: 07/01/1942 till: 30/04/1945 color:ltgusa
    bar:brett from: 01/05/1945 till: 10/05/1946 color:ltgret text:"George H. Brett"
    bar:knudsen from: 28/01/1942 till: 01/06/1945 color:ltgusa text:"William S. Knudsen"
    bar:mcnarney from: 15/06/1942 till: 06/03/1945 color:ltgusa
    bar:mcnarney from: 07/03/1945 till: 26/09/1947 color:genusa
    bar:mcnarney from: 26/09/1947 till: 31/01/1952 color:gen text:"Joseph T. McNarney"
    bar:kenney from: 15/10/1942 till: 08/03/1945 color:ltgusa
    bar:kenney from: 09/03/1945 till: 26/09/1947 color:genusa
    bar:kenney from: 26/09/1947 till: 01/09/1951 color:gen text:"George C. Kenney"
    bar:harmon from: 02/02/1943 till: 27/02/1946 color:ltgusa text:"Millard F. Harmon"
    bar:spaatz from: 12/03/1943 till: 10/03/1945 color:ltgusa
    bar:spaatz from: 11/03/1945 till: 26/09/1947 color:genusa
    bar:spaatz from: 26/09/1947 till: 30/06/1948 color:gen text:"Carl Spaatz"
    bar:yount from: 13/09/1943 till: 30/06/1946 color:ltgusa text:"Barton K. Yount"
    bar:eaker from: 13/09/1943 till: 30/08/1947 color:ltgusa text:"Ira C. Eaker"
    bar:doolittle from: 13/03/1944 till: 22/05/1946 color:ltgusa text:"James H. Doolittle"
    bar:brereton from: 28/04/1944 till: 26/09/1947 color:ltgusa
    bar:brereton from: 26/09/1947 till: 31/08/1948 color:ltg text:"Lewis H. Brereton"
    bar:giles from: 28/04/1944 till: 30/06/1946 color:ltgusa text:"Barney M. Giles"
    bar:george from: 16/03/1945 till: 31/12/1946 color:ltgusa
    bar:george from: 01/03/1955 till: 04/11/1955 color:ltgret text:"Harold L. George"
    bar:cannon from: 17/03/1945 till: 26/09/1947 color:ltgusa
    bar:cannon from: 26/09/1947 till: 28/10/1951 color:ltg
    bar:cannon from: 29/10/1951 till: 31/03/1954 color:gen text:"John K. Cannon"
    bar:vandenberg from: 17/03/1945 till: 26/09/1947 color:ltgusa
    bar:vandenberg from: 26/09/1947 till: 30/06/1953 color:gen text:"Hoyt S. Vandenberg"
    bar:stratemeyer from: 28/05/1945 till: 26/09/1947 color:ltgusa
    bar:stratemeyer from: 26/09/1947 till: 31/01/1952 color:ltg text:"George E. Stratemeyer"
    bar:twining from: 05/06/1945 till: 26/09/1947 color:ltgusa
    bar:twining from: 26/09/1947 till: 09/10/1950 color:ltg
    bar:twining from: 10/10/1950 till: 30/09/1960 color:gen text:"Nathan F. Twining"
    bar:whitehead from: 05/06/1945 till: 26/09/1947 color:ltgusa
    bar:whitehead from: 26/09/1947 till: 31/07/1951 color:ltg text:"Ennis C. Whitehead"
    bar:edwards from: 01/10/1947 till: 23/02/1953 color:ltg text:"Idwal H. Edwards"
    bar:craig from: 01/10/1947 till: 30/06/1955 color:ltg text:"Howard A. Craig"
    bar:chidlaw from: 01/10/1947 till: 29/07/1951 color:ltg
    bar:chidlaw from: 29/07/1951 till: 31/05/1955 color:gen text:"Benjamin W. Chidlaw"
    bar:norstad from: 01/10/1947 till: 05/07/1953 color:ltg
    bar:norstad from: 05/07/1952 till: 31/12/1963 color:gen text:"Lauris Norstad"
    bar:lemay from: 01/10/1947 till: 29/10/1951 color:ltg
    bar:lemay from: 29/10/1951 till: 01/02/1965 color:gen text:"Curtis E. LeMay"
    bar:quesada from: 01/10/1947 till: 31/10/1951 color:ltg text:"Elwood R. Quesada"
    bar:rawlings from: 01/10/1947 till: 19/02/1954 color:ltg
    bar:rawlings from: 19/02/1954 till: 28/02/1959 color:gen text:"Edwin W. Rawlings"
