George S. Patton
George S. Patton | |
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304th Tank Brigade | |
Battles/wars | See battles
|
Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal (3) Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart Complete list of decorations |
Alma mater | United States Military Academy Virginia Military Institute |
Spouse(s) |
Beatrice Banning Ayer
(m. 1910) |
Children | Beatrice Smith Ruth Ellen George Patton IV |
Relations | George Smith Patton II (father) George Smith Patton I (grandfather) Benjamin Davis Wilson (grandfather) John K. Waters (son-in-law) Willie (dog) |
Signature | ![]() |
George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a
Born in 1885, Patton attended the
Patton led U.S. troops into the Mediterranean theater with an invasion of
During the
Patton's colorful image, hard-driving personality, and success as a commander were at times overshadowed by his controversial public statements. His philosophy of leading from the front, and his ability to inspire troops with attention-getting, vulgarity-laden speeches, such as his famous address to the Third Army, was received favorably by his troops, but much less so by a sharply divided Allied high command. His sending the doomed Task Force Baum to liberate his son-in-law, Lieutenant Colonel John K. Waters, from a prisoner-of-war camp further damaged his standing with his superiors. His emphasis on rapid and aggressive offensive action proved effective, and he was regarded highly by his opponents in the German High Command. An award-winning biographical film released in 1970, Patton, helped popularize his image.
Early life
George Smith Patton Jr. was born on November 11, 1885,[1][2] in the Los Angeles suburb of San Gabriel, California, to George Smith Patton Sr. and his wife, Ruth Wilson, the daughter of Benjamin Davis Wilson, the second Mayor of Los Angeles. The wealthy Patton family resided at Lake Vineyard, built by Benjamin Wilson, on 128 acres (52 ha) in present-day San Marino, California.[3] Patton had a younger sister, Anne, nicknamed "Nita."[4] Nita became engaged to John J. Pershing, Patton's mentor, in 1917, but the engagement ended because of their separation during Pershing's time in France during World War I.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Nita_Patton_%28Sister_of_General_George_S._Patton%29.jpg/170px-Nita_Patton_%28Sister_of_General_George_S._Patton%29.jpg)
As a child, Patton had difficulty learning to read and write, but eventually overcame this and was known in his adult life to be an avid reader.
Patton never seriously considered a career other than the military.[7] At the age of seventeen he sought an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He also applied to several universities with military corps of cadet programs, and was accepted to Princeton, but eventually decided on Virginia Military Institute (VMI), which his father and grandfather had attended.[8][9] He attended the school from 1903 to 1904, and though he struggled with reading and writing, performed exceptionally in uniform and appearance inspection, as well as military drill.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Patton_at_VMI_1907.jpg/170px-Patton_at_VMI_1907.jpg)
While he was at VMI, Senator Thomas R. Bard nominated him for West Point.[10] He was an initiate of the Beta Commission of Kappa Alpha Order.[11]
In his plebe (first) year at West Point, Patton adjusted easily to the routine. However, his academic performance was so poor that he was forced to repeat his first year after failing mathematics.[12] He excelled at military drills, though his academic performance remained average. He was cadet sergeant major during his junior year, and the cadet adjutant his senior year. He also joined the football team, but he injured his arm and stopped playing on several occasions. Instead he tried out for the sword team and track and field and specialized in the modern pentathlon.[13] He competed in this sport in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, and he finished in fifth place—right behind four Swedes.[14]
Patton graduated number 46 out of 103 cadets at West Point on June 11, 1909,[15] and received a commission as a second lieutenant in the Cavalry branch of the United States Army.[16][17]
At age 24, Patton married Beatrice Banning Ayer, the daughter of Boston industrialist
Ancestry
The Patton family was of
Personality
George S. Patton is believed to have had Narcissistic Personality Disorder by many modern psychologists and historians.[32][33]
Early military career
Patton's first posting was with the
1912 Olympics
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/1912_fencing_patton_and_mas_latrie.jpg/220px-1912_fencing_patton_and_mas_latrie.jpg)
For his skill in running and fencing, Patton was selected as the Army's entry for the first
There was some controversy concerning his performance in the pistol shooting competition, in which he used a
The high spirit of sportsmanship and generosity manifested throughout speaks volumes for the character of the officers of the present day. There was not a single incident of a protest or any unsportsmanlike quibbling or fighting for points which I may say, marred some of the other civilian competitions at the Olympic Games. Each man did his best and took what fortune sent them like a true soldier, and at the end we all felt more like good friends and comrades than rivals in a severe competition, yet this spirit of friendship in no manner detracted from the zeal with which all strove for success.[41]
Sword design
Following the 1912 Olympics, Patton traveled to
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Patton_Sword.png/260px-Patton_Sword.png)
Patton then returned to Saumur to learn advanced techniques before bringing his skills to the
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Wooltex_and_George_S_Patton.jpg/220px-Wooltex_and_George_S_Patton.jpg)
Patton graduated from this school in June 1915. He was originally intended to return to the 15th Cavalry,
Pancho Villa Expedition
In 1915, Lieutenant Patton was assigned to border patrol duty with A Troop of the 8th Cavalry, based in
In March 1916, Mexican forces loyal to Pancho Villa crossed into New Mexico and raided the border town of Columbus. The violence in Columbus killed several Americans. In response, the U.S. launched the Pancho Villa Expedition into Mexico. Chagrined to discover that his unit would not participate, Patton appealed to expedition commander John J. Pershing, and was named his personal aide for the expedition. This meant that Patton would have some role in organizing the effort, and his eagerness and dedication to the task impressed Pershing.[55][56] Patton modeled much of his leadership style after Pershing, who favored strong, decisive actions and commanding from the front.[57][58] As an aide, Patton oversaw the logistics of Pershing's transportation and acted as his personal courier.[59]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/1915-dodge-archives.jpg/220px-1915-dodge-archives.jpg)
In mid-April, Patton asked Pershing for the opportunity to command troops, and was assigned to Troop C of the
World War I
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/111-SC-6375_-_Inspection_of_troops_by_Gen_Pershing_-_NARA_-_55173656_%28cropped%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-111-SC-6375_-_Inspection_of_troops_by_Gen_Pershing_-_NARA_-_55173656_%28cropped%29_%28cropped%29.jpg)
After the Villa Expedition, Patton was detailed to
On November 10, 1917, Patton was assigned to establish the AEF Light Tank School.[56] He left Paris and reported to the French Army's tank training school at Champlieu near Orrouy, where he drove a Renault FT light tank. On November 20, the British launched an offensive towards the important rail center of Cambrai, using an unprecedented number of tanks.[70] At the conclusion of his tour on December 1, Patton went to Albert, 30 miles (48 km) from Cambrai, to be briefed on the results of this attack by the chief of staff of the British Tank Corps, Colonel J. F. C. Fuller.[71] On the way back to Paris, he visited the Renault factory to observe French tanks being manufactured. Patton was promoted to major on January 26, 1918.[69] He received the first ten tanks on March 23, 1918, at the tank school at Bourg, a small village close to Langres, Haute-Marne département. The only US soldier with tank-driving experience, Patton personally backed seven of the tanks off the train.[72] In the post, Patton trained tank crews to operate in support of infantry, and promoted its acceptance among reluctant infantry officers.[73] He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on April 3, 1918, and attended the Command and General Staff College in Langres.[74]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/111-SC-17592_-_NARA_-_55195274_%28cropped%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-111-SC-17592_-_NARA_-_55195274_%28cropped%29_%28cropped%29.jpg)
