Topic: Presidential Trivia - Game

[Libertas]

Heck, they had bare bones back then, Washington had to basically create the all the executive offices...aside from Jefferson (State) & Hamilton (Treasury) and Knox (War)...there might have been one more...two at the most.  Postmaster General?  I think there may have been an AG too.  Article II governs the Executive branch...and all they mention there is in Section 2 - "...he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices..." (thank you, The Patriot Post "Essential Liberty Pocket Guide"!) ...so as we can see Washington had to take the assumed bureaucracy left vague in the Constitution and add flesh and bones to it.  I kinda wish scope and oversight was better established from the get-go, but Gerogie did OK, it's everybody that came after him (especially at the turn of the 20th century!) that really hosed things up big time!

[rustybayonet]

ATTABOY Libertas -- Cabinet Members numbered 4 and you named each cabinet, missing only secretaries for AG / Edmund Randolph and Samuel Osgood for Postmaster General added later.

Now it's up to 15 {GWB} at a current salary of $191,000.+

[Libertas]

I like early American history!  I was born way too late...   

[rustybayonet]

Question #37 Can't remember if I used this earlier, so reviewed most everything and didn't find it - so here goes.

Which former President holds the highest military rank?

[ added former because the 'thing' wasn't ever in and would have been givin' a section 8, or dishonorable for his discharge out of service, then there would be a record of his assh*le'itist].

[Libertas]

Has to be Ike.

[ChrstnHsbndFthr]

Ike was a five star General, so I guess him, but we had several generals as president, who commanded the whole American Army, Washington and Grant at least, but I do not think they used the star system back then, so Eisenhower would be the one.

[Libertas]

Much the same way up to the Civil War, generals were typically 1-3 stars, and many (especially in the early days) designed their own uniforms and accoutrements.  In the modern era 4 stars became the norm for highest rank, until WWII, and after that once those 5 stars retired 4 reverted to the highest rank once again.

[rustybayonet]

Answer #37

Simple answer is George Washington, but it took Congress under Gerald Ford.  In 1976 Ford made the request to posthumously promoted former 3 star General [ 'the father of the country'] to 6 stars.
Resolution below;

Whereas Lieutenant General George Washington of Virginia commanded our armies throughout and to the successful termination of our Revolutionary War;

Whereas Lieutenant General George Washington presided over the convention that formulated our Constitution;

Whereas Lieutenant General George Washington twice served as President of the United States of America; and

Whereas it is considered fitting and proper that no officer of the United States Army should outrank Lieutenant General George Washington on the Army list;

Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That
(a) for purposes of subsection (b) of this section only, the grade of General of the Armies of the United States is established, such grade to have rank and precedence over all other grades of the Army, past or present.
(b) The President is authorized and requested to appoint George Washington posthumously to the grade of General of the Armies of the United States, such appointment to take effect on July 4, 1976.
Approved October 11, 1976.
Public Law 94-479The formal promotion order from the Army does not address six-star status; however the phrasing "such grade to have rank and precedence over all other grades of the Army, past or present" by implication clarifies the relationship of Washington's rank to Pershing's

Note: In another post I'll do the story on this subject of 4,5 and the sixth star if anyone is interest.

[Libertas]

See, I know early history better than later...tells you where my interest is dunnit?!   

But, since Washington by law cannot be outranked...nobody can rise to anything better than #2, no matter how many stars.

Washington being #1 there is a tie for #1a before you get to all those 5's from WWII!

[yankeestom]

Note: In another post I'll do the story on this subject of 4,5 and the sixth star if anyone is interest.

I would definitely be interested in that, thanks!  Also, he has a ton of back-pay coming...

[Libertas]

Note: In another post I'll do the story on this subject of 4,5 and the sixth star if anyone is interest.

I would definitely be interested in that, thanks!  Also, he has a ton of back-pay coming...

Heh.

I bet he would trade all of it for having his name removed from certain things which have turned his illustrious name into a curse!

[rustybayonet]

 All officers that wore the 5 Star Rank were World War II commanders.  Five star officers are advanced to that rank only in time of war,[at one time I read they also must command at least 100,000 + troops, [but I could not find it for proof this time on the internet].  A Brigadier generally commands 3 brigades approx. totaling 3,000.  A Major General commands 20,000-30,000 and a Lt. Gen usually 60,000 -70,000 troops.

