Although he retired as a 5 star General, I heard that Hap died in poverty.  Can this be true.

Fred

Fred,
   Technically speaking, 5 stars don't ever "retire".  They are taken off active duty and receive full pay for life.  To answer your question however, the way I understand it, poverty may be a little strong, but near poverty might describe it better.
   After several heart attacks, Hap was placed on inactive status.  He "retired" (for lack of a better word) to a life of cattle ranching in Sonoma County, Calif., I believe.  He was neither a rancher or businessman and the ranch was soon in financial difficulty.  His wife began raising chickens to supplement their income.  By 1949 he was practically broke, he even did some beer commercials for income.  When Hap died in 1950, I think, his wife had to sell insurance to make ends meet.  A rather tragic ending for such a leader..
   Incidentally,  when Congrss restablished the 5 star rank in December 1944, Hap was the junior 5 star of the seven, with date of rank of 21 Dec '44.  However, he is the only 5 star in two different services, the Army and the new Air Force.  He became General of the Air Force on 7 May'49.
Regards,
Hugh

"Swords Forever"

I found this in Wikipedia:

After a trip to South America in January, 1946, in which he developed a heart arrhythmia severe enough to cancel the remainder of the trip, General Arnold left the Air Force on 28 February 1946 (his official date of retirement was 30 June.) He was succeeded by General Carl Spaatz, who also became first Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force when it became a separate service on 18 September 1947.
 
Arnold retired to a forty-acre ranch near Sonoma, California and signed a contract with Harper & Brothers to write his memoirs. Unlike Gen. George S. Patton, the wealthiest officer in the US Army, and his colleagues who had taken other positions (e.g. GA George Marshall was appointed Secretary of State by President Harry S Truman); Arnold was not healthy enough to do so and had no source of income other than his military pension and, later, salary (when promoted to the rank of General of the Air Force he received full pay as all five star generals are on active duty and are unable to retire unless they resign their commissions).
 
His autobiography was an attempt to provide financial security for his wife after his death -- much like former General and President Ulysses S. Grant who also wrote his memoirs while suffering from a fatal illness. Arnold was in the midst of writing the book when he suffered his fifth serious heart attack in January 1948, hospitalizing him for three months. However, he did complete the book, entitled Global Mission.
 
On 07 May 1949, Arnold was honored by being made the first -- and to date, only --General of the Air Force. He is also the only American to serve in five-star rank in two military services.
 
Arnold died 15 January 15 1950 at his home. He was given a state funeral in Washington D.C. that included rare services held in Arlington Memorial Amphitheater and is buried in Section 34 of Arlington National Cemetery. 

 

Click on here for some good Hap Arnold pix .

CPT(VT) W.P. Sullivan
HQ Company - Asst G-3
Camp Johnson, VT

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Kilroy was here