Generals and Admirals of the U.S. Military

I am an avid fan of military history, focusing on U.S. generals and admirals. The U.S. has raised some fine officers and so far, the rest of the world has agreed on their abilities; whether they led American in wars in Europe or Asia or, unfortunately, against their homeland in 1860-4.

Patton of WW11 fame admitted he loved war and prayed for the ability to do both his God's and his nation's bidding. By happy coincidence, he also followed directives most of the time and by combining his own systems and his superior's orders, gained lots of friends and earned many citations and medals, being the most successful corps commander in the European theater based on distances traveled, number of enemy killed, and civilians saved.

General Lee of the U.S. South, was, most people do not know, one of the best generals in the U.S. north before the US needed to identify north and south, militarily.

We also created the only 6 star [some writers claim our founding father, Washington was promoted posthumously (big deal)] field general of the armies, Pershing of WW1.

IF one was to read the biographies of these famous men, one would also recall that their rise to generalship was not done quickly! In most cases, they spent over a decade at intermediate ranks of captain and major. In some cases, economically, those ranks in the late 1930's and 1940s was insufficient to finance an officer's home and family-being under $500 a month.

The point being made here is that military officers do not advance in rank quickly during times of peace. That makes sense. They are not in demand and are doing battle homework and preparation that can last over a decade. During times of battle, their focus, energy, skills and leadership are quickly tested and those who have it get promoted quickly. Eisenhower, as an example, was promoted over 100 superior officer generals to head the European Command,.