The list of 5  Star officers;

Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy                               advanced 15 December 1944
General of the Army George C. Marshall      advanced 16 December 1944
Fleet Admiral Ernest King            advanced 17 December 1944
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur      advanced 18 December 1944
Fleet Admiral Chester W. N imitz         advanced 19 December 1944
General of the Army Dwight David Eisenhower   advanced 20 December 1944
General of the Army Henry H. Arnold      advanced 21 December 1944
Fleet Admiral William Halsey Jr.         advanced 11 December 1945
General of the Army Omar Bradley         advanced 20 September 1950     see note
General of  the Air Force Henry H. Arnold      advanced  7 May 1949      see note


note:
In the Bradley case it came during Korea – remembering President Truman fired General MacArthur.
In the case of Arnold, the Army Air Corp. became the US Air Force during Korea and he transferred keeping his rank – becoming the only person to wear 5 Stars in two branches of military service.

Additional;

Two other United States officers held the office of Generalof the Army and Admiral of the Navy.

General of the Army was General Pershing- advanced 3 September 1919 – when advanced there was no insignia at the time.  He was given the chose of having the 5 stars in the circle made or wearing 4 stars  but instead of silver they were gold color -  he chose the later being the only General or General of the Army to wear 4 gold stars.  See below

When Admiral George Dewey was advanced 24 March 1903  he also continued wearing only 4 stars, but designed his own 'shoulder  boards'.  Both officers above received additional pay.  see below

Maximum Numbers of Generals;

Army 230 total Generals           7 four stars
Air Force 208                            9 four stars
Marines 60                                4 four stars
Navy 160                                   6 four stars
Coast Guard less than 30          1 four star

No more than 25% of active duty flag [general and/or admiral] officers can have more than 2 stars in all branches.

Chief of Staff and Commandants serve 4 years.
Vice Chiefs and Vice Commandants usually retire after 2 years

A 4 Star retires after 40 years military [64 years old], but the Sec. Of Defense can defer them to age 66 and the President can defer them to age 68.


Brigadier General

  Major General

  Lieutenant General

  General

  General of the Army

  General of the Armies


Note spelling - General of the Army and General of the Armies

Armies is the designation for General of ALL military of the United States.

Now the two excepts for insignia;
Admiral  George Dewey:



General Pershing;


 

[Libertas]

Good job Rusty, looks  like you covered all the bases!   

General of the Army = Fleet Admiral

General of the Armies - Admiral of the Navy

The latter are higher in rank but the former sound...nicer, to me.

And as noted earleir, the law making Washington the highest in rank, the official title being "General of the Armies of the United States" is the long title, the short one being "General of the Armies".  I think George is deserving of the long title!
 

[rustybayonet]

Question #38

This Presidents Vice-President shot and killed a man, while in office.  Can you name the President and the Vice-President - and can you identify the person he killed ?

[AlanS]

I'm having a senior moment, but I believe it was a duel.

[yankeestom]

Aaron Burr.  He killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel; I know this because of the milk commercial. 

[yankeestom]

Original "got milk?" commercial - Who shot Alexander Hamilton?

[rustybayonet]

Aaron Burr.  He killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel; I know this because of the milk commercial. 

First time I have even seen the commercial;  Last part though, who was the President?

[yankeestom]

Aaron Burr.  He killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel; I know this because of the milk commercial. 

First time I have even seen the commercial;  Last part though, who was the President?

Jefferson!

[Libertas]

Now, that wasn't so hard. 

But Burr was a major douchenozzle who managed to PO Washington more than once during the war and supported Charles Lee over Washington as commander of continental forces.  He practiced law with the man whom he would later slay, and was a major player in NY politics and when he and Jefferson tied in the first ballot of the 1800 electoral votes, Hamilton who was no fan of Burr threw his support behind Jefferson, who was a rival but who also disliked Burr and in whom Hamilton saw as the lesser of two evils.  He may have been right about that, but he probably gave Burr more reasons to want to shoot him...Hamilton also was blamed by Burr for foiling his run for NY Governor in 1804. 

Anybody else know what nefarious first Burr holds as a former Vice President?