In August 1918, he was placed in charge of the U.S. 1st Provisional Tank Brigade (redesignated the
While outside the village of Essey he had his first chance meeting with Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur, then commanding a brigade of the 42nd "Rainbow" Division, who, at just thirty-eight, was already one of the most highly decorated officers in the AEF, and with whom Patton would serve later in his career.[79]
Patton's brigade was then moved to support I Corps for the upcoming Meuse–Argonne offensive, which began on September 26.[77] He personally led a troop of tanks through thick fog as they advanced 5 miles (8 km) into German lines. Around 09:00, Patton was wounded while leading six men and a tank in an attack on German machine guns near the town of Cheppy.[80][81] His orderly, Private First Class Joe Angelo, saved Patton, for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC).[82] Patton commanded the battle from a shell hole for another hour before being evacuated. Although the 35th Division (of which Patton's tank troop was a component) eventually captured Varennes, it did so with heavy losses.[83] Trying to move his reserve tanks forward, Patton relates that he might have killed one of his own men, stating: "Some of my reserve tanks were stuck by some trenches. So I went back and made some Americans hiding in the trenches dig a passage. I think I killed one man here. He would not work so I hit him over the head with a shovel."[84]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/111-SC-17578_-_NARA_-_55195246_%28cropped%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-111-SC-17578_-_NARA_-_55195246_%28cropped%29_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Patton stopped at a rear command post to submit his report before heading to a hospital. Sereno E. Brett, commander of the U.S. 326th Tank Battalion, took command of the brigade in Patton's absence. Patton wrote in a letter to his wife: "The bullet went into the front of my left leg and came out just at the crack of my bottom about two inches to the left of my rectum. It was fired at about 50 m [160 ft] so made a hole about the size of a [silver] dollar where it came out."[85]
While recuperating from his wound, Patton was promoted to temporary colonel in the Tank Corps of the U.S. National Army on October 17. He returned to duty on October 28 but saw no further action before hostilities ended on his 33rd birthday with the armistice of November 11, 1918.[86] For his actions in Cheppy, Patton received the Silver Star, later upgraded to the DSC. The citation for the medal read:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Colonel (Armor) George Smith Patton, Jr. (ASN: 0-2605), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Tank Corps, A.E.F., near Cheppy, France, 26 September 1918. Colonel Patton displayed conspicuous courage, coolness, energy, and intelligence in directing the advance of his brigade down the valley of the Aire. Later he rallied a force of disorganized infantry and led it forward, behind the tanks, under heavy machine-gun and artillery fire until he was wounded. Unable to advance further, Colonel Patton continued to direct the operations of his unit until all arrangements for turning over the command were completed.[87]
For his leadership of the tank brigade and tank school, he was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the citation for which reads:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Colonel (Tank Corps) George Smith Patton, Jr. (ASN: 0-2605), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. By his energy and sound judgment, Colonel Patton rendered very valuable services in his organization and direction of the Tank Center at the Army schools at Langres, France. In the employment of Tank Corps troops in combat he displayed high military attainments, zeal, and marked adaptability in a form of warfare comparatively new to the American Army.[87]
In addition, he was also awarded the Purple Heart for his combat wounds after the decoration was created in 1932.[88]
On 11 November 1918, World War I ended. In the months and years that followed Patton was haunted by his experience in the Meuse–Argonne. Although he emerged from the war with honours and acclaim, the year 1918 took its toll and the price was indeed high. Contrary to his image as a tough guy, Patton was deeply affected by the horror of war and suffered from post-traumatic stress. What had been a high on the battlefield turned into the giant letdown that is so common to soldiers who have been in combat.[89]
Inter-war years
Patton left France for
On September 30, 1920, then-Major Patton relinquished command of the 304th Tank Brigade and was reassigned to Fort Myer as commander of
In July 1921 Patton became a member of the
Patton was made
In July 1932, Patton (still a Major) was
Patton was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the regular Army on March 1, 1934, and was transferred to the
Patton continued playing polo and sailing in this time. After sailing back to Los Angeles for extended leave in 1937, he was kicked by a horse and fractured his leg. Patton developed phlebitis from the injury, which nearly killed him. The incident almost forced Patton out of active service, but a six-month administrative assignment in the Academic Department at the Cavalry School at Fort Riley helped him to recover.[107] Patton was promoted to colonel on July 24, 1938, and given command of the 5th Cavalry at Fort Clark, Texas, for six months, a post he relished, but he was reassigned to Fort Myer again in December as commander of the 3rd Cavalry. There, he met the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff, George C. Marshall, who was so impressed with him that Marshall considered Patton a prime candidate for promotion to general. In peacetime, though, he would remain a colonel to remain eligible to command a regiment.[109] When Malin Craig retired as Chief of Staff of the United States Army in 1939, Drum was a candidate to succeed him.[105][110] Drum wanted the position badly enough to set aside his feud with Patton and ask Patton to intercede with the retired but still influential Pershing.[105][110] Despite these efforts, Drum was passed over in favor of Marshall.[105][110]
Patton had a personal schooner named
World War II
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/HopewithGroupMeetsPattonWW2.jpg/220px-HopewithGroupMeetsPattonWW2.jpg)
Following the
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/George_S._Patton_44.jpg/220px-George_S._Patton_44.jpg)
General Patton led the division during the Tennessee Maneuvers in June 1941, and was lauded for his leadership, executing 48 hours' worth of planned objectives in only nine. During the September Louisiana Maneuvers, his division was part of the losing Red Army in Phase I, but in Phase II was assigned to the Blue Army. His division executed a 400-mile (640 km) end run around the Red Army and "captured" Shreveport, Louisiana. During the October–November Carolina Maneuvers, Patton's division captured Drum, the commander of the opposing army.[117] Drum was embarrassed and became the subject of mockery.[118] After soldiers from Isaac D. White's battalion detained Drum,[119] the exercise umpires ruled that the circumstances would not have transpired in combat, so he was allowed to return to his headquarters, enabling the exercise to continue and Drum to save face.[120] Despite the umpires' actions, the incident indicated to senior leaders that Drum might not be prepared to command large bodies of troops under the modern battlefield conditions the Army would face in World War II, so he was not considered for field command.[120][b]
On January 15, 1942, a few weeks after the American entry into World War II, he succeeded Scott as commander of I Armored Corps, and the next month established the
North African campaign
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Major_General_Patton_and_Rear_Admiral_Hewitt_on_USS_Augusta_%28CA-31%29%2C_circa_in_November_1942_%2880-G-30116%29.jpg/220px-Major_General_Patton_and_Rear_Admiral_Hewitt_on_USS_Augusta_%28CA-31%29%2C_circa_in_November_1942_%2880-G-30116%29.jpg)
