| Executive Agency |
Presiding Official |
Commanding General |
| Continental Congress |
----
1775-1776 |
George Washington
15 Jun 1775- |
| Board of War and Ordnance |
John Adams
1776-1777 |
George Washington |
| Board of War |
Horatio Gates (president)
Timothy Pickering
Richard Peters
1777-1781 |
George Washington |
| War Office |
Benjamin Lincoln (secretary at war)
1781-1783 |
George Washington
-23 Dec 1783 |
| |
Joseph Carleton (acting)
1783-1785 |
Henry Knox
23 Dec 1783-20 Jun 1784 |
| |
Henry Knox
1785-1789 |
John Doughty
20 Jun 1784-12 Aug 1784 |
| |
|
Josiah Harmar
12 Aug 1784- |
| President |
Secretary of War |
Commanding General |
George Washington
30 Apr 1789-3 Mar 1797 |
Henry Knox
12 Sep 1789-31 Dec 1794 |
Josiah Harmar
-4 Mar 1791 |
| |
|
Arthur St. Clair
4 Mar 1791-5 Mar 1792 |
| |
Timothy Pickering
2 Jan 1795-10 Dec 1795 |
Anthony Wayne
13 Apr 1792-15 Dec 1796 |
| |
James McHenry
27 Jan 1796- |
James Wilkinson
15 Dec 1796-13 Jul 1798 |
John Adams
4 Mar 1797-3 Mar 1801 |
James McHenry
-13 May 1800 |
George Washington
13 Jul 1798-14 Dec 1799 |
| |
Samuel Dexter
13 May 1800-31 Jan 1801 |
Alexander Hamilton
14 Dec 1799-15 Jun 1800 |
| |
|
James Wilkinson
15 Jun 1800- |
Thomas Jefferson
4 Mar 1801-3 Mar 1809 |
Henry Dearborn
5 Mar 1801- |
James Wilkinson |
| President |
Secretary of War |
Commanding General |
James Madison
4 Mar 1809-3 Mar 1817 |
Henry Dearborn
-7 Mar 1809 |
James Wilkinson |
| |
William Eustis
7 Mar 1809-13 Jan 1813 |
James Wilkinson
-27 Jan 1812 |
| |
John Armstrong
13 Jan 1813-27 Sep 1814 |
Henry Dearborn
27 Jan 1812- |
| |
James Monroe
27 Sep 1814-2 Mar 1815 |
Henry Dearborn
-15 Jun 1815 |
| |
William H. Crawford
1 Aug 1815-22 Oct 1816 |
Jacob J. Brown
15 Jun 1815- |
James Monroe
4 Mar 1817-3 Mar 1825 |
John C. Calhoun
8 Oct 1817- |
Jacob J. Brown |
John Quincy Adams
4 Mar 1825-3 Mar 1829 |
John C. Calhoun
-7 Mar 1825 |
Jacob J. Brown |
| |
James Barbour
7 Mar 1825-23 May 1828 |
Jacob L. Brown
-24 Feb 1828 |
| |
Peter B. Porter
26 May 1828- |
Alexander Macomb
29 May 1828- |
Andrew Jackson
4 Mar 1829-3 Mar 1837 |
Peter B. Porter
-9 Mar 1829 |
Alexander Macomb |
| |
John H. Eaton
9 Mar 1829-18 Jun 1831 |
Alexander Macomb |
| |
Lewis Cass
1 Aug 1831-5 Oct 1836 |
Alexander Macomb |
Martin Van Buren
4 Mar 1837-3 Mar 1841 |
Joel R. Poinsett
7 Mar 1837- |
Alexander Macomb |
William H. Harrison
4 Mar 1841-4 Apr 1841 |
Joel R. Poinsett
-5 Mar 1841 |
Alexander Macomb |
| |
John Bell
5 Mar 1841- |
Alexander Macomb |
John Tyler
6 Apr 1841-3 Mar 1845 |
John Bell
-13 Sep 1841 |
Alexander Macomb
-25 Jun 1841 |
| |
John C. Spencer
12 Oct 1841-3 Mar 1843 |
Winfield Scott
5 Jul 1841- |
| |
James M. Porter
8 Mar 1843-30 Jun 1844 |
Winfield Scott |
| |
William Wilkins
15 Feb 1844-4 Mar 1845 |
