Quote:
Originally Posted by OpanaPointer
Finally (yeah!) the matter of the "4th" stars. Kimmel and Short were retired in "one star" status, like nearly every other general and admiral. There's no difference in pay between a one star and four star, just status.
Larry J
|
Larry -
I very rarely find cause to disagree with you, but - - -
Kimmel and Short were retired as a Rear Admiral and Major General, respectively.
Please let me to elaborate further. Before WW2, the highest permanent rank an officer could hold in US service was Major General or Rear Admiral. If one was placed in a three or four-star job, then he was, as they say, frocked, and could wear the rank and assume the privileges and prerogatives, and responsibilities and duties, of the higher rank. Usually, if one was placed in a four star job, he either retired from that job, or went to another four-star job before retirement. His retirement rank, for all practical, including pay, purposes, would be either Major General or Rear Admiral. By custom, he would be referred to by the highest rank held. It was not, though, entirely unheard of for an three or four star officer to revert back to his two star permanent rank and continue service, but it did not happen often. Admiral Bloch, for example, was a Rear Admiral and commander of the 14th Naval District on 7 Dec 1941; he had previously held the CinCUS job and had worn four stars.
Admiral Kimmel held a four-star job and Lieutenant General Short, a three. When the dust finally settled, after their relief’s, they were at their permanent ranks of Rear Admiral and Major General, respectively, and with no commands at a higher rank or even their permanent being offered. Note that since they were not transferred to billets with higher rank following their relief’s, they automatically reverted to their permanent ranks.
And I know, Larry, that you know the difference, but I am compelled to emphasize for any not familiar with the process that these reductions occurred automatically, not punitively, automatically.
No three or four-star assignment for either meant automatic reduction; that was the way it worked. With no assignments on the horizon, they had no choice but to retire. That’s the way its generally handled with flag and general officers; they are informed, unofficially, that they are scheduled to be relieved by such and such future date and there are no assignments envisioned in their future . . . they get the message and start the retirement process. Of course, in the cases of these gents, they had already been relieved of their commands. Whatever their assignment was called during the investigations, terminated with the investigations, and there were no further assignments on the horizon. Thus, with no commands in the offing, they retired.
Good to see you back in the saddle, Larry!
Warm regards,
Rich