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Under Lieutenant General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander, Patton was assigned to help plan the Allied invasion of French North Africa as part of Operation Torch in the summer of 1942.[127][128] Patton commanded the Western Task Force, consisting of 33,000 men in 100 ships, in landings centered on Casablanca, Morocco. The landings, which took place on November 8, 1942, were opposed by Vichy French forces, but Patton's men quickly gained a beachhead and pushed through fierce resistance. Casablanca fell on November 11 and Patton negotiated an armistice with French General Charles Noguès.[129][130] The Sultan of Morocco was so impressed that he presented Patton with the Order of Ouissam Alaouite, with the citation "Les Lions dans leurs tanières tremblent en le voyant approcher" (The lions in their dens tremble at his approach).[131] Patton oversaw the conversion of Casablanca into a military port and hosted the Casablanca Conference in January 1943.[132]
On March 6, 1943, following the defeat of the U.S. II Corps by the German Afrika Korps, commanded by Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel, at the Battle of Kasserine Pass, Patton replaced Major General Lloyd Fredendall as Commanding General of the II Corps and was promoted to lieutenant general. Soon thereafter, he had Major General Omar Bradley reassigned to his corps as its deputy commander.[133] With orders to take the battered and demoralized formation into action in 10 days' time, Patton immediately introduced sweeping changes, ordering all soldiers to wear clean, pressed and complete uniforms, establishing rigorous schedules, and requiring strict adherence to military protocol. He continuously moved throughout the command talking with men, seeking to shape them into effective soldiers. He pushed them hard, and sought to reward them well for their accomplishments.[134] His uncompromising leadership style is evidenced by his orders for an attack on a hill position near Gafsa, in which he ended by reportedly saying, "I expect to see such casualties among officers, particularly staff officers, as will convince me that a serious effort has been made to capture this objective."[135]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/US_generals_Theodore_Roosevelt_Jr.%2C_Terry_Allen_and_George_Patton.jpg/220px-US_generals_Theodore_Roosevelt_Jr.%2C_Terry_Allen_and_George_Patton.jpg)
Patton's training was effective, and on March 17, the
Sicily campaign
For Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, Patton was to command the
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Lieutenant_Colonel_Lyle_Bernard_and_Lieutenant_General_George_S._Patton_near_Brolo%2C_1943_28-1162M_original.jpg/220px-Lieutenant_Colonel_Lyle_Bernard_and_Lieutenant_General_George_S._Patton_near_Brolo%2C_1943_28-1162M_original.jpg)
Initially ordered to protect the British forces' left flank, Patton was granted permission by Alexander to take
Patton's conduct in this campaign met with several controversies. He was also frequently in disagreement with Terry de la Mesa Allen Sr. and Theodore Roosevelt Jr. though often then conceding, to their relief, in line with Bradley's view.[144]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Gen._Bernard_Law_Montgomery_and_Lt._Gen._George_S._Patton%2C_Jr.%2C.jpg/220px-Gen._Bernard_Law_Montgomery_and_Lt._Gen._George_S._Patton%2C_Jr.%2C.jpg)
When Alexander sent a transmission on July 19 limiting Patton's attack on Messina, his chief of staff, Brigadier General Hobart R. Gay, claimed the message was "lost in transmission" until Messina had fallen.
In an incident on July 22, while a U.S. armored column was under attack from German aircraft, he shot and killed a pair of mules that had stopped while pulling a cart across a bridge. The cart was blocking the way of the column. When their Sicilian owner protested, Patton attacked him with a walking stick and had his troops push the two mule carcasses off the bridge.[140]
When informed of the Biscari massacre of prisoners, which was by troops under his command, Patton wrote in his diary, "I told Bradley that it was probably an exaggeration, but in any case to tell the officer to certify that the dead men were snipers or had attempted to escape or something, as it would make a stink in the press and also would make the civilians mad. Anyhow, they are dead, so nothing can be done about it."[145] Bradley refused Patton's suggestions. Patton later changed his mind. After he learned that the 45th Division's Inspector General found "no provocation on the part of the prisoners ... They had been slaughtered" Patton is reported to have said: "Try the bastards."[145]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/George_S._Patton_45.jpg/220px-George_S._Patton_45.jpg)
Two soldiers were tried for the Biscari massacre, both of whom claimed in their defense that they were acting under orders from Patton not to take prisoners if enemy combatants continued to resist within two hundred yards of their position.[146] Major General Everett Hughes, an old friend of Patton's, defended him, asserting that Patton had not "at any time advocated the destruction of prisoners of war under any circumstances".[147] James J. Weingartner argues that Patton's innocence in inciting violence against prisoners of war is uncertain, stating that
The testimony of multiple witnesses indicated beyond a reasonable doubt that Patton had urged the killing of enemy troops who continued to resist at close quarters, even if they offered to surrender. Patton probably wished his troops to deny quarter or refuse to accept the surrender of enemy combatants who continued to resist at close range, itself a violation of the laws of war (although common practice) by the twentieth century, but it should not be surprising if some Americans concluded that they were authorized to kill resolute enemy soldiers after they had placed themselves under American control.[148][149]
No official action was taken against Patton for any complicity in the massacre.
Slapping incidents and aftermath
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Wounded-on_wayto-hospital-RG-208-AA-158-A-015.jpg/220px-Wounded-on_wayto-hospital-RG-208-AA-158-A-015.jpg)
Two high-profile incidents of Patton striking subordinates during the Sicily campaign attracted national controversy following the end of the campaign. On August 3, 1943, Patton slapped and verbally abused Private Charles H. Kuhl at an evacuation hospital in Nicosia after he had been found to suffer from "battle fatigue".[150] On August 10, Patton slapped Private Paul G. Bennett under similar circumstances.[150] Ordering both soldiers back to the front lines,[151] Patton railed against cowardice and issued orders to his commanders to discipline any soldier making similar complaints.[152]
Word of the incident reached Eisenhower, who privately reprimanded Patton and insisted he apologize.[153] Patton apologized to both soldiers individually, as well as to doctors who witnessed the incidents,[154] and later to all of the soldiers under his command in several speeches.[155] Eisenhower suppressed the incident in the media,[156] but in November journalist Drew Pearson revealed it on his radio program.[157] Criticism of Patton in the United States was harsh, and included members of Congress and former generals, Pershing among them.[158][159] The views of the general public remained mixed on the matter,[160] and eventually Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson stated that Patton must be retained as a commander because of the need for his "aggressive, winning leadership in the bitter battles which are to come before final victory."[161]
Patton did not command a force in combat for 11 months.
Phantom Army
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Lt._Gen._Patton_with_Maj._Gen._Walter_Robertson%2C_April_1944.jpg/220px-Lt._Gen._Patton_with_Maj._Gen._Walter_Robertson%2C_April_1944.jpg)
The
Normandy breakout offensive
Sailing to Normandy throughout July, Patton's Third Army formed on the extreme right (west) of the Allied land forces,
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/General_Montgomery_with_Generals_Patton_%28left%29_and_Bradley_%28centre%29_at_21st_Army_Group_HQ%2C_Normandy%2C_7_July_1944._B6551.jpg/220px-General_Montgomery_with_Generals_Patton_%28left%29_and_Bradley_%28centre%29_at_21st_Army_Group_HQ%2C_Normandy%2C_7_July_1944._B6551.jpg)
Patton's strategy with his army favored speed and aggressive offensive action, though his forces saw less opposition than did the other three Allied field armies in the initial weeks of its advance.
The speed of the advance forced Patton's units to rely heavily on air reconnaissance and tactical air support.
