2. Military Freemasons
General Ethan Allen
Revolutionary War Hero; Founded State of Vermont
General Henry “Hap” Arnold
American general whose efforts helped establish what is now the U.S.
Air Force. Commander, Army Air Force in World War II, he is the
only person to ever hold five star rank in two services and the only
person to ever hold five star rank in the US Air Force.
General of the Army – WWI
General of the Air Force – WWII
Taught to fly by the Wright Brothers
Raised a Mason in 1927 in Junction City, Kansas. Scottish Rite
degrees 1929 in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, and 33rd degree in 1945.
4. Military Freemasons
General Omar Bradley
American general. Played a major part in the Allied victory in World
War II.
Last 5 star General
First General selected Chairman of Joint Chiefs
West Point class of 1915 – 59 Generals including Eisenhower - The
West Point graduating class of 1915 numbered 164. More than a third
of that extraordinary class won stars, 59 in all-24 brigadier generals
(one star), 24 major generals (two stars), 7 lieutenant generals (three
stars), two generals (four stars), and 2 generals of the army (five
stars).
Raised a Mason in 1923 in West Point Lodge #877, Highland Falls,
New York.
6. Military Freemasons
Admiral Richard Byrd
American naval officer and explorer. He was the first to fly over the
North Pole (with Floyd Bennet in 1926).
General Mark Clark
US Army General who commanded the American Fifth Army when it
made its initial landings on the Italian mainland. Later commanded
the 15th Army Group consisting of the British Eight and American
Fifth Armies as it effected the conquest of Italy.
General James Doolittle
American Army officer and aviator, he led the daring raids on Tokyo.
Pilot Virgil Grissom
Astronaut who made the second crewed spaceflight in 1961, he was
tragically killed in a launch pad explosion in 1967
7. Military Freemasons
Admiral John Paul Jones
Scottish born seaman, he became a naval hero and 'Father of the U.S.
Navy'. He later commanded Russian naval ships in their war against
the Ottoman empire.
General Chappie James
A fighter pilot in the Air Force who became the first African American to
reach the rank of four-star general in 1975
His son, Daniel, retired a Lieutenant General in the Air Force
General Henry Knox
US Revolutionary War hero, he was the first Secretary of War under
the U.S. Constitution. A Masonic lodge named in his honor was
constituted on the gun deck of the USS Constitution ('Old Ironsides')
in 1926. Knoxville, Tennessee and the famous "Fort Knox" were
named in his honor.
8. Military Freemasons
Admiral Earnest King
Fleet Admiral as of Dec. 17, 1944
Received Masonic degrees in 1935 in George C. Whiting Lodge #22
(now Potomac Lodge #5) in Washington, D.C. Received Royal Arch
degrees in 1938 in San Diego, California. Said to be greatly interested
in Masonry, and attended Lodge and Chapter often. Also a member
of the Knight Templar Commandery (1939, in Cleveland, Ohio), and
Al Koran Shrine in Cleveland, 1946.
Audie Murphy
Most decorated American Soldier of WWII, he also achieved fame as
an actor in movies (Westerns). An autobiographical movie was made
of his heroic combat exploits. He was active and interested in
Freemasonry.
9. Military Freemasons
General Douglas MacArthur
A former US Chief of Staff, he commanded the Allied Forces in the
South Pacific during World War II. He promised the Filipino people
"I shall return" to save them from the occupying Japanese Forces. He
was ultimately removed from military leadership by another
Mason, President Harry S. Truman.
Made a Mason at Sight by the Grand Master of the Philippines on
Jan. 17, 1936, and affiliated with Manila Lodge #1. Joined Scottish
Rite in Manila, also in 1936, and 33rd degree in 1947 in Tokyo. Life
member of Nile Shrine in Seattle, Washington. Wrote positively
about Freemasonry on several occasions.
