In time of war, an officer of an armed force who is serving with troops operating against an enemy and who exercises, under assignment in orders issued by competent authority, a command above that pertaining to his grade, is entitled to the pay and allowances (not above that of pay grade O–7) appropriate to the command so exercised. ( Pub. L. 87–649 , Sept. 7, 1962 , 76 Stat. 486 .) Historical and Revision Notes Revised section Source (U.S. Code) Source (Statutes at Large) 901 37:235a. Apr. 26, 1898, ch. 191, § 7 (less last proviso), 30 Stat. 365 . Applicability of the source law to the Air Force is based on Transfer Order No. 25(zzz), of the Secretary of Defense , dated October 14, 1948 . Its applicability, other than to the Army and the Air Force, is based upon an opinion of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy, JAG 135: DDC; dmt.; 4229, dated July 29, 1960 . The words “(but not above that of pay grade O–7)” are substituted for section 235a (proviso) of existing title 37.