Fleet admiral[1] (abbreviated FADM)[2] is a five-star flag officer rank in the United States Navy whose rewards uniquely include active duty pay for life.

The single gold five-pointed star, one ray down, worn above the top stripe was not part of the rank, but indicated the wearer to be a line officer.

Purportedly U.S. Representative Carl Vinson, chairman of the House Armed Services committee and a strong supporter of Halsey, was responsible for blocking subsequent efforts to promote Spruance to fleet admiral (although his promotion continued to be blocked after Vinson retired).

[10] Instead, Spruance's achievements were recognized by the unique honor of a Special Act of Congress awarding him full four-star admiral's salary during the remainder of his life.

[11]The first fleet admiral to leave active duty was Ernest King who retired immediately after the conclusion of World War II.

[12] When Public Law 79-333 made the rank permanent for Leahy, King, Nimitz, and Halsey, it also provided for full pay and allowances once those officers retired.

[13] As with a general of the army, a fleet admiral was entitled to an office maintained by the Navy along with an aide (of the Naval rank of Captain), a secretary, and an orderly.

He held a ceremonial post as Navy adviser to the Western Sea Frontier with his quarters based in San Francisco.

[15][16][17] In the 1990s, there were proposals in Department of Defense academic circles to bestow a five-star rank on the office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The only officially recognized United States military rank senior to fleet admiral is General of the Armies when Congress passed Pub.