Highest military rank held by U.S. presidents 1789-1973
American Civil War (Millard Fillmore did so after leaving office), and eight in the Second World War. In early years, many presidents served in their respective state militias, while all who fought in the Civil War did so as part of the United States Army (Union). Of the eight who served during the Second World War, five were in the Naval Reserve, while Jimmy Carter was in the Navy, Ronald Reagan was in the US Army Air Forces, and Dwight D. Eisenhower was the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. The only US president to have served since the Second World War was George W. Bush, who was a First Lieutenant in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War (although he remained in the US throughout the war).
A total of 31 out of 44 U.S. presidents (officially 45, as Grover Cleveland is counted twice) were military veterans, including five who served in the American War of Independence, six in the War of 1812, seven in the