Winfield Scott |
James K. Polk
4 Mar 1845-3 Mar 1849 |
William L. Marcy
6 Mar 1845-4 Mar 1849 |
Winfield Scott |
Zachary Taylor
5 Mar 1849-9 Jul 1850 |
George W. Crawford
8 Mar 1849- |
Winfield Scott |
| President |
Secretary of War |
Commanding General |
Millard Fillmore
10 Jul 1850-3 Mar 1853 |
George W. Crawford
-23 Jul 1850 |
Winfield Scott |
| |
Charles M. Conrad
15 Aug 1850- |
Winfield Scott |
Franklin Pierce
4 Mar 1853-3 Mar 1857 |
Charles M. Conrad
-7 Mar 1853 |
Winfield Scott |
| |
Jefferson Davis
7 Mar 1853- |
Winfield Scott |
James Buchanan
4 Mar 1857-3 Mar 1861 |
Jefferson Davis
-6 Mar 1857 |
Winfield Scott |
| |
John B. Floyd
6 Mar 1857-29 Dec 1860 |
Winfield Scott |
| |
Joseph Holt
18 Jan 1861- |
Winfield Scott |
Abraham Lincoln
4 Mar 1861-15 Apr 1865 |
Joseph Holt
-5 Mar 1861 |
Winfield Scott
-1 Nov 1861 |
| |
Simon Cameron
5 Mar 1861-14 Jan 1862 |
George B. McClellan
1 Nov 1861-11 Mar 1862 |
| |
Edwin M. Stanton
20 Jan 1862- |
Henry W. Halleck
23 Jul 1862-9 Mar 1864 |
| |
|
Ulysses S. Grant
9 Mar 1864- |
Andrew Johnson
15 Apr 1865-3 Mar 1869 |
Edwin M. Stanton
-28 May 1868 |
Ulysses S. Grant |
| |
John M. Schofield
1 Jun 1868- |
Ulysses S. Grant
-4 Mar 1869 |
Ulysses S. Grant
4 Mar 1869-3 Mar 1877 |
John M. Schofield
-13 Mar 1869 |
William T. Sherman
8 Mar 1869- |
| |
John A. Rawlins
13 Mar 1869-6 Sep 1869 |
William T. Sherman |
| |
William W. Belknap
25 Oct 1869-2 Mar 1876 |
William T. Sherman |
| |
Alphonso Taft
8 Mar 1876-22 May 1876 |
William T. Sherman |
| |
James D. Cameron
22 May 1876-3 Mar 1877 |
William T. Sherman |
Rutherford B. Hayes
4 Mar 1877-3 Mar 1881 |
George W. McCrary
12 Mar 1877-10 Dec 1879 |
William T. Sherman |
| |
Alexander Ramsey
10 Dec 1879- |
William T. Sherman |
James A. Garfield
4 Mar 1881-19 Sep 1881 |
Alexander Ramsey
-5 Mar 1881 |
William T. Sherman |
| |
Robert T. Lincoln
5 Mar 1881- |
William T. Sherman |
Chester A. Arthur
20 Sep 1881-3 Mar 1885 |
Robert T. Lincoln |
William T. Sherman
-1 Nov 1883 |
| |
|
Philip H. Sheridan
1 Nov 1883- |
| President |
Secretary of War |
Commanding General |
Grover Cleveland
4 Mar 1885-3 Mar 1889 |
Robert T. Lincoln
-5 Mar 1885 |
Philip H. Sheridan
-5 Aug 1888 |
| |
William C. Endicott
5 Mar 1885- |
John M. Schofield
14 Aug 1888- |
Benjamin Harrison
4 Mar 1889-3 Mar 1893 |
William C. Endicott
-5 Mar 1889 |
John M. Schofield |
| |
Redfield Proctor
5 Mar 1889-5 Nov 1891 |
John M. Schofield |
| |
Stephen B. Elkins
17 Dec 1891- |
John M. Schofield |
Grover Cleveland
4 Mar 1893-3 Mar 1897 |
Stephen B. Elkins
-5 Mar 1893 |
John M. Schofield
-29 Sep 1895 |
| |
Daniel S. Lamont
5 Mar 1893- |
Nelson A. Miles
5 Oct 1895- |
William McKinley
4 Mar 1897-14 Sep 1901 |
Daniel S. Lamont
-5 Mar 1897 |
Nelson A. Miles |
| |
Russell A. Alger
5 Mar 1897-1 Aug 1899 |
