George Washington was posthumously appointed General of the Armies during the 1976 Bicentennial.
Congress passed Public Law 94-479 on January 19, 1976, and the appointment took effect on July 4, the Bicentennial anniversary. The law specified that Washington would rank first among all officers of the Army, past and present.
Washington had commanded the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and later became the first president of the United States. The appointment honored his revolutionary military leadership during the anniversary year.
The title is not the same as the five-star rank of General of the Army. General of the Armies is a distinct, exceptionally senior title. John J. Pershing had previously held it, but Washington’s appointment placed him first in the historical ranking established by the law.