George Smith Patton Jr. (1885 - 1945)

Ancestors Descendants

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 The Power of Prayer 1.2 Timeline 1.3 Military Career 1.3.1 The Battle of the Bulge World War II 1.3.2 Dates of Rank 1.3.3 Decorations and Medals 1.4 Additional Information 1.4.1 Famous Quotes 1.4.2 Videos 1.4.3 Museum 1.4.4 Recognition 2 Sources

Biography

Patton was born in San Gabriel, Los Angeles County, California on 11 Nov 1885 to a wealthy family and enjoyed a privileged childhood. His father George Smith Patton was a prominent lawyer who graduated from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). During his childhood years, he heard countless stories of his ancestors who participated in the American Revolutionary and Civil Wars, because of this Patton set his mind to become a war hero. Attended VMI for one year (1903-1904) as a member of the Class of 1907, following the footsteps of his family. He was a third generation to attend. ^[1] In Jun 1904, Patton was admitted in the United States Military Academy at West Point and graduating on 11 Jun 1910.

On 26 May 1910, Patton married his longtime friend Beatrice Ayer on Beverly Farms, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of Boston industrial tycoon Frederick Ayer. ^[2] In Jul 1912, Patton went on to represent the United States in the Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden competing in the Modern Pentathlon. The first event of the 1912 modern pentathlon was shooting, and Patton performed poorly, finishing only 21st. It cost him a chance at a gold medal, as he performed credibly in the last four contests. In swimming, probably the sport at which he had the least experience, he was seventh. He placed fourth in fencing and sixth in cross-country riding. He had moved up to sixth place with only the 4,000 metre run remaining. He did well there, placing third in the run, and moving up to fifth spot. But the deficit he had built for himself in the shooting was too much for him to overcome.^[3]

In the summer of 1913, Patton received orders to report to the commandant of the Mounted Service School in Fort Riley, Kansas, where he became the school's first Master of the Sword. Patton helped in designing and teaching the course in swordsmanship while attending as a student at the school. In this role, Patton was instrumental in the designed the U.S. Model 1913 Enlisted Cavalry Saber, which is referred to as the “Patton Sword.”

After Fort Riley, Patton gained his first battle experience in 1915, when assigned to lead cavalry troops against Mexican forces led by Pancho Villa along the U.S.-Mexico border. This was considered the Pancho Villa Expedition. Patton served as aide-de-camp to General John J. Pershing, commander of American forces in Mexico.

When the United States entered World War I in Apr 1917, Patton was promoted to captain and assigned to Pershing’s staff in France. In Nov 1917, Patton was promoted to major and became the first officer assigned to the new U.S. Army Tank Corps. Over the next few month Patton was involved in organizing, training, and even designed the uniforms for the soldiers. By the end of World War I, Patton had been promoted to the temporary rank of colonel and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for bravery under fire.

As the country was beginning to rearm itself in 1940, Patton had been promoted officially to the rank of colonel. Shortly after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, Patton was given command of the 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions, which came with a temporary promotion to the rank of brigadier general. With this Patton began training them in for the United States entry into World War II. In late 1942, Patton and his armored divisions headed to Africa. Patton was the commander of the Western Task Force as part of the Allied Invasion of North Africa known as Operation Torch.

After succeeding in Africa, Patton was given command of the 7th Army during the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943. Then in 1944, Patton was reassigned to the 3rd Army in France. In Oct 1945, Patton was assigned to the command 15th Army in American-Occupied Germany.

The Power of Prayer

General Patton turned to prayer before the Battle of the Bulge (December 16, 1944 to January 25, 1945) in the Ardennes Forest, which is located between Belgium and Luxembourg. The American forces faced more than one million German soldiers, including three German armies and over 800,000 reserve troops. General Patton asked Rt. Rev. Msgr. James Hugh O’Neill, the Third Army’s chaplain, to pen a prayer for better weather with the now-famous “Weather Prayer”. General Patton had the prayer printed and distributed to every soldier under his command. It read:

“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 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.”

On the reverse side of the prayer card, General Patton added his Christmas message to the troops:

“To each officer and soldier in the Third United States Army, I wish a Merry Christmas. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. We march in our might to complete victory. May God’s blessings rest upon each of you on this Christmas Day. — G.S. Patton, Jr., Lieutenant General, Commanding, Third United States Army.”

On 9 Dec 1945, he suffered injuries as the result of an automobile accident. He died 12 days later, on 21 Dec and is buried among the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, Hamm, Canton de Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Luxembourg, the grave is located at Plot P Row 1 Grave 1. ^{[4] [5]} There is also a Cenotaph for him in the San Gabriel Cemetery, San Gabriel, Los Angeles County, California. ^[6] To view information about and pictures of Patton’s grave site use the Find A Grave memorial links below.

Timeline

• 11 Nov 1885 – Born in San Gabriel, Los Angeles County, California
• 1903 – Enrolled in Virginia Military Institute (VMI)
• 1 Jul 1905 – Became Cadet at U. S. Army Military Academy at West Point
• 26 May 1910 – Married Beatrice Ayer
• 11 Jun 1910 – Graduated from U. S. Army Military Academy at West Point
• 7-12 Jul 1912 – Competed in Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden
• 1913 – Assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas
• 1915 – First battle experience leading cavalry troops against forces led by Pancho Villa
• 15 May 1917 – Promoted to Captain and assigned to General Pershing’s staff in France
• 19 Nov 1917 – Became first officer assigned to the new U.S. Army Tank Corps
• 26 Jan 1918 – Promoted to Major (Temporary)
• 1942 – Assigned as Commander of the Western Task Force as part of the Allied Invasion of North Africa
• 9 Jul 1943 – Assigned as Commander 7th Army during the invasion of Sicily
• 26 Jan 1944 – Assigned as Commander 3rd Army in France
• 7 Oct 1945 – Assigned as Commander 15th Army in American-Occupied Germany
• 9 Dec 1945 – Involved in car accident
• 21 Dec 1945 – Died from injuries suffered during car accident

Military Career

The Battle of the Bulge World War II

What Happened When the 1st SS Met Patton's Elite at the Bulge?, World War II (49:49)

Dates of Rank

• For a listing of Patton’s dates of rank click here.

