| General of the Air Force | |
|---|---|
 Rank flag of a General of the Air Force. | |
 | |
| Country |  United States |
| Service branch |  United States Air Force |
| Abbreviation | GAF |
| Rank group | General officer |
| Rank | Five-star |
| NATO rank code | OF-10 |
| Pay grade | Special grade |
| Formation | 7 May 1949 |
| Next lower rank | General |
| Equivalent ranks | |
General of the Air Force (GAF)[3] is a five-star general officer rank and is the highest possible rank in the United States Air Force. General of the Air Force ranks immediately above a general and is equivalent to General of the Army in the United States Army and Fleet Admiral in the United States Navy. The rank has only been held by one man, General Henry H. Arnold, who had served as head of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. As at the time of his promotion, the Air Force was a component of the Army instead of its own branch, the rank has not been first awarded to someone who is serving in the Air Force. Arnold retained the rank when the separate branch was created, and he was redesignated General of the Air Force in 1949.
- ^ Aldebol, Lt. Col. Anthony (1999). Army Air Force and United States Air Force Decorations, Medals, Ribbons, Badges and Insignia (2nd ed.). MOA Press. p. 61. ISBN 1-884452-05-1.
- ^ Armed Forces Information and Education (1960). Military Uniforms: A Manual of United States and Foreign Armed Forces Uniforms, Insignia and Organizations (DOD PAM 1-14) (3rd ed.). Department of Defense. p. 55. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
- ^ "Commissioned Officer rank and descriptions". 927th Air Refueling Wing. United States Air Force. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2021.