Nelson A. Miles |
| |
Elihu Root
1 Aug 1899- |
Nelson A. Miles |
Theodore Roosevelt
14 Sep 1901-3 Mar 1909 |
Elihu Root |
Nelson A. Miles
-8 Aug 1903 |
| |
Chief of Staff |
Theodore Roosevelt
14 Sep 1901-3 Mar 1909 |
Elihu Root
-31 Jan 1904 |
Samuel B. M. Young
15 Aug 1903-8 Jan 1904 |
| |
William H. Taft
1 Feb 1904-30 Jun 1908 |
Adna R. Chaffee
9 Jan 1904-14 Jan 1906 |
| |
Luke E. Wright
1 Jul 1908- |
John C. Bates
15 Jan 1906-13 Apr 1906 |
| |
|
J. Franklin Bell
14 Apr 1906- |
William H. Taft
4 Mar 1909-3 Mar 1913 |
Luke E. Wright
-11 Mar 1909 |
J. Franklin Bell |
| |
Jacob M. Dickinson
12 Mar 1909-21 May 1911 |
J. Franklin Bell
-21 Apr 1910 |
| |
Henry L. Stimson
22 May 1911-4 Mar 1913 |
Leonard Wood
22 Apr 1910- |
| President |
Secretary of War |
Chief of Staff |
Woodrow Wilson
4 Mar 1913-3 Mar 1921 |
Lindley M. Garrison
5 Mar 1913-10 Feb 1916 |
Leonard Wood
-20 Apr 1914 |
| |
Newton D. Baker
9 Mar 1916-4 Mar 1921 |
William W. Wotherspoon
21 Apr 1914-15 Nov 1914 |
| |
|
Hugh L. Scott
16 Nov 1914-21 Sep 1917 |
| |
|
Tasker H. Bliss
22 Sep 1917-18 May 1918 |
| |
|
Peyton C. March
19 May 1918- |
Warren G. Harding
4 Mar 1921-2 Aug 1923 |
John W. Weeks
5 Mar 1921- |
Peyton C. March
-30 Jun 1921 |
| |
|
John J. Pershing
1 Jul 1921- |
Calvin Coolidge
3 Aug 1923-3 Mar 1929 |
John W. Weeks
-13 Oct 1925 |
John J. Pershing
-13 Sep 1924 |
| |
Dwight F. Davis
14 Oct 1925- |
John L. Hines
14 Sep 1924-20 Nov 1926 |
| |
|
Charles P. Summerall
21 Nov 1926- |
Herbert C. Hoover
4 Mar 1929-3 Mar 1933 |
Dwight F. Davis
-5 Mar 1929 |
Charles P. Summerall |
| |
James W. Good
6 Mar 1929-18 Nov 1929 |
Charles P. Summerall |
| |
Patrick J. Hurley
9 Dec 1929-3 Mar 1933 |
Charles P. Summerall
-20 Nov 1930 |
| |
|
Douglas MacArthur
21 Nov 1930- |
Franklin D. Roosevelt
4 Mar 1933-12 Apr 1945 |
George H. Dern
4 Mar 1933-27 Aug 1936 |
Douglas MacArthur
-1 Oct 1935 |
| |
Harry H. Woodring
25 Sep 1936-20 Jun 1940 |
Malin Craig
2 Oct 1935-31 Aug 1939 |
| |
Henry L. Stimson
10 Jul 1940- |
George C. Marshall
1 Sep 1939- |
Harry S. Truman
12 Apr 1945-20 Jan 1953 |
Henry L. Stimson
-21 Sep 1945 |
George C. Marshall
-18 Nov 1945 |
| |
Robert P. Patterson
27 Sep 1945-18 Jul 1947 |
Dwight D. Eisenhower
19 Nov 1945- |
| |
Kenneth C. Royall
19 Jul 1947- |
Dwight D. Eisenhower |
| President |
Secretary of the Army |
Chief of Staff |
Dwight D. Eisenhower
20 Jan 1953-20 Jan 1961 |
Robert T. Stevens
4 Feb 1953-21 Jul 1955 |
J. Lawton Collins
-5 Aug 1953 |
| |
|
Matthew B. Ridgway
16 Aug 1953-30 Jun 1955 |
| |
Wilber M. Brucker
21 Jul 1955-19 Jan 1961 |
Maxwell D. Taylor
30 Jun 1955-30 Jun 1959 |
| |
|
Lyman L. Lemnitzer
1 Jul 1959-30 Sep 1960 |
| |
|
George H. Decker
1 Oct 1960- |
John F. Kennedy
20 Jan 1961-22 Nov 1963 |
Elvis J. Stahr, Jr.
