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Originally Posted by Jimbuna

1899 George Dewey becomes first(only) in US to hold the rank of Admiral of the Navy.

a bit of a fluke actually:

The Admiral of the Navy (abbreviated as AN) is the highest possible rank in the United States Navy. The rank is equated to that of a six-star admiral and is currently one of the two highest possible operational ranks in the United States Armed Forces. The rank is an admiralissimo-type position which is senior to the rank of fleet admiral.
The rank has only been awarded once, to George Dewey, in recognition of his victory at Manila Bay in 1898. On March 2, 1899, Congress approved the creation of the grade of Admiral of the Navy. On March 3, President McKinley transmitted to the Senate his nomination of Dewey for the new grade, which was approved the same day. But McKinley's nomination had used the term "Admiral in the Navy," while the act creating the new grade had used "Admiral of the Navy." On March 14, 1903, this discrepancy was addressed when President Roosevelt nominated and the Senate approved Dewey to the grade of "Admiral of the Navy," retroactive to March 2, 1899. The Navy Register of 1904 listed Dewey for the first time as "Admiral of the Navy" instead of "Admiral.''Though this clarified the grade's unique title, the precedence of the new rank was still considered "four star", equivalent to general in the army, in the US Navy Regulations of 1909. In the US Navy Regulations of 1913, perhaps in anticipation of legislation to authorize more admirals, the precedence of Admiral of the Navy had been set at the "five star" level, equivalent to a British field marshal or admiral of the fleet.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiral_of_the_Navy_(United_States) and it was good for advertising! not to mention America's true reflection of humanity....at the 'not so politically correct' time! lithographs are still available on ebay but I prefer to visit the original in Philadelphia and check out the Independence Seaport Museum <models of 'protected cruiser' USS Olympia at various career intervals! parked next to the USS Becuna (baleo class)