In its advance from
Lorraine campaign
Patton's Third Army was sent to Lorraine. Despite its proximity to Germany, Lorraine was not the Allies' preferred invasion route in 1944. Except for its cities of Nancy and Metz the region contained few significant military objectives. Once the Third Army had penetrated Lorraine there would still be no first-rate military objectives on entering Germany. The Saar's industrial importance region, while significant, was of secondary
when compared to the great Ruhr industrial complex farther north.
Still within the constraints of a very large effort overall, Eisenhower gave Montgomery and his
The French rail network greatly aided the speed of the Third Army's logistical recovery, which was repaired and quickly put to use. In eastern France the rail network was relatively undamaged by Allied aircraft and had been abandoned almost intact by the retreating Germans. The Third Army brought its railheads as far forward as Nancy. The French themselves operated the trains providing rolling stock and trained personnel to supplement the Third Army.[188][189]
Patton believed his forces were close enough to the
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The halt of the Third Army during the month of September was enough to allow the Germans to strengthen the fortress of Metz. Patton's forces reached the fortress at Metz on 5 September 1944, forcing a German surrender on 21 November 1944, taking over 10 weeks in the Battle of Metz[192] with both sides suffering heavy casualties. Also an attempt by Patton to seize Fort Driant just south of Metz was defeated.[193]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/LtGen_Omar_Bradley%2C_LtGen_George_Patton%2C_and_MGen_Manton_Eddy.jpg/220px-LtGen_Omar_Bradley%2C_LtGen_George_Patton%2C_and_MGen_Manton_Eddy.jpg)
Patton's decisions in taking this city were criticized. German commanders interviewed after the war noted he could have bypassed the city and moved north to Luxembourg where he would have been able to cut off the German Seventh Army.[194] The German commander of Metz, General Hermann Balck, also noted that a more direct attack would have resulted in a more decisive Allied victory in the city. Historian Carlo D'Este later wrote that the Lorraine campaign was one of Patton's least successful, faulting him for not deploying his divisions more aggressively and decisively.[195] Patton remained frustrated at the lack of progress of his forces. From November 8 to December 15, his army advanced no more than 40 miles (64 km).[196]
In The Lorraine Campaign An Overview, September-December 1944, on page 36, Dr. Christopher R. Gabel of the Combat Studies Institute stated in February, 1985:
- Was the Lorraine campaign an American victory? From September through November, Third Army claimed to have inflicted over 180,000 casualties on the enemy. But to capture the province of Lorraine, a problem which involved an advance of only 40 to 60 air miLes, Third Army required over 3 months and suffered 50,000 casualties, approximately one-third of the total number of casualties it sustained in the entire European war.
Battle of the Bulge
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/General_Omar_Bradley%2C_General_Dwight_Eisenhower%2C_and_General_George_Patton%2C_all_graduates_of_West_Point%2C_survey_war_damage_in_Bastogne%2C_Belgium._1944-1945.jpg/170px-General_Omar_Bradley%2C_General_Dwight_Eisenhower%2C_and_General_George_Patton%2C_all_graduates_of_West_Point%2C_survey_war_damage_in_Bastogne%2C_Belgium._1944-1945.jpg)
In December 1944, the German army, under the command of German Field Marshal
At the time, Patton's Third Army was engaged in heavy fighting near
Patton left the conference room, phoned his command, and uttered two words: "Play ball." This code phrase initiated a prearranged operational order with Patton's staff, mobilizing three divisions—the 4th Armored Division, the
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Generals_Marshall%2C_McBride%2C_Eddy%2C_and_Patton.jpg/220px-Generals_Marshall%2C_McBride%2C_Eddy%2C_and_Patton.jpg)
On December 21, Patton met with Bradley to review the impending advance, starting the meeting by remarking, "Brad, this time the Kraut's stuck his head in the meat grinder, and I've got hold of the handle."
Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies, and establish Thy justice among men and nations. Amen.[156]
When the weather cleared soon after, Patton awarded O'Neill a Bronze Star Medal on the spot.[156]
On December 26, 1944, the first spearhead units of the Third Army's 4th Armored Division reached Bastogne, opening a corridor for relief and resupply of the besieged forces. Patton's ability to disengage six divisions from front line combat during the middle of winter, then wheel north to relieve Bastogne was one of his most remarkable achievements during the war.[204] He later wrote that the relief of Bastogne was "the most brilliant operation we have thus far performed, and it is in my opinion the outstanding achievement of the war. This is my biggest battle."[203]
Advance into Germany
By February, the Germans were in full retreat. On February 23, 1945, the
Once again, Patton found other commands given priority on gasoline and supplies.
The Third Army began crossing the
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Ohrdruf_Corpses_Eisenhower.jpg/220px-Ohrdruf_Corpses_Eisenhower.jpg)
On March 26, 1945, Patton sent
By April, resistance against the Third Army was tapering off, and the forces' main efforts turned to managing some 400,000 German prisoners of war.
In its advance from the Rhine to the Elbe, Patton's Third Army, which numbered between 250,000 and 300,000 men at any given time, captured 32,763 square miles (84,860 km2) of German territory. Its losses were 2,102 killed, 7,954 wounded, and 1,591 missing. German losses in the fighting against the Third Army totaled 20,100 killed, 47,700 wounded, and 653,140 captured.[215]
Between becoming operational in Normandy on August 1, 1944, and the end of hostilities on May 9, 1945, the Third Army was in continuous combat for 281 days. In that time, it crossed 24 major rivers and captured 81,500 square miles (211,000 km2) of territory, including more than 12,000 cities and towns. The Third Army claimed to have killed, wounded, or captured 1,811,388 German soldiers, six times its strength in personnel.[215] Fuller's review of Third Army records differs only in the number of enemies killed and wounded, stating that between August 1, 1944, and May 9, 1945, 47,500 of the enemy were killed, 115,700 wounded, and 1,280,688 captured, for a total of 1,443,888.[216]
Postwar
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Patton_during_a_welcome_home_parade_in_Los_Angeles%2C_June_9%2C_1945.jpg/300px-Patton_during_a_welcome_home_parade_in_Los_Angeles%2C_June_9%2C_1945.jpg)
Patton asked for a command in the
Patton was appointed as military governor of Bavaria, where he led the Third Army in denazification efforts.[219] Patton was particularly upset when learning of the end of the war against Japan, writing in his diary, "Yet another war has come to an end, and with it my usefulness to the world."[219] Unhappy with his position and depressed by his belief that he would never fight in another war, Patton's behavior and statements became increasingly erratic. Various explanations beyond his disappointments have been proposed for Patton's behavior at this point. Carlo D'Este wrote that "it seems virtually inevitable ... that Patton experienced some type of brain damage from too many head injuries" from a lifetime of numerous auto- and horse-related accidents, especially one suffered while playing polo in 1936.[156]
Patton's niece Jean Gordon spent some time together with him in London in 1944, and in Bavaria in 1945. Patton repeatedly boasted of his sexual success with Gordon, and his wife and family plainly believed that the two were lovers. Some of his biographers are skeptical. Hirshson said that the relationship was casual.[220] Showalter believes that Patton, under severe physical and psychological stress, made up claims of sexual conquest to prove his virility.[221] D'Este agrees that Patton's "behavior suggests that in both 1936 [in Hawaii] and 1944–45, the presence of the young and attractive Jean was a means of assuaging the anxieties of a middle-aged man troubled over his virility and a fear of aging."[222] Whether or not Gordon was sexually involved with Patton, she also loved a young married captain, who returned to his wife in September 1945, leaving Gordon despondent.[223]
Denazification controversy and antisemitism
Patton attracted controversy as military governor when it was noted that several former Nazi Party members continued to hold political posts in the region.[219] Privately, Patton expressed a soldier's respect for the Germans as adversaries and a resistance to removing Nazi Party members from power. "I had never heard," he wrote to his wife Bea, "that we fought to de-Nazify Germany—live and learn. What we are doing is to utterly destroy the only semi-modern state in Europe so that Russia can swallow the whole.... Actually the Germans are the only decent people in Europe."[224]
Patton, in his new role, oversaw the
Relieved of command
When he faced questions from the press about his reluctance to
On September 28, 1945, after a heated exchange with Eisenhower over the denazification controversy, Patton was relieved of his military governorship. He was relieved of command of the Third Army on October 7, and in a somber change of command ceremony, Patton concluded his farewell remarks, "All good things must come to an end. The best thing that has ever happened to me thus far is the honor and privilege of having commanded the Third Army."[230] According to Anthony Cave Brown in Bodyguard of Lies, "Patton was relieved of command of the 3rd Army by Eisenhower just after the end of the war for stating publicly that America had been fighting the wrong enemy—Germany instead of Russia."[232]
Patton's final assignment was to command the
Following Eisenhower's return to the United States to become the Chief of Staff of the US Army, Patton was appointed interim commander of US Army Europe on November 11, 1945. He served in the position until relieved by General Joseph T. McNarney on November 26.
