The Patton Legend: How It Started and Grew

Army Magazine ^ | July 04 | Martin Blumenson

[PhilDragoo]

[xzins]

You ask if this is true. It is what we were taught at the Army Chaplain Center and School at Ft Monmouth, NJ, a number of years ago.

Also, and I'd love to find it -- most of the time they publish the prayer that the chaplain wrote -- but there's also a prayer that Patton is supposed to have written....perhaps I've even seen it.

Anyone near Ft Knox, Kentucky absolutely must visit the Patton Museum on post. It is the best military museum I've ever run across, and it is dedicated to Patton memorabilia. (Knox is home of Armor, thus "The Patton Museum.")

[Ramonan]

Too bad they don't make them like that any more, We could use about 100 of them.

[Jumper]

Hell, Patton and Rommel both had great reputations when I was a kid in the 60's. It sure as heck didn't require George C. Scott, although it didn't hurt.

[potlatch]

My son had a goose one time and you're right about that!!!

[SeeRushToldU_So]

My dad took me to see the movie "Patton" in the 70's. I believe it is still my favorite movie.

When I purchased my first DVD player, the first DVD I bought was "Patton".

Great article, thanks for posting it.

[armymarinemom]

I rented the movie Patton to watch with my father. My dad served with the 250th Battalion. The only comment that my father made after watching the film is that they cleaned up his language for the movie. I was hoping to get a history lesson from him. Thanks for posting this.

[sinkspur]

God appoints the right people at the right times for a purpose. George Patton, Douglas MacArthur, and Ronald Reagan, to name a few.

Yes he does.

However, Reagan was not egomaniacal, as Patton and MacArthur were. I'm not faulting them for this; their narcissistic personalities were invaluable for commanding those under them, at the time.

Ronald Reagan was as unassuming and humble as the guy who delivers your newspaper.

[lavrenti]

After Kasserine Pass, the Americans never lost a battle in Europe--despite Mark Clark's befuddled attempts to overcome Kesselring's tactics.

Much of that is thanks partly to Patton's leadership. He took Rommel's theories and outdid both him and Guderian.

Ironic footnote to WWII. In the Battle of France the only success they had against the Panzers was when DeGaulle, also a tank commander, was allowed