Which American leader was posthumously appointed General of the Armies effective July 4, 1976?

George Washington was posthumously appointed General of the Armies effective July 4, 1976.

Congress approved the appointment through Public Law 94-479 during the Bicentennial year. The effective date was chosen to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, making the honor part of the national commemoration.

Washington had led the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and later became the first president of the United States. The appointment recognized his historic military leadership and established that no United States officer would outrank him.

Washington had previously been appointed “General and Commander in Chief” of the Continental Army in 1775. The 1976 law gave him the modern honorary rank of General of the Armies, which is distinct from the five-star rank of General of the Army. John J. Pershing had held the General of the Armies title before Washington's posthumous appointment.