Question: has there ever been a 5 star general

Answer: Yes, Nine Americans have been promoted to five-star rank, one of them, Henry H. Arnold, in two services (US Army then later in the US Air Force). As part of the bicentennial celebration, George Washington was, 177 years after his death, permanently made senior to all other US generals and admirals with the title General of the Armies effective on 4 July 1976. The appointment stated he was to have ``rank and precedence over all other grades of the Army, past or present''.