Accident and death
Patton's chief of staff, Major General Hobart Gay, invited him on a December 9, 1945, pheasant hunting trip near Speyer, Germany to lift his spirits. Observing derelict cars along the side of the road, Patton said, "How awful war is. Think of the waste." Moments later, the 1938 Cadillac limousine driving them to the trip collided with an American army truck at low speed.[233][234][235]
Gay and others were only slightly injured, but Patton hit his head on the glass partition that separated the front and back seat.
Patton spent most of the next 12 days in
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/General_Patton%27s_grave_300806.jpg/220px-General_Patton%27s_grave_300806.jpg)
On December 24, Patton was buried at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial in the Hamm district of Luxembourg City, alongside some wartime casualties of the Third Army, in accordance with his request to "be buried with [his] men." While he was initially buried in the middle of a plot like every other service member, the large number of visitors to his grave damaged the cemetery grounds, and his remains were moved to their current location at the front of the grave plots.[237]
Legacy
According to Martin Blumenson:
Patton epitomized the fighting soldier in World War II. He exercised unique leadership by his ability to obtain the utmost—some would say more than the maximum—response from American combat troops. Through his charisma, exemplified by a flamboyant and well-publicized image, he stimulated, better than any other high-ranking U.S. army commander, American troops to an aggressive desire to close with and destroy the enemy. He personified the offensive spirit, the ruthless drive, and the will for victory in battle....As the outstanding exponent of combat effectiveness, particularly with respect to the employment of armored forces—that is, the combined use of tanks, motorized infantry, and self-propelled artillery, closely supported by tactical aircraft—Patton brought the blitzkrieg concept to perfection.[238]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/General_Patton_3c_1953_issue_U.S._stamp.jpg/220px-General_Patton_3c_1953_issue_U.S._stamp.jpg)
Patton's colorful personality, hard-driving leadership style, and success as a commander, combined with his frequent political missteps, produced a mixed and often contradictory image. Patton's great oratory skill is seen as integral to his ability to inspire troops under his command.
Several actors have portrayed Patton on screen, most famously
Image
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Patton%27s_Command_Car.jpg/220px-Patton%27s_Command_Car.jpg)
Patton cultivated a flashy, distinctive image in the belief that this would inspire his troops. He carried an ivory-gripped, engraved, silver-plated Colt Single Action Army .45 caliber revolver on his right hip, and frequently wore an ivory-gripped Smith & Wesson Model 27 .357 Magnum on his left hip.[54][244] He was usually seen wearing a highly polished helmet, riding pants, and high cavalry boots.[245] Patton also cultivated a stern expression he called his "war face".[125] He was known to oversee training maneuvers from atop a tank painted red, white and blue. His jeep bore oversized rank placards on the front and back, as well as a klaxon horn which would loudly announce his approach from afar. He proposed a new uniform for the emerging Tank Corps, featuring polished buttons, a gold helmet, and thick, dark padded suits; the proposal was derided in the media as "the Green Hornet", and it was rejected by the Army.[114]
The historian Alan Axelrod wrote that "for Patton, leadership was never simply about making plans and giving orders, it was about transforming oneself into a symbol".[117] Patton intentionally expressed a conspicuous desire for glory, atypical of the officer corps of the day which emphasized blending in with troops on the battlefield. He was an admirer of Admiral Horatio Nelson for his actions in leading the Battle of Trafalgar in a full-dress uniform.[117] Patton had a preoccupation with bravery,[9] wearing his rank insignia conspicuously in combat, and at one point during World War II, he rode atop a tank into a German-controlled village seeking to inspire courage in his men.[78]
Patton was a staunch
Patton developed an ability to deliver charismatic speeches.
