Page 24 - Sojourner Newsletter- SUMMER 2022 -FINAL

24 THE SOJOURNER

H I S T O R I A N’ S CORNER (NSI)

FIVE-STAR FLAG OFFICERS AND THEIR MASONIC AFFILIATION

By Edward W. Nolte, National Historian

Thirteen military and naval leaders have achieved General of the Army (GA) or Fleet Admiral (FADM) in the 156-years that those titles
have existed. Three other leaders, two Army (Washington and Pershing) and one Navy (Dewey), were even senior to a GA or FADM with
the title of General of the Armies or Admiral of the Navy. In addition, three GA Officers served before five-star legislation, and wore four
stars.
· GA (5-Star-equivalent but wore 4 stars) Ulysses S. Grant—25 Jul 1866—not a Mason.
· GA (5-Star-equivalent but wore 4 stars) William T. Sherman—4 Mar 1869—not a Mason.
· GA (5-Star-equivalent but wore 4 stars) Phillip H. Sheridan—1 Jun 1888—not a Mason.
· Admiral of the U.S. Navy (senior to a 5-Star FADM) Bro. George Dewey—2 Mar 1899—a Mason, but
Lodge unknown.
· General of the Armies (senior to 5-Star GA): Bro. John J. “Blackjack” Pershing—1919—Lincoln Lodge
#19, Lincoln, NE; and Washington #3, Golden Gate #18, Omaha #19, Kentucky #134, Tampa Bay #252,
Pasadena #265, Phoenix #306, and Redstone #353.

· FADM (5-Star): William D. Leahy—15 Dec 1944—not a Mason.
· GA (5-Star): Bro. George C. Marshall—16 Dec 1944—Mason at Sight by Grand Master of Washington,
D.C.; and Sojourner in Golden Gate #18, Kentucky #134, Pasadena #265, and Phoenix #306.
· FADM (5-Star): Bro. Ernest J. King—17 Dec 1944—George C. Whiting Lodge #22 (now Potomac #5),
Washington, D.C.; and Sojourner in Golden Gate #18 and Kentucky #134.
· GA (5-Star): Bro. Douglas MacArthur, 33°—18 Dec 1944—Manila Lodge #1, Manila, Philippines; and
Sojourner in Washington Chapter #3.
· FADM (5-Star): Chester W. Nimitz—19 Dec 1944—not a Mason.
· GA (5-Star): Dwight D. Eisenhower—20 Dec 1944—not a Mason.
· GA & GAF (5-Star): Bro. Henry H. “Hap” Arnold—21 Dec 1944 & 7 May 1950—only 5-Star General in
two Services, Union Lodge #7, Junction City, KS; and Sojourner in Golden Gate #18, Wichita #24,
Kentucky #134, Pasadena #265, Phoenix #306, and Langley-Monroe #310.
· FADM (5-Star): William F. “Bull” Halsey—11 Dec 1945—West Point Lodge #877, Highland Falls, NY
and Sojourner in Golden Gate #18.
· GA (5-Star): Bro. Omar N. Bradley—22 Sep 1950—West Point Lodge #877, Highland Park, NY and
Sojourner in Golden Gate #18, Kentucky #134, Pasadena #265, and Phoenix #306.
· General of the Armies (Senior to 5-Star GA): Bro. George Washington—1976 as part of Bi-Centennial—
Lodge at Fredericksburg (now Fredericksburg Lodge #4), VA and pre-NSI.
In summary, 9 of these leaders were U.S. (or Continental) Army, 5 were U.S. Navy, and 1 was both U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force
(Arnold). The U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard have never had a 5-star rank. One GA received the Medal of Honor (MacArthur),
and three GAs were U.S. Presidents (Washington, Grant, and Eisenhower). The last living 5-star was Brother GA Omar Bradley, who died
in 1981. Nine of these 15 GAs and FADMs were Masons, 7 of those 9 Masons were also Sojourners (Arnold, Bradley, Halsey, King,
MacArthur, Marshall, and Pershing), and the other 2 Masons were pre-Sojourners Club (Washington and Dewey); ergo, every 5-Star
General/Admiral, who was Mason and who could be a Sojourner, was a Sojourner.

The opinion or assertions contained herein, unless otherwise noted, are the private ones of the
writers and are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of National Sojourners,
Inc., or any branch of the Federal Government.