    bar:harmonhubert from: 19/02/1948 till: 27/02/1953 color:ltg
    bar:harmonhubert from: 28/02/1953 till: 30/06/1953 color:ltgret
    bar:harmonhubert from: 08/11/1953 till: 31/07/1956 color:ltgret text:"Hubert R. Harmon"
    bar:wolfe from: 16/09/1949 till: 30/06/1951 color:ltg text:"Kenneth B. Wolfe"
    bar:kepner from: 14/06/1950 till: 28/02/1953 color:ltg text:"William E. Kepner"
    bar:nugent from: 11/04/1951 till: 01/08/1951 color:ltg text:"Richard E. Nugent"
    bar:partridge from: 11/04/1951 till: 19/02/1954 color:ltg
    bar:partridge from: 19/02/1954 till: 31/07/1959 color:gen text:"Earle E. Partridge"
    bar:harper from: 11/04/1951 till: 01/07/1954 color:ltg text:"Robert W. Harper"
    bar:weyland from: 11/04/1951 till: 05/07/1952 color:ltg
    bar:weyland from: 05/07/1952 till: 31/07/1959 color:gen text:"Otto P. Weyland"
    bar:kuter from: 11/04/1951 till: 29/05/1955 color:ltg
    bar:kuter from: 29/05/1955 till: 01/07/1962 color:gen text:"Laurence S. Kuter"
    bar:white from: 28/07/1951 till: 30/06/1953 color:ltg
    bar:white from: 30/06/1953 till: 30/06/1961 color:gen text:"Thomas D. White"
    bar:cook from: 28/07/1951 till: 01/04/1954 color:ltg
    bar:cook from: 01/04/1954 till: 01/06/1956 color:gen text:"Orval R. Cook"
    bar:stone from: 28/07/1951 till: 30/06/1957 color:ltg text:"Charles B. Stone III"
    bar:everest from: 20/12/1951 till: 30/05/1952 color:ltg
    bar:everest from: 01/05/1953 till: 01/07/1957 color:ltg
    bar:everest from: 01/07/1957 till: 01/10/1961 color:gen text:"Frank F. Everest"
    bar:barcus from: 10/06/1952 till: 31/05/1953 color:ltg
    bar:barcus from: 26/07/1954 till: 01/08/1960 color:ltg text:"Glenn O. Barcus"
    bar:myers from: 05/07/1952 till: 31/07/1958 color:ltg text:"Charles T. Myers"
    bar:craigie from: 05/07/1952 till: 01/07/1955 color:ltg text:"Laurence C. Craigie"
    bar:cabell from: 05/07/1952 till: 11/07/1958 color:ltg
    bar:cabell from: 11/07/1958 till: 01/02/1962 color:gen text:"Charles P. Cabell"
    bar:johnson from: 05/07/1952 till: 31/08/1957 color:ltg
    bar:johnson from: 31/08/1957 till: 01/07/1961 color:gen
    bar:johnson from: 01/09/1961 till: 30/04/1965 color:genret text:"Leon W. Johnson"
    bar:smithjoseph from: 05/07/1952 till: 30/06/1958 color:ltg text:"Joseph Smith"
    bar:schlatter from: 05/09/1952 till: 31/07/1957 color:ltg text:"David M. Schlatter"
    bar:boatner from: 05/09/1952 till: 01/09/1955 color:ltg text:"Bryant L. Boatner"
    bar:atkinson from: 03/03/1953 till: 28/02/1961 color:ltg text:"Joseph H. Atkinson"
    bar:anderson from: 01/05/1953 till: 10/03/1959 color:ltg
    bar:anderson from: 10/03/1959 till: 01/08/1963 color:gen text:"Samuel E. Anderson"
    bar:odonnell from: 01/05/1953 till: 31/07/1959 color:ltg
    bar:odonnell from: 31/07/1959 till: 31/07/1963 color:gen text:"Emmett O'Donnell Jr."
    bar:tunner from: 22/07/1953 till: 31/05/1960 color:ltg text:"William H. Tunner"
    bar:putt from: 22/07/1953 till: 30/06/1958 color:ltg text:"Donald L. Putt"
    bar:landon from: 19/02/1954 till: 20/06/1956 color:ltg
    bar:landon from: 12/05/1957 till: 28/06/1961 color:ltg
    bar:landon from: 28/06/1961 till: 01/07/1963 color:gen text:"Truman H. Landon"