As media scrutiny on Patton increased, his bluntness stirred controversy. These began in North Africa when some reporters worried that he was becoming too close to former Vichy officials with Axis sympathies.[251] His public image was more seriously damaged after word of the slapping incidents broke.[252] Another controversy occurred prior to Operation Overlord when Patton spoke at a British welcoming club at Knutsford in England, and said, in part, "since it is the evident destiny of the British and Americans, and of course, the Russians, to rule the world, the better we know each other, the better job we will do." The next day news accounts misquoted Patton by leaving off the Russians.[253]
On a visit home after the war, he again made headlines when he attempted to honor several wounded veterans in a speech by calling them "the real heroes" of the war, unintentionally offending the families of soldiers who had been killed in action.[219] His final media blowup occurred in September 1945, when goaded by reporters about denazification, he said "[d]enazification would be like removing all the Republicans and all the Democrats who were in office, who had held office or were quasi-Democrats or Republicans and that would take some time." This caused Eisenhower to relieve Patton from command of the Third Army.[254]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Patton%27s_.357_revolver.jpg/220px-Patton%27s_.357_revolver.jpg)
As a leader, Patton was known to be highly critical, correcting subordinates mercilessly for the slightest infractions, but also being quick to praise their accomplishments.[114] Although he garnered a reputation as a general who was both impatient and impulsive and had little tolerance for officers who had failed to succeed, he fired only one general during World War II, Orlando Ward, and only after two warnings, whereas Bradley sacked several generals during the war.[255] Patton reportedly had the utmost respect for the men serving in his command, particularly the wounded.[256] Many of his directives showed special trouble to care for the enlisted men under his command, and he was well known for arranging extra supplies for battlefield soldiers, including blankets and extra socks, galoshes, and other items normally in short supply at the front.[257]
Views on race
Patton held views on race that were typical of the era, though are sometimes considered racist by modern historians.[246] His attitudes were likely cultivated from his upbringing and family roots in the Confederate South.[258] Privately he wrote of black soldiers:
Individually they were good soldiers, but I expressed my belief at the time, and have never found the necessity of changing it, that a colored soldier cannot think fast enough to fight in armor.[259]
Though Patton also stated that performance was more important than race or religious affiliation:
I don't give a damn who the man is. He can be a Nigger or a Jew, but if he has the stuff and does his duty, he can have anything I've got. By God! I love him.[260]
Addressing the 761st Tank Battalion Patton also said:
Men, you are the first Negro tankers ever to fight in the American Army. I would never have asked for you if you weren't good. I have nothing but the best in my army. I don't care what color you are, so long as you go up there and kill those Kraut sonsabitches! Everyone has their eyes on you and is expecting great things from you. Most of all, your race is looking forward to you. Don't let them down and, damn you, don't let me down![261]
Patton called heavily on the black troops under his command.[246] Historian Hugh Cole notes that Patton was the first in the US to integrate black and white soldiers into the same rifle companies.[261]
Additionally, the one man that Patton spent the most time with during World War II was his aide and personal valet, Sergeant Major William George Meeks. Meeks was an African American career soldier, and personal confidant and friend of General Patton.[262]
Anti-Russian sentiment
Patton admired Russia as a political entity, but was disdainful of Russians as a people, saying:
The difficulty in understanding the Russian is that we do not take cognizance of the fact that he is not a European, but an Asiatic, and therefore thinks deviously. We can no more understand a Russian than a Chinaman or a Japanese, and from what I have seen of them, I have no particular desire to understand them, except to ascertain how much lead or iron it takes to kill them. In addition to his other Asiatic characteristics, the Russian has no regard for human life and is an all out son of bitch, barbarian, and chronic drunk.[263]
As viewed by Allied leaders
On February 1, 1945, Eisenhower wrote a memo ranking the military capabilities of his subordinate American generals in Europe. General Bradley and the
Notwithstanding Eisenhower's estimation of Patton's abilities as a strategic planner, his overall view of Patton's military value in achieving Allied victory in Europe is revealed in his refusal to even consider sending Patton home after the slapping incidents of 1943, after which he privately remarked, "Patton is indispensable to the war effort—one of the guarantors of our victory."
He was one of those men born to be a soldier, an ideal combat leader ... It is no exaggeration to say that Patton's name struck terror at the hearts of the enemy.[265]
Historian Carlo D'Este insisted that Bradley disliked Patton both personally and professionally,[268][269] but Bradley's biographer Jim DeFelice noted that the evidence indicates otherwise.[270] President Franklin D. Roosevelt appeared to greatly esteem Patton and his abilities, stating "he is our greatest fighting general, and sheer joy".[271] On the other hand, Roosevelt's successor, Harry S. Truman, appears to have taken an instant dislike to Patton, at one point comparing both him and Douglas MacArthur to George Armstrong Custer.[271]
For the most part, British commanders did not hold Patton in high regard. General Sir Alan Brooke, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS)—the professional head of the British Army—noted in January 1943 that
I had heard of him, but I must confess that his swashbuckling personality exceeded my expectation. I did not form any high opinion of him, nor had I any reason to alter this view at any later date. A dashing, courageous, wild, and unbalanced leader, good for operations requiring thrust and push, but at a loss in any operation requiring skill and judgment.[272]
One possible exception was Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery who appears to have admired Patton's ability to command troops in the field, if not his strategic judgment.[273] Other Allied commanders were more impressed, the Free French in particular. General Henri Giraud was incredulous when he heard of Patton's dismissal by Eisenhower in late 1945 and invited him to Paris to be decorated by French President, Charles de Gaulle, at a state banquet. At the banquet, President de Gaulle gave a speech placing Patton's achievements alongside those of Napoleon.[274] Soviet leader Joseph Stalin was apparently an admirer, stating that the Red Army could neither have planned nor executed Patton's rapid armored advance across France.[275]
As viewed by Axis leaders
While Allied leaders expressed mixed feelings on Patton's capabilities, the German High Command was noted to have more respect for him than for any other Allied commander after 1943.[169] Adolf Hitler reportedly called him "that crazy cowboy general".[276] Many German field commanders were generous in their praise of Patton's leadership following the war,[d] and many of its highest commanders also held his abilities in high regard. Erwin Rommel credited Patton with executing "the most astonishing achievement in mobile warfare".[278] Generaloberst Alfred Jodl, chief of staff of the German Army, stated that Patton "was the American Guderian. He was very bold and preferred large movements. He took big risks and won big successes."[276] Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring said that
Patton had developed tank warfare into an art, and understood how to handle tanks brilliantly in the field. I feel compelled, therefore, to compare him with Generalfeldmarschall Rommel, who likewise had mastered the art of tank warfare. Both of them had a kind of second sight in regard to this type of warfare.[276]
Referring to the escape of the Afrika Korps after the Battle of El Alamein, Fritz Bayerlein opined that "I do not think that General Patton would let us get away so easily."[276] In an interview conducted for Stars and Stripes just after his capture, Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt stated simply of Patton, "He is your best."[279]
Major assignments
- Director of Instruction, Cavalry School (August 1937 – July 1938)
- Commander, 5th Cavalry (July–December, 1938)
- Commander, 3rd Cavalry (December 1938 – July 1940)
- Commander, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Armored Division (July 16, 1940 – January 14, 1942)
- Commanding General, I Armored Corps (January 15 – August 5, 1942)
- Commanding General, London Base Command (August 6 – November 7, 1942)
- Commanding General, Western Task Force – (November 8, 1942 – January 8, 1943)
- Commanding General, I Armored Corps (January 9 – March 3, 1943)
- Commanding General, II Corps (March 4 – April 14, 1943)
- Commanding General, I Armored Corps (April 15 – July 9, 1943)
- Commanding General, 7th Army (July 10, 1943 – January 25, 1944)
- Commanding General, 3rd Army (January 26, 1944 – October 6, 1945)
- Commanding General, 15th Army (October 7 – December 21, 1945) [280]
Orders, decorations and medals
Patton's decorations included:[281][282]
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1st Row | Army Distinguished Service Cross with one bronze oak leaf cluster |
Army Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters |
Navy Distinguished Service Medal (posthumous) |
---|
2nd Row | Silver Star with one oak leaf cluster |
Legion of Merit | Bronze Star Medal | Purple Heart |
---|---|---|---|---|
3rd Row | Silver Lifesaving Medal[283]
|
Mexican Service Medal | campaign stars
|
American Defense Service Medal |
4th Row | European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one silver and two bronze campaign stars |
World War II Victory Medal | Army of Occupation Medal with "Germany" clasp (posthumous) |
Grand Cross of Ouissam Alaouite (Morocco) |
5th Row | Grand Cross Military Order of the White Lion (Czechoslovakia) |
Grand Cross Order of Adolphe of Nassau (Luxembourg) |
Honorary Knight Commander Order of the British Empire (KBE) (United Kingdom) |
Grand Officer Legion of Honor (France) |
6th Row | Grand Officer Order of Leopold with palm (Belgium) |
Order of Kutuzov (1st class) (Soviet Union) |
Honorary Companion Order of the Bath (CB) (United Kingdom) |
Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 with bronze star (France) |
7th Row | Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 with palm (France) |
Croix de Guerre (Luxembourg) |
Croix de Guerre with palm (Belgium) |
Czechoslovak War Cross
1939–1945 |
- Note: The rows 1–4 are American medals unless otherwise noted. Rows 5–7 are foreign medals and noted where required.