10. Military Freemasons
General George Washington
General of the Armies of the United States as of 1976, when
posthumously appointed pursuant to an Act of Congress, and
General Washington raised to rank 1st among all officers of the
Army, past and present
Received his 3 Masonic Craft degrees in the Lodge at
Fredericksburg (now Fredericksburg Lodge #4) in Virginia, in
1752 and 1753. He was named, but did not actually serve, as
Charter Worshipful Master of Alexandria Lodge #22 under its
Virginia Charter in 1788-1789. Wrote positively about
Freemasonry on many occasions, and led the Masonic
cornerstone laying of the U.S. Capitol in September 1793.
11. Military Freemasons
General George Marshall
American soldier, diplomat and politician. He served as Secretary of
State from 1947-1949 and organized the European Recovery Plan
most often referred to as the "Marshall Plan" for which he received
the 1953 Nobel Peace Prize.
Made a Mason at Sight by the Grand Master of the District of
Columbia, on December 16, 1941, about a week after the Pearl
Harbor attack, when General Marshall (then 4 stars) was Chief of
Staff of the U.S. Army
13. Military Freemasons
General John Joseph Pershing
("Black Jack") American Army General who led the American Expeditionary
Forces in Europe during World War I. In 1921, he was given the rank of
General of the Armies, a rank only conferred once.
General of the Armies of the United States as of Sept. 3, 1919 (but wore only
4 stars even though he remained preeminent among all Army Generals until
his death in 1948)
Received Masonic degrees in December 1888 in Lincoln Lodge #19, Lincoln,
Nebraska. In 1919 Pershing was made an Honorary Member of Stansbury
Lodge #19 in D.C. In 1941 or 1942 Senator Harry S. Truman presented
Pershing a certificate as an Honorary Member of the Grand Lodge of
Missouri (Pershing's home state). Pershing was also a member of the
Scottish Rite (Wheeling, W.V., 1920) and received 33rd degree, 1930. He was
also a member of the Royal Arch and Knight Templar Commandery (both
1894 in Lincoln, Nebraska), and the Shrine.
15. Military Freemasons
Major General George Pickett
One of the three Confederate generals who attacked the Union lines
at the US Civil War Battle of Gettysburg, the famous 'Pickett's
Charge' is named after him.
Eddie Rickenbacker
American aviator who was the most decorated combat pilot of World
War I and later became president of Eastern Airlines.
General Matthew Ridgeway
US Army Chief of Staff.
Assumed leadership after MacArthur was relieved of duty in Korea
Member of West Point Lodge # 877
32nd Degree A.A.S.R. At Tokyo, in Oct. 1951
16. Military Freemasons
General Norman Schwarzkopf
is a retired United States Army General who, while he served as
Commander of U.S. Central Command, was commander of the
Coalition Forces in the Persian Gulf War of 1991
Summary
There have been 7 Army (or Air Force) Generals who held the rank of
General of the Army (5 Stars) or higher (Pershing or Washington might
be considered higher). 6 of these 7 were Freemasons
There have been 4 Navy Admirals who held the rank of Fleet Admiral (5
Stars).
1 of these 4 was a Freemason
17. Famous Masons –Military – Complete List
Aldrin, Edwin E. "Buzz" Astronaut; second man on the moon, Montclair Lodge
No. 144 New Jersey.
Allen, Ethan - General, Revolutionary War; Windsor, Vermont
Arnold, Gen. Henry "Hap" - Commander of the Army Air Force during World
War II
Bradley, Omar N. - Five Star General of the Army, World War II, U.S.
Byrd, Richard E. Admiral - Arctic & Antarctic explorer, 1st to fly over North
Pole
Cooper, Gordon "Gordo" – Astronaut
Chenault, Claire L. - World War II General
Clark, Mark - World War II General, European Theater
Doolittle, James - General, famous World War II Air Force Pilot
Farragut, Admiral David G. (First Admiral of the U.S. Navy)
18. Famous Masons –Military – Complete List
Grissom, Virgil (Gus) – Astronaut
Irwin, Jim – Astronaut
James, Daniel "Chappie" - General, U.S. Air Force
Jones, John Paul - Founder and First Admiral of the U.S. Navy - St. Bernard
Lodge No. 122 (now St. Cuthbert No. 41)
King, Ernest J. - World War II Five Star Admiral, Commander of Pacific
Theater
Knox, Henry - Revolutionary War General Lafayette, Marquis de - Supporter of
American Freedom
LaMay, Curtis E. - Air Force General, Commander of Strategic Air Command
Lindbergh, Charles – Aviator
19. Famous Masons –Military – Complete List
MacArthur, Douglas - Five Star General, Allied Commander in the Pacific in
World War II, “Duty, Honor, Country” Speech
Marshall, George C. - Five Star General, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff World
War II, Post war Secretary of State and Architect of the Marshall Plan.