    bar:power from: 06/04/1954 till: 30/06/1957 color:ltg
    bar:power from: 30/06/1957 till: 30/11/1964 color:gen text:"Thomas S. Power"
    bar:ramey from: 06/04/1954 till: 01/01/1957 color:ltg text:"Roger M. Ramey"
    bar:timberlake from: 10/05/1955 till: 31/07/1957 color:ltg text:"Patrick J. Timberlake"
    bar:irvine from: 10/05/1955 till: 30/04/1959 color:ltg text:"Clarence S. Irvine"
    bar:rogers from: 15/07/1955 till: 31/12/1961 color:ltg text:"Elmer J. Rogers Jr."
    bar:asensio from: 15/12/1955 till: 01/02/1960 color:ltg text:"Manuel J. Asensio"
    bar:barnes from: 20/06/1956 till: 01/09/1957 color:ltg text:"Earl W. Barnes"
    bar:smithfrederic from: 20/06/1956 till: 01/08/1959 color:ltg
    bar:smithfrederic from: 01/08/1959 till: 01/09/1962 color:gen text:"Frederic H. Smith Jr."
    bar:strother from: 05/09/1956 till: 30/06/1962 color:ltg
    bar:strother from: 30/06/1962 till: 31/07/1966 color:gen text:"Dean C. Strother"
    bar:armstrong from: 17/09/1956 till: 31/07/1962 color:ltg text:"Frank A. Armstrong Jr."
    bar:samford from: 24/11/1956 till: 23/11/1960 color:ltg text:"John A. Samford"
    bar:todd from: 28/06/1957 till: 01/01/1961 color:ltg text:"Walter E. Todd"
    bar:lindsay from: 29/06/1957 till: 01/01/1960 color:ltg text:"Richard C. Lindsay"
    bar:gerhart from: 30/06/1957 till: 29/06/1962 color:ltg
    bar:gerhart from: 29/06/1962 till: 01/03/1965 color:gen text:"John K. Gerhart"
    bar:hall from: 01/07/1957 till: 01/10/1961 color:ltg text:"William E. Hall"
    bar:griswold from: 29/08/1957 till: 01/08/1964 color:ltg text:"Francis H. Griswold"
    bar:mckee from: 30/08/1957 till: 29/06/1961 color:ltg
    bar:mckee from: 29/06/1961 till: 31/07/1964 color:gen text:"William F. McKee"
    bar:eckert from: 31/08/1957 till: 01/04/1961 color:ltg text:"William D. Eckert"
    bar:mundy from: 01/11/1957 till: 31/07/1963 color:ltg text:"George W. Mundy"
    bar:picher from: 01/04/1958 till: 11/05/1960 color:ltg text:"Oliver S. Picher"
    bar:lynn from: 02/04/1958 till: 01/01/1959 color:ltg text:"Roy H. Lynn"
    bar:wilson from: 01/07/1958 till: 01/11/1961 color:ltg text:"Roscoe C. Wilson"
    bar:lee from: 15/07/1958 till: 04/06/1963 color:ltg
    bar:lee from: 04/06/1963 till: 01/08/1966 color:gen text:"Robert M. Lee"
    bar:burns from: 01/08/1958 till: 10/08/1964 color:ltg text:"Robert W. Burns"
    bar:schriever from: 25/04/1959 till: 01/07/1961 color:ltg
    bar:schriever from: 01/07/1961 till: 01/08/1966 color:gen text:"Bernard A. Schriever"
    bar:bradley from: 27/06/1959 till: 01/07/1962 color:ltg
    bar:bradley from: 01/07/1962 till: 01/08/1965 color:gen text:"Mark E. Bradley"
    bar:sweeney from: 28/06/1959 till: 30/06/1961 color:ltg
    bar:sweeney from: 30/06/1961 till: 01/08/1965 color:gen text:"Walter C. Sweeney Jr."
    bar:old from: 29/06/1959 till: 01/09/1965 color:ltg text:"Archie J. Old Jr."
    bar:mcconnell from: 30/06/1959 till: 01/10/1962 color:ltg
    bar:mcconnell from: 01/10/1962 till: 31/07/1969 color:gen text:"John P. McConnell"
    bar:briggs from: 01/08/1959 till: 01/08/1963 color:ltg text:"James E. Briggs"
    bar:wetzel from: 01/09/1959 till: 31/08/1961 color:ltg text:"Emery S. Wetzel"

