Does an American commisioned officer lose their commission when in foreign service? I was reading an article about USAAF General Claire Chennault (commander of the “Flying Tigers”). The article showed Gen. Chennault wearing the uniform of a Chinese Airforce General. My question: is this allowed? I know that Cmdr. John Paul Jones served in the Russian Navy (of Empress Catherine), and Gen. McArthur served as a field marshall in the Philippin Army.
So is this allowed, or frowned upon?
No it is not allowed. Chennault and his crew were basically mercenaries. However, it was done with an nudge nudge wink wink from the government. FDR could not support the Chinese militarily yet but Chennault got the support of the US governement. The Flying Tigers were absorbed into the US military. Although they were started in a time before the US was in the conflict, the first battles happened just after PH. And Chennault was a retired US officer at the time. He was later recalled to active service.
ETA MacArthur was also retired when he was Field Marshall of the Phillipine Army. He was recalled to active duty serveral years later in 1941, prior to the Japanese attack.
John Paul Jones was similarly out of the US Navy when he worked in Russia. He apparently had some workplace problems there because a number of his fellow officers were British and didn’t think to well of him.
A commissioned officer that joins another military service would be subject to a court marshal. Example a Naval officer who joins the Army would be introuble. In fact I used that method to get my draft statuas changed from 1A. I threatened to show up in Oakland in my Ensigns uniform.
Chennault had resigned his comission before accepting a Chinese’S commission. All the pilots were allowed to resign their Army and Naval commissions before going to China. The enlisted men were discharged like wise.
Nitpick: court martial, not marshal.