24 Jan 1961-30 Jun 1962 |
George H. Decker |
| |
Cyrus R. Vance
5 Jul 1962- |
George H. Decker
-30 Sep 1962 |
| |
|
Earle G. Wheeler
1 Oct 1962- |
Lyndon B. Johnson
22 Nov 1963-20 Jan 1969 |
Cyrus R. Vance
-21 Jan 1964 |
Earle G. Wheeler
-2 Jul 1964 |
| |
Stephen Ailes
28 Jan 1964-1 Jul 1965 |
Harold K. Johnson
3 Jul 1964- |
| |
Stanley R. Resor
2 Jul 1965- |
Harold K. Johnson
-2 Jul 1968 |
| |
|
William C. Westmoreland
3 Jul 1968- |
Richard M. Nixon
20 Jan 1969-9 Aug 1974 |
Stanley R. Resor
-30 Jun 1971 |
William C. Westmoreland |
| |
Robert F. Froehlke
1 Jul 1971-14 May 1973 |
William C. Westmoreland
-30 Jun 1972 |
| |
|
Bruce Palmer, Jr.
1 Jul 1972-11 Oct 1972 |
| |
|
Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
12 Oct 1972- |
| |
Howard H. Callaway
15 May 1973- |
Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
-4 Sep 1974 |
Gerald R. Ford
9 Aug 1974-20 Jan 1977 |
Howard H. Callaway
-3 Jul 1975 |
Fred C. Weyand
3 Oct 1974- |
| |
Martin R. Hoffmann
5 Aug 1975- |
Fred C. Weyand
-30 Sep 1976 |
| |
|
Bernard W. Rogers
1 Oct 1976- |
| President |
Secretary of the Army |
Chief of Staff |
Jimmy (James E.) Carter
20 Jan 1977-20 Jan 1981 |
Martin R. Hoffmann
-13 Feb 1977 |
Bernard W. Rogers
-21 Jun 1979 |
| |
Clifford L. Alexander, Jr.
14 Feb 1977-20 Jan 1981 |
Edward C. Meyer
22 Jun 1979- |
Ronald W. Reagan
20 Jan 1981-20 Jan 1989 |
John O. Marsh, Jr.
21 Jan 1981- |
Edward C. Meyer
-21 Jun 1983 |
| |
|
John A. Wickham, Jr.
23 Jun 1983-23 Jun 1987 |
| |
|
Carl E. Vuono
23 Jun 1987- |
George Bush
20 Jan 1989-20 Jan 1993 |
John O. Marsh, Jr.
-13 Aug 1989 |
Carl E. Vuono |
| |
Michael P. W. Stone
14 Aug 1989-19 Jan 1993 |
Carl E. Vuono
-21 Jun 1991 |
| |
|
Gordon R. Sullivan
21 Jun 1991- |
William J. Clinton
20 Jan 1993- |
Togo D. West, Jr.
22 Nov 1993-5 May 1998 |
Gordon R. Sullivan
-20 Jun 1995 |
| |
|
Dennis J. Reimer
20 Jun 1995- |
| |
Louis E. Caldera
2 Jul 1998-20 Jan 2001 |
Dennis J. Reimer
-20 Jun 1999 |
| |
|
Eric K. Shinseki
22 Jun 1999- |
George W. Bush
20 Jan 2001- |
Thomas E. White
31 May 2001-9 May 2003 |
Eric K. Shinseki
-11 Jun 2003 |
| |
Les Brownlee (acting)
10 May 2003-3 Dec 2004 |
Peter J. Schoomaker
1 Aug 2003- |
| |
Francis J. Harvey
19 Nov 2004- |
Peter J. Schoomaker |