McClellan, General George B. - Army of the Potomac, Presidential candidate
against Abe Lincoln, faced General Robert E. Lee at the battle of Antietam and
twice Governor of New Jersey.
Montgomery, Richard Major General - Fist General Officer of the Continental
Army killed in the Battle for Quebec on Dec 31, 1775.
Murphy, Audie - Most decorated American Soldier of World War II
Peary, Robert E. Admiral - First man to reach the North Pole (1909) - Kane
Lodge No. 451, NY
Perry, Matthew Calbraith - Commodore; responsible for opening relations with
Japan; Holland Lodge No. 8, New York City
20. Famous Masons –Military – Complete List
Pershing, John Joseph "Blackjack" - General of the Armies, Commander of the
American Expeditionary Force in World War I
Pickett, George E. - Maj. Gen. (CSA), led "Pickett's Charge" at Gettysburg
Pike, Zebulon - Military explorer who discovered Pike's Peak, which is named
for him
Rickenbacker, Eddie - Great American Air Force Ace
Ridgeway, Matthew B. - US Military Leader, General who succeeded
MacArthur in Korea
Schirra, Wally – Astronaut
Schwarzkopf, Norman - Former U.S. General, Desert Storm commander
Stillwell, Joseph - World War II General Tirpitz, Alfred Von - German Naval
officer responsible for submarine warfare
Wainwright, Jonathon - World War II General, survived Battan Death March
33. MacArthur Leadership Principles
Douglas MacArthur was one of the finest military leaders the United States ever
produced. John Gardner, in his book On Leadership described him as a
brilliant strategist, a farsighted administrator, and flamboyant to his fingertips.
MacArthur’s discipline and principled leadership transcended the military. He
was an effective general, statesman, administrator and corporate leader.
William Addleman Ganoe recalled in his 1962 book, MacArthur Close-up: An
Unauthorized Portrait, his service to MacArthur at West Point. During World
War II, he created a list of questions with General Jacob Devers, they called
The MacArthur Tenets. They reflect the people-management traits he had
observed in MacArthur. Widely applicable, he wrote, “I found all those who had
no troubles from their charges, from General Sun Tzu in China long ago to
George Eastman of Kodak fame, followed the same pattern almost to the
letter."
1. Do I heckle my subordinates or strengthen and encourage them?
2. Do I use moral courage in getting rid of subordinates who have proven
themselves beyond doubt to be unfit?
34. MacArthur Leadership Principles
3. Have I done all in my power by encouragement, incentive and spur to salvage the
weak and erring?
4. Do I know by NAME and CHARACTER a maximum number of subordinates for
whom I am responsible? Do I know them intimately?
5. Am I thoroughly familiar with the technique, necessities, objectives and
administration of my job?
6. Do I lose my temper at individuals?
7. Do I act in such a way as to make my subordinates WANT to follow me?
8. Do I delegate tasks that should be mine?
9. Do I arrogate everything to myself and delegate nothing?
10. Do I develop my subordinates by placing on each one as much responsibility as he
can stand?
11. Am I interested in the personal welfare of each of my subordinates, as if he were a
member of my family?
35. MacArthur Leadership Principles
12. Have I the calmness of voice and manner to inspire confidence, or am I
inclined to irascibility and excitability?
13. Am I a constant example to my subordinates in character, dress, deportment
and courtesy?
14. Am I inclined to be nice to my superiors and mean to my subordinates?
15. Is my door open to my subordinates?
16. Do I think more of POSITION than JOB?
17. Do I correct a subordinate in the presence of others?