Dates of rank
Patton's dates of rank were:[284]
Insignia | Rank | Component | Date |
---|---|---|---|
No pin insignia for Second Lieutenants in 1909 | Second Lieutenant |
Regular Army | June 11, 1909 |
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First Lieutenant |
Regular Army | May 23, 1916 |
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Captain |
Regular Army | May 15, 1917 |
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Major | National Army |
January 26, 1918 |
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Lieutenant Colonel | National Army | March 30, 1918 |
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Colonel | National Army | October 17, 1918 |
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Reverted to permanent rank of Captain |
Regular Army | June 30, 1920 |
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Major | Regular Army | July 1, 1920 |
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Lieutenant Colonel | Regular Army | March 1, 1934 |
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Colonel | Regular Army | July 1, 1938 |
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Brigadier General | Army of the United States | October 2, 1940 |
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Major General | Army of the United States | April 4, 1941 |
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Lieutenant General | Army of the United States | March 12, 1943 |
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Brigadier General | Regular Army | August 16, 1944[e] |
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Major General | Regular Army | August 16, 1944[f] |
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Lieutenant General | Regular Army | December 4, 1944 |
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General | Army of the United States | April 14, 1945 |
See also
- General George Patton Museum of Leadership
- List of members of the American Legion
- "Through a Glass, Darkly", a poem written by Patton
Notes
Explanatory footnotes
- ^ Historians Carlo D'Este and Alan Axelrod note in their biographies of Patton that these difficulties were likely the result of undiagnosed dyslexia.[4]
- ^ Drum's capture was the inspiration for a scene in the 1967 film The Dirty Dozen.[121]
- ^ Patton's friend Gilbert R. Cook was his deputy commander, whom Patton later had to relieve due to illness, a decision which "shook him to the core."[173]
- 277th Volksgrenadier Division, stated that "General Patton is the most feared general on all fronts. [His] tactics are daring and unpredictable .... He is the most modern general and the best commander of [combined] armored and infantry forces."[277] General der Panzertruppen Hasso von Manteuffel, who had fought both Soviet and Anglo-American tank commanders, agreed: "Patton! No doubt about this. He was a brilliant Panzer army commander."[202]
- ^ Official date of rank of September 1, 1943.
- ^ Official date of rank of September 2, 1943.
Citations
- ^ D'Este 1995, p. 29.
- ^ Brighton 2009, p. 17.
- ISBN 978-0-316-54496-2.
- ^ a b c d Axelrod 2006, pp. 11–12.
- calisphere. 1891. Archivedfrom the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
Classical School for Boys, 59 So Euclid Ave opened in 1889. New building erected in 1891. Steven Cutter Clark, principal
- ^ "Lot Detail – George Patton's 1899 School Report Card and Signed Envelope Dated 1906". goldinauctions.com. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ a b c Axelrod 2006, p. 13.
- ^ "Patton Family at VMI". Virginia Military Institute. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
- ^ a b Axelrod 2006, pp. 14–15.
- ^ Blumenson 1972, p. 92.
- ^ "distinguished-achievement-award/george-s-patton-jr". kappaalphaorder.org. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
- ^ Zaloga 2010, p. 7.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, pp. 20–23.
- ^ Brighton 2009, p. 19.
- ^ "v1909 15". digital-library.usma.edu. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, p. 24.
- ^ D'Este 1995, pp. 58, 131.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, pp. 28, 35, 65–66.
- ISBN 9780826264657– via Google Books.
- ^ "Key West Times". Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
- ^ Army Times (1967). Warrior; the story of General George S. Patton. Putnam. p. 15.
- ISBN 978-1-62157-298-5. Archivedfrom the original on August 4, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
- ISBN 978-1-61230-622-3. Archivedfrom the original on August 4, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2016.
- ^ a b c Rice 2004, p. 32.
- ^ 21st Century Patton: Strategic Insights for the Modern Era edited by J. Furman Daniel III, p. 61.
- ^ D'Este 1995, p. 9.
- ^ Social Networks and Archival Context. Archivedfrom the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-7867-4305-6.
- ^ Zaloga 2010, p. 6.
- ^ Bennett, Abram Elting. Huguenots migration: descendants' contributions to America. University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1984. p. 109.[ISBN missing]
- ^ Patton, Robert H. The Pattons: A Personal History of an American Family. 1994, pp. 3–5.[ISBN missing]
- ^ PATTON | Kirkus Reviews.
- S2CID 263465007. Retrieved September 2, 2023.)
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ Brighton 2009, p. 20.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, pp. 26–27.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, pp. 28–29.
- ^ "Patton: Loved, Hated, Appreciated", Richard Sassaman, www.americainwwii.com, 2018. Retrieved October 27, 2022
- ^ Zaloga 2010, p. 8.
- ISBN 9781135760885. Archivedfrom the original on June 26, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, p. 30.
- ^ a b Blumenson 1972, pp. 231–234.
- ^ D'Este 1995, pp. 132–133.
- ^ D'Este 1995, p. 134.
- ^ D'Este 1995, pp. 140–142.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, pp. 31–32.
- ^ D'Este 1995, p. 145.
- ^ Brighton 2009, p. 21.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, pp. 33–34.
- ^ D'Este 1995, p. 153.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, p. 35.
- ^ D'Este 1995, p. 148.
- ^ a b Axelrod 2006, p. 36.
- ^ D'Este 1995, pp. 158–159.
- ^ a b Zaloga 2010, p. 9.
- ^ D'Este 1995, pp. 162–163.
- ^ a b c d e Zaloga 2010, p. 10.
- ^ D'Este 1995, p. 165.
- ^ Brighton 2009, p. 31.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, pp. 38–39.
- ^ Jowett & de Quesada 2006, p. 25.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, p. 40.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, pp. 41–42.
- ^ D'Este 1995, pp. 172–175.
- ^ Brighton 2009, p. 32.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, p. 43.
- ^ a b Axelrod 2006, p. 46.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, p. 47.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, pp. 47–48.
- ^ a b Axelrod 2006, p. 49.
- ^ D'Este 1995, pp. 204–208.
- ^ Blumenson 1972, pp. 480–483.
- ^ Blumenson 1972, pp. 552–553.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, pp. 50–52.
- ^ a b Axelrod 2006, p. 53.
- ^ Blumenson 1972, pp. 661–670.
- ^ Brighton 2009, p. 38.
- ^ a b Blumenson 1972, pp. 706–708.
- ^ a b Axelrod 2006, pp. 54–55.
- ^ Zabecki & Mastriano 2020, p. 286.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, pp. 56–57.
- ^ Brighton 2009, p. 40.
- ^ Blumenson 1972, pp. 764–766.
- ISBN 978-1781254820.
- ^ Hallas, James H. (2009). Doughboy War: The American Expeditionary Force in WWI. Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books. pp. 245–246.
- ^ Blumenson 1974, p. 616.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, pp. 58–59.
- ^ a b "George Smith Patton". Military Times.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, p. 62.
- ^ Zabecki & Mastriano 2020, pp. 287–288.
- ^ a b Axelrod 2006, pp. 63–64.
- ^ Brighton 2009, p. 46.
- ^ a b c d Axelrod 2006, pp. 65–66.
- ^ Steele 2005, p. 18.
- ^ "Veterans of Great War". The Evening Star. July 17, 1921. p. 20. Archived from the original on November 18, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016 – via Chronicling America.
- ^ Ambrose, Kevin (January 27, 2022). "How the Knickerbocker snowstorm became D.C.'s deadliest disaster 100 years ago". Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
- ^ Gormly, Kellie B. (January 26, 2022). "When a Winter Storm Triggered One of the Deadliest Disasters in D.C. History". Smithsonian Magazine. Archived from the original on March 3, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
- ^ Brighton 2009, p. 57.
- ^ D'Este 1995, p. 335.
- ^ a b Axelrod 2006, pp. 67–68.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, pp. 69–70.
- ^ Brighton 2009, pp. 58–59.
- ^ Allen & Dickson 2006, p. 194.
- ^ Carlo D'Este, Patton: A Genius for War, 1995, page 360
- ^ Alan Axelrod, Patton's Drive: The Making of America's Greatest General, 2010, page 257
- ^ a b c d e Holt, Thaddeus (December 1, 1992). "Relax—It's Only a Maneuver". HistoryNet. Leesburg, VA: World History Group.
- ^ D'Este 1995, p. 361.
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1940 in war games in Louisiana, he captured the senior general Hugh Drum. You may have seen The Dirty Dozen, that old movie about how they played dirty. That was based on Patton's war maneuvers, about how he went on a 400-mile goose chase, they thought, and ended up capturing the red general. He was on the blue team.
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- ^ The Liberation Line by Christian Wolmar
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- ^ Associated Press, "Patton Fails To Get Task in Orient", The San Bernardino Daily Sun, San Bernardino, California, Friday June 15, 1945, Volume 51, page 2.
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- ^ Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, American Battle Monuments Commission, archived from the original on April 26, 2014, retrieved January 6, 2013
- ^ Martin Blumenson, "Patton, George Smith" in John Garraty, ed., Encyclopedia of American Biography (1974) p 839.
- ^ Axelrod 2006, p. ix.
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- ^ The Last Days of Patton Archived September 30, 2022, at the Wayback Machine Amazon Prime Video, retrieved 9/30/2021.
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General and cited references
- The Adjutant General's Office (1944). Official Army Register. Vol. 2–3. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Archived from the original on September 30, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2022 – via Google Books.
- Allen, Thomas; Dickson, Paul (2006), The Bonus Army: An American Epic, ISBN 978-0-8027-7738-6
- ISBN 978-0-945707-39-4
- ISBN 978-0-8050-6289-2
- ISBN 978-1-4039-7139-5
- ISBN 978-0-395-12706-3
- Blumenson, Martin (1974), The Patton Papers: 1940–1945, ISBN 978-0-395-18498-1
- Blumenson, Martin (1985), Patton: The Man Behind the Legend, ISBN 978-0-688-13795-3
- ISBN 978-0-307-46154-4
- DeFelice, Jim (2011), Omar Bradley: General at War, Washington, DC: Regenery History, ISBN 978-1-59698-139-3
- ISBN 978-0-06-016455-3
- ISBN 978-0-8050-5687-7
- Edey, Maitland A. (1968), Time Capsule 1943, ISBN 978-0-7054-0270-5
- ISBN 978-0-8117-0501-1.
- ISBN 978-0-684-13671-4
- Evans, Colin (2001), Great feuds in history : ten of the liveliest disputes ever, ISBN 978-0-471-38038-2
- Farago, Ladislas (1964), Patton: Ordeal and Triumph, ISBN 978-1-59416-011-0
- Farago, Ladislas (1981), The Last Days of Patton, ISBN 978-1-59416-531-3
- Fuller, Robert P. (2004), Last shots for Patton's Third Army, ISBN 978-0-9740519-0-1
- Gooderson, Ian (1998), Air Power at the Battlefront: Allied Close Air Support in Europe 1943–45, ISBN 978-0-7146-4211-6
- Hirshson, Stanley (2003), General Patton: A Soldier's Life, ISBN 978-0-06-000983-0
- ISBN 978-0-7146-3383-1
- Hymel, Kevin M.. Patton's War: An American General’s Combat Leadership, Volume I: November 1942–July 1944 (University of Missouri Press, 2021) online review
- Jarymowycz, Roman J. (2001), Tank tactics: from Normandy to Lorraine, ISBN 978-1-55587-950-1
- Jowett, Philip; de Quesada, Alejandro (2006), The Mexican Revolution 1910–20, ISBN 978-1-84176-989-9
- Le Tissier, Tony (2007), Patton's Pawns: The 94th US Infantry Division at the Siegfried Line, ISBN 978-0-8173-1557-3
- Lovelace, Alexander G. (2019), ""Slap Heard around the World": George Patton and Shell Shock" (PDF), Parameters: The US Army War College Quarterly, vol. 49, pp. 71–91, archived (PDF) from the original on February 15, 2020, retrieved February 15, 2020
- Lovelace, Alexander G. (2014), "The Image of a General: The Wartime Relationship between General George S. Patton Jr. and the American Media", Journalism History, vol. 40, pp. 108–120
- McNeese, Tim (2003), Great Battles through the Ages: Battle of the Bulge, ISBN 978-0-7910-7435-0
- Patton, George S. (1947), War as I Knew It, ISBN 978-1-4193-2492-5
- ISBN 978-0-85112-519-0
- Rice, Earl (2004), George S. Patton, ISBN 978-1-4176-2100-2
- Rickard, John Nelson (2004), Patton at Bay: The Lorraine Campaign, September to December 1944, ISBN 978-1-57488-782-2
- ISBN 978-0-425-20663-8
- Steele, Brett D. (2005), Military Reengineering Between the World Wars, ISBN 978-0-8330-3721-3
- ISBN 978-1-56852-578-5
- Wallace, Brenton G. (1946), Patton & His Third Army, ISBN 978-0-8117-2896-6
- Zaloga, Steven (2008), Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II, ISBN 978-0-8117-0424-3
- Zaloga, Steven (2010), George S. Patton: Leadership, Strategy, Conflict, ISBN 978-1-84603-459-6, archivedfrom the original on December 21, 2019, retrieved January 1, 2017
- ISBN 978-1-4728-3863-6.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
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- The General George S. Patton, Jr. Historical Society – Dedicated to the Life, Career, and Achievements of General George S. Patton, Jr.
- Cadet Patton at VMI Virginia Military Institute Archives
- General George Patton Museum Archived June 24, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- "Patton Uncovered". Archived from the original on June 28, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2006.
- Lost Victory – Strasbourg, November 1944
- The short film The General George S. Patton Story is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive.
- George S. Patton Papers: Diaries, 1910–1945 at Library of Congress
- Newspaper clippings about George S. Patton in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW
- Five Famous Locals Who Were Veterans: Gen. George S. Patton, Jr. (1885–1945) at Pasadena now.com Archived January 14, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
- Generals of World War II
- United States Army Officers 1939–1945