    History

    The United States Air Force originated as the Air Corps of the Regular Army. During World War II the Regular Army was augmented with a larger temporary force of reservists, volunteers, and conscripts to form the Army of the United States. Air personnel in the combined force belonged to the Army Air Forces. After the war, all Air Corps and Army Air Forces personnel split off from the Army to form the independent Air Force.

    1939–1947 (U.S. Army Air Forces)

    The first United States airman to become a lieutenant general was Delos C. Emmons, commanding general of General Headquarters Air Force, who was appointed to that grade under a 1940 law authorizing the President to appoint Regular Army officers to temporary higher grades in the Army of the United States. The first airman to become a lieutenant general in the Regular Army was Frank M. Andrews, who was automatically elevated to that grade upon assuming command of the Panama Canal Department in 1941. The Regular Army grade of lieutenant general had been abolished at the end of World War I, but was revived in 1939 when Congress authorized the officers commanding certain important Army formations to be temporarily appointed to the grade while detailed to those positions; these commands included the four field armies and the Panama Canal and Hawaiian Departments.
    Numerous airmen were promoted to lieutenant general during World War II. Lieutenant generals typically commanded one of the numbered field armies or air forces; served as deputy theater commanders; or headed major headquarters staffs, administrative commands, or support organizations. Most World War II lieutenant generals were appointed to that grade in the Army of the United States, even if detailed to a position that already carried the Regular Army grade; unlike the ex officio Regular Army grade, which was lost if an officer was reassigned, the Army of the United States grade was personal to each individual, making it easier to transfer officers without inadvertently demoting them.
    Although most air lieutenant generals belonged to the Regular Army Air Corps, anyone could be appointed lieutenant general in the Army of the United States, including reservists and civilians; James H. Doolittle was promoted to lieutenant general as an Air Corps Reserve officer and William S. Knudsen was commissioned lieutenant general directly from civilian life.

