George Patton IV
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George Patton IV | |
---|---|
Birth name | George Smith Patton IV |
Born | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | December 24, 1923
Died | June 27, 2004 South Hamilton, Massachusetts, U.S. | (aged 80)
Buried | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 1942–1980 |
Rank | Major general |
Commands held | 2nd Armored Division 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment 2nd Medium Tank Battalion |
Battles/wars | Korean War Vietnam War |
Awards | Distinguished Service Cross (2) Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit (3) Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star Medal (2) Purple Heart |
Relations | George S. Patton (father) Beatrice Ayer Patton (mother) George Smith Patton (grandfather) Frederick Ayer (grandfather) Louise Ayer Hatheway (aunt) Mark Gordon (first cousin once removed) Benjamin Patton (son) |
Other work | Farmer The Fighting Pattons (co-author) |
George Smith Patton IV (December 24, 1923 – June 27, 2004) was a
Career
Patton was educated at The Hill School. Patton entered West Point in 1942 and graduated four years later in 1946 as an infantry officer. While serving at West Point, his father died, and the younger Patton dropped the Roman numeral from his name.[1] Technically the fourth 'George Smith Patton', he is sometimes remembered as 'George Patton III' as his father was called Patton Jr.[1]
His first assignment was to
Korean War
Patton served in the Korean War from February 1953, commanding "A" Company of the 140th Tank Battalion, 40th Infantry Division.[3] He received his first Silver Star and the Purple Heart in Korea.[1]
Returning to the United States in 1954, Patton, now a captain, was initially assigned to West Point, but was quickly picked up as part of an exchange program and was sent to teach at the United States Naval Academy.[4]
Vietnam War
Patton served a total of three tours of duty in South Vietnam, the first from April 1962 to April 1963 at
Post-war
After Vietnam, Patton was promoted to brigadier general in June 1970 before becoming the commanding general of the 2nd Armored Division, in 1975, as a major general. This was a unit his father had commanded just before the United States had entered World War II, making this the first time in United States Army history that a father and a son had both commanded the same division.[6]
Brigadier General Patton was Deputy Post Commander at Fort Knox, Kentucky during 1972. He was also Assistant Commandant of the Armor School at the same time.[citation needed]
Patton was assigned to the
Awards and decorations
Patton's military awards include:
- Badges
Basic Army Aircrew Badge
|
Parachutist Badge |
- Decorations
Distinguished Service Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster | |
Silver Star with bronze oak leaf cluster | |
Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf clusters | |
Distinguished Flying Cross | |
"V" Device and bronze oak leaf cluster
| |
Purple Heart | |
Meritorious Service Medal | |
award numeral 27
| |
Army Commendation Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
|
- Unit Award
Army Presidential Unit Citation |
- Service Medals
American Campaign Medal | |
World War II Victory Medal | |
Army of Occupation Medal with 'Germany' clasp | |
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star | |
campaign stars
| |
Vietnam Service Medal with silver and two bronze stars |
- Foreign Awards
Republic of Vietnam Army Distinguished Service Order (2nd Class) | |
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Silver and two Bronze Stars
| |
Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal , 1st Class
| |
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
| |
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
| |
United Nations Korea Medal
| |
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
| |
Republic of Korea War Service Medal |
Later life and death
In the years after his retirement in 1980, Patton turned an estate owned by his father located north of Boston into the Green Meadows Farm,[8] where he named the fields after soldiers who died under his command in Vietnam.
Patton befriended the mayor of Stuttgart, Manfred Rommel, the son of his father's wartime opposing general Erwin Rommel.[6] The two remained friends after Patton's retirement from the armed forces.
During the first years after his retirement from the Army, Patton was interviewed by journalist Kim Willenson for his book The Bad War: An Oral History of the Vietnam War, which was published in June 1987. In the 1990s, Patton worked alongside author Brian Sobel to write The Fighting Pattons, a book that serves as an official family biography of his father as well as a comparison between the military of his father's generation and that of his own, a time which covered five conflicts and almost 70 years of combined service. The Fighting Pattons was published in 1997.
He died from a form of Parkinson's disease at the age of 80 in 2004.[1]
Personal life
Patton was the fourth in his line to be named George Smith Patton. His great-grandfather, the first
Though given the name Junior, Patton's father was actually the third George Smith Patton. For this reason, Patton was christened George Smith Patton IV. Following his father's death in 1945, Patton changed his legal name to George Smith Patton, dropping the Roman numerals.
His eldest son, technically the fifth George S. Patton, is also known as George Smith Patton Jr. The World War II General Patton's youngest grandson, who still is living, has given interviews on the History Channel and the Military Channel, recalling his family heritage.
Another son, Robert H. Patton, has written a history of the Patton family: The Pattons: A Personal History of an American Family (Crown, 1994).[9][10]
His youngest son Benjamin Patton has written a family biography entitled Growing Up Patton: Reflections on Heroes, History, and Family Wisdom, which reflected on his grandfather and father's careers.[11][12] Benjamin, a filmmaker, also recorded tapes of his father's memories of his own and his grandfather's experiences, and those tapes formed the basis of the book The Fighting Pattons by Brian M. Sobel.[13][14]
References
- ^ a b c d Patterson, Michael Robert (2023-07-31). "George Smith Patton - Major General, United States Army". Arlington National Cemetery. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
- The Los Angeles Times. 16 June 1952. p. 53.
- ^ "Letters, Jun. 29, 1953". Time. June 29, 1953. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
- ISBN 978-0-275-95714-8.
- ^ Moïse's Bibliography: U.S. Military Men
- ^ a b c "How George S. Patton IV Lived Up to His Father's Legacy". HistoryNet. 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
- ISBN 978-0-275-95714-8.
- ^ Harlow, Michael (July 8, 2018). "Historic Massachusetts farm cultivates medical cannabis with a social conscience". Retrieved April 5, 2020.
- ^ Rierden, Andi (12 June 1994). "The Patton Family: An Intimate Portrait". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
- ISBN 0517590689. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
- ^ "Growing Up Patton". Time. 26 March 2012.
- ^ "For General Patton's Family, Recovered Ground". Smithsonian. June 2009. Archived from the original on 2013-04-19. Retrieved 2013-07-03.
- ^ Patton, Benjamin. "For General Patton's Family, Recovered Ground". Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
- ISBN 0275957144.
External links
- Arlington National Cemetery
- Webcast presentation by Patton's son, Benjamin, at the Pritzker Military Libraryon October 18, 2012, regarding his book Growing Up Patton: Reflections on Heroes, History and Family Wisdom