Which American Presidents Served In The Military?
According to the United States Constitution, the President of the United States is commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces.
“The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States; he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.” – Article II Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution
While 15 presidents served in the Army or Army Reserve, 9 in state militias, 6 in the Navy or Naval Reserve and 2 in the Continental Army, military experience is not a prerequisite for the role of President of the United States.
Here is a list of past presidents, alongside their military service prior to becoming commander in chief.
1) George Washington
Service: Virginia militia, Continental Army, and the United States Army.
Rank: General of the Armies of the United States.
Active Service: French and Indian War, American Revolutionary War.
2) John Adams
Service: None
Rank: None
Active Service: Chairman of the Continental Congress’ Board of War (1776 – 1777), equivalent to today’s Secretary of Defense and Chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee. Was also a semi-participant in a naval engagement between a British and American ship during the American Revolution.
3) Thomas Jefferson
Service: Virginia militia
Rank: Colonel
Active Service: Commander of Albemarle County Militia at the start of the American Revolution (did not see action).
4) James Madison
Service: Virginia militia
Rank: Colonel
Active Service: Commander of the Orange County Militia at the start of the American Revolution (did not see action). Commanded troops during the Battle of Bladensburg in the War of 1812.
5) James Monroe
Service: Continental Army
Rank: Major
Active Service: American Revolutionary War (wounded at the Battle of Trenton).
6) John Quincy Adams
Service: None
Rank: None
Active Service: None
7) Andrew Jackson
Service: Tennessee State Militia, Continental Army, United States Army
Rank: Major general
Active Service: American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Creek War, First Seminole War
8) Martin Van Buren
Service: None
Rank: None
Active Service: None
9) William Henry Harrison
Service: United States Army
Rank: Major general
Active Service: Northwest Indian War, War of 1812
10) John Tyler
Service: Virginia militia
Rank: Captain
Active Service: War of 1812
11) James K. Polk
Service: Tennessee State Militia
Rank: Colonel
Active Service: Cavalry unit in Tennessee Militia (Captain), later appointed a Colonel on the staff of Governor William Carroll.
12) Zachary Taylor
Service: United States Army
Rank: Major general
Active Service: War of 1812, Black Hawk War, Second Seminole War, Mexican-American War
13) Millard Fillmore
Service: New York State Militia
Rank: Major
Active Service: New York Militia, organized Union Continentals home guard unit in Buffalo, New York during the American Civil War.
14) Franklin Pierce
Service: United States Army
Rank: Brigadier general
Active Service: New Hampshire Militia, Mexican-American War (commanded Infantry Brigade at Battle of Contreras, Battle of Churubusco, and the Assault on Mexico City. Injured at the Battle of Contreras).
15) James Buchanan
Service: Pennsylvania State Militia
Rank: Private
Active Service: War of 1812
16) Abraham Lincoln
Service: Illinois State Militia
Rank: Captain
Active Service: Black Hawk War
17) Andrew Johnson
Service: United States Army
Rank: Brigadier general
Active Service: Tennessee Militia, American Civil War, served as Military Governor of Tennessee.
18) Ulysses S. Grant
Service: United States Army
Rank: General
Active Service: Mexican-American War, American Civil War.
19) Rutherford B. Hayes
Service: United States Army
Rank: Major general
Active Service: American Civil War (23rd Ohio Infantry); wounded at the Battle of South Mountain; also served at the Battle of Antietam and in the Valley Campaigns of 1864.
20) James A. Garfield
Service: United States Army
Rank: Major general
Active Service: American Civil War (commanded an Ohio infantry brigade at the Battles of Shiloh and Corinth; served as chief of staff for General William Rosecrans at the Battle of Chickamauga).
21) Chester A. Arthur
Service: New York State Militia
Rank: Brigadier general
Active Service: Judge Advocate General, Second Brigade of the New York Militia. American Civil War (served as Engineer-in-Chief on the Governor’s staff, Quartermaster General and Inspector General of the New York Militia).
22/24) Grover Cleveland
Service: None
Rank: None
Active Service: None (hired a substitute to serve in his place during the American Civil War).
23) Benjamin Harrison
Service: United States Army
Rank: Brigadier general
Active Service: American Civil War (commanded an infantry brigade at the Battles of Resaca, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, Marietta, Peachtree Creek and Atlanta; also commanded a brigade during Sherman’s March to the Sea).
25) William McKinley
Service: United States Army
Rank: Brevet major
Active Service: American Civil War (Battle of South Mountain, Battle of Antietam, and Valley Campaigns of 1864).
26) Theodore Roosevelt
Service: New York Army National Guard, United States Army
Rank: Colonel
Active Service: New York National Guard, Spanish-American Civil War.
27) William Howard Taft
Service: Connecticut Home Guard
Rank: None
Active Service: None
28) Woodrow Wilson
Service: None
Rank: None
Active Service: None
29) Warren G. Harding
Service: None
Rank: None
Active Service: None
30) Calvin Coolidge
Service: None
Rank: None
Active Service: None
31) Herbert Hoover
Service: None
Rank: None
Active Service: None (helped guide US Marines in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion).
32) Franklin D. Roosevelt
Service: None
Rank: None
Active Service: None (resignation from Assistant Secretary of the Navy during WWI to enter uniformed service not accepted).
33) Harry S. Truman
Service: Missouri Army National Guard, United States Army Reserve
Rank: Colonel
Active Service: Stateside National Guard service in Missouri (1905-1911), World War I (France, 1917-1918).
34) Dwight D. Eisenhower
Service: United States Army
Rank: General of the Army
Active Service: World War I (stateside service), Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War II (1942-1945).
35) John F. Kennedy
Service: United States Naval Reserve
Rank: Lieutenant
Active Service: World War II
36) Lyndon B. Johnson
Service: United States Naval Reserve
Rank: Commander
Active Service: World War II
37) Richard Nixon
Service: United States Naval Reserve
Rank: Commander
Active Service: World War II
38) Gerald Ford
Service: United States Naval Reserve
Rank: Lieutenant commander
Active Service: World War II
39) Jimmy Carter
Service: United States Navy
Rank: Lieutenant
Active Service: Sea duty and stateside service from 1946 to 1954. Sea duty off the coast of China during Korean War.
40) Ronald Reagan
Service: United States Army Reserve, United States Army Air Forces
Rank: Captain
Active Service: World War II (stateside service), Army Reserve (1937 – 1942).
41) George H. W. Bush
Service: United States Naval Reserve
Rank: Lieutenant (junior grade)
Active Service: World War II
42) Bill Clinton
Service: None
Rank: None
Active Service: None
43) George W. Bush
Service: Texas Air National Guard
Rank: First lieutenant
Active Service: Vietnam War (stateside service as pilot)
44) Barack Obama
Service: None
Rank: None
Active Service: None
45) Donald Trump
Service: None
Rank: None
Active Service: None
46) Joe Biden
Service: None
Rank: None
Active Service: None
Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at @ighaworth.
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