    1947–1960 (U.S. Air Force)

    The National Security Act of 1947 transferred all personnel in the Army Air Forces, Air Corps, and General Headquarters Air Force to the newly created United States Air Force. Lieutenant generals in the new service typically headed divisions of the Air Staff in Washington, D.C.; the unified command in Alaska; the theater air forces in Europe or the Far East; or the Air Force's top-level strategic, tactical, air defense, materiel, or transportation commands. Many early three-star commands were subsequently upgraded to four stars, and their vice commanders were elevated to three stars along with the commanders of the larger numbered air forces.
    All three- and four-star ranks were made ex officio by the Officer Personnel Act of 1947, meaning that a lieutenant general had to be reconfirmed in that grade every time he changed jobs. During the Korean War the Far East Air Forces vice commander for operations, Major General Otto P. Weyland, was slated for a three-star job in the United States but Air Force Chief of Staff Hoyt S. Vandenberg wanted Weyland to be promoted to lieutenant general while still in the war zone, so Vandenberg created the new three-star position of deputy commanding general of FEAF just for Weyland. Once promoted, Weyland immediately returned stateside but remained technically assigned to FEAF in order to keep his new grade while waiting for the Senate to confirm him in his permanent three-star assignment as commanding general of Tactical Air Command.
    It was rare but not unheard of for a lieutenant general to be demoted by accepting a transfer to a lower ranking job. Air Force Inspector General Truman H. Landon and Fifth Air Force commanding generals Frank F. Everest and Glenn O. Barcus all reverted to major general for their next assignments but regained their third stars in subsequent postings. Conversely, Major General Muir S. Fairchild skipped three-star rank entirely when he was appointed to the four-star office of vice chief of staff of the Air Force.

    Legislative history

    The following list of Congressional legislation includes all acts of Congress pertaining to appointments to the grade of lieutenant general in the United States Air Force or United States Army Air Forces before 1960.
    Each entry lists an act of Congress, its citation in the United States Statutes at Large, and a summary of the act's relevance.
    LegislationCitationSummary
    Act of July 31, 1940
    • Assigned ex officio rank of lieutenant general to major generals commanding the Panama Canal and Hawaiian Departments.
    Act of September 9, 1940
  • Authorized appointment of Regular Army officers to temporary higher grades in the Army of the United States during a national emergency to be determined by the President.
    • Act of September 22, 1941
  • Authorized appointment of Regular Army officers to temporary higher grades in the Army of the United States until six months after the World War II emergency.
    • Act of June 29, 1943
  • Authorized officers retired for physical disability incurred while temporarily appointed to a higher grade to retire in that grade.
    • Act of July 26, 1947
    • Established U.S. Air Force.
    • Transferred to U.S. Air Force all personnel in Army Air Forces, Air Corps, and General Headquarters Air Force.
    Act of August 7, 1947
    • Assigned ex officio rank of lieutenant general to general officers serving in positions designated by the President to carry that rank.
    • Assigned ex officio rank of lieutenant general to senior members of the Military and Naval Staff Committee of the United Nations.
    • Capped total positions with ex officio ranks above major general at 15 percent of the total number of active-duty general officers.
    • Capped total officers above grade of major general at 44, of whom not more than nine to be above grade of lieutenant general.
    • Capped total officers above grade of major general at 17 in the Air Corps and 27 not in the Air Corps.
    • Exempted from caps general officers serving as Chief of Staff to the President or specifically authorized by act of Congress to hold appointments to diplomatic or civil offices.
    • Authorized retirement in highest rank held on active duty.
    Act of June 29, 1948
    • Authorized promotion on the retired list of Regular Army and Regular Air Force officers to the highest temporary grades in which they served satisfactorily for at least six months between September 6, 1940, and June 30, 1946.
    Act of October 12, 1949
    • Established pay grade O-8 for general, lieutenant general, and major general.
    Act of May 5, 1954
    • Capped total number of general officers as a function of total commissioned officer strength.
    • Capped total officers above grade of brigadier general at 50 percent of all general officers.
    Act of May 20, 1958
  • Established pay grade O-9 for lieutenant general.
    • Act of July 18, 1958
    • Authorized promotion of Claire L. Chennault to lieutenant general on the retired list.
    Act of September 16, 1959
    • Authorized appointment of Elwood R. Quesada to lieutenant general on the retired list the day after he ceases to be Administrator of the Federal Aviation Agency or the day before his death, whichever is earlier.

    Biographical registers

    Other publications