Military Review English Edition January-February 2017 | Page 150
Presidents Who Served
in the Armed Forces
In 1879, Congress declared George Washington’s birthday a federal holiday.
It has since become commonly known as Presidents Day and is celebrated
annually on the third Monday in February to honor all U.S. presidents. This
year we commemorate those presidents who served in our military.
Thomas Jefferson
James A. Garfield
Jimmy Carter
Colonel, Virginia Militia
1770–1779
Major General, U.S. Army (Volunteers)
1861–1863
Lieutenant, U.S. Navy
1946–1953
Harry S. Truman
Colonel, Army Officer Reserve Corps
1919–1945
George Bush
Lieutenant ( junior grade), U.S. Navy
1942–1945
Abraham Lincoln
Ulysses S. Grant
General, U.S. Army
1866–1869
William McKinley
Captain, Illinois Militia
1832
Brevet Major, U.S. Army (Volunteers)
1861–1865
James Monroe
Major, Continental Army
1775–1778
Ronald Reagan
Captain, U.S. Army
1942–1945
Dwight D. Eisenhower
General of the Army, U.S. Army
1915–1948, 1951–1952
Millard Fillmore
Major, Union Continentals (home guard)
1861
John Tyler
James Buchanan
Private, Pennsylvania Militia
1814
Captain, Virginia Militia
1812
Richard M. Nixon
Commander, U.S. Naval Reserve
1942–1966