Decorations and Medals

During Patton’s military career, he received numerous United States decorations and medals, in addition to foreign orders and decorations. To see the full list and read a description about each one Patton received click here. To read the citations for some of his medals use the following link.

Decorations, Medals, and Foreign Awards and Honors

Additional Information

Famous Quotes

Since Patton was known for his quotes, here are a couple examples:

"The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.''
"A pint of sweat, saves a gallon of blood."

These are only a few, there are several websites that have lists of them. To see one of those websites, click here to view more of the Patton's famous quotes.

Videos

Here is a short video approximately 30-minute in length titled “The General George S. Patton Story” it is just one of many that you can search for and watch. You can also watch the movie starring George C. Scott released in 1970 titled "Patton". The movie won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Scott won Best Actor for his portrayal of General Patton.

Museum

There is a museum dedicated to the legacy of leadership that continues to inspire each generation. It contains history of the United States Army through personal stories, artifacts and film while viewing the foremost collection of Patton material in the world. So, for anyone who would like to see and learn more about Patton and wants to visit the General George Patton Museum they can do so by checking out the museum website here to get directions and instructions on gaining access to Fort Knox, Kentucky. Anyone who is interested in learning more about specific stories about the battles and more information about Patton’s life in the military check out the U.S. Army Center of Military History and do a search for “George Patton”. This search will bring back numerous articles about Patton’s leadership tactics and the different battles he was involved in.

Recognition

Throughout Patton's military career he was on the covers of both Time and Life magazines. The Time magazine covers were 12 Apr 1943, 26 Jul 1943, and 9 Apr 1945. The Life magazine covers were 7 Jul 1941 and 15 Jan 1945. Then in 1953, the United States Postal Service issued a General George Patton commemorative stamp.

Gen Patton Commemorative Stamp

Sources

1. ↑ Patton Family at VMI (http://www.vmi.edu/archives/genealogy-biography-alumni/featured-historical-biographies/patton-family-at-vmi/)
2. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4DN-ZWY : 25 May 2018), George Smith Patton and Beatrice Banning Ayer, 26 May 1910; citing Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2,315,511.
3. ↑ George Patton 1912 Olympic Results (https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/pa/george-patton-1.html)
4. ↑ American Battle Mounment Commission (https://www.fold3.com/record/529940591-george-s-patton-jr
5. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://new.findagrave.com : accessed 17 September 2017), memorial page for GEN George Smith Patton (11 Nov 1885–21 Dec 1945), Find A Grave: Memorial #1144, citing Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, Hamm, Canton de Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Luxembourg ; Maintained by Find A Grave.
6. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 15 July 2018), memorial page for GEN George Smith Patton (11 Nov 1885–21 Dec 1945), Find A Grave: Memorial #4962, citing San Gabriel Cemetery, San Gabriel, Los Angeles County, California, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave.

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9PL-LK3 : accessed 7 October 2018), George S Patton in household of George S Patton, San Gabriel Township, Los Angeles, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 125, sheet 12B, family 268, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,092.
• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNL1-N6B : accessed 4 October 2018), George S Patten, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, United States; citing ED 269, sheet 4A, line 39, family 58, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 212; FHL microfilm 1,820,212.
• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XM2H-3WL : accessed 7 October 2018), George S Patton, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 377, sheet 28A, line 21, family 513, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 304; FHL microfilm 2,340,039.
• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRY4-823 : 14 March 2018), George S Patton, Arlington County, Arlington, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 7-28, sheet 5A, line 39, family 7, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 4246.
• "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKNT-J983 : 16 March 2018), George Smith Patton, 1912; citing Passport Application, , source certificate #76685, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, 164, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• "California, San Francisco Passenger Lists, 1893-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KX4Y-PCY : 12 March 2018), George S Patton, 1927; citing San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1410 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 2,381,011.
• "Hawaii, Honolulu Passenger Lists, 1900-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVR9-2HZT : 16 March 2018), George Patton, 1925-1926; citing Ship , NARA microfilm publication A3422 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• "Hawaii, Honolulu Passenger Lists, 1900-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVR9-GQG1 : 16 March 2018), George Patton, 1927; citing Ship , NARA microfilm publication A3422 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• "Hawaii, Honolulu Passenger Lists, 1900-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVR9-L8VK : 16 March 2018), George S Patton, 1926-1927; citing Ship , NARA microfilm publication A3422 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• "British Newspaper Archives, Obituaries", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2D1-55CZ : 18 March 2018), George Patton, 1945.

See Also:

• Encyclopedia Britannica George Patton - United States General
• The Official Website of General George S. Patton, Jr.
• General George Patton Museum
• The History Channel - George Smith Patton
• Find A Grave: Memorial #1144
• Find A Grave: Memorial #4962 CENOTAPH
• Wikipedia: George S. Patton
• Wikidata: Item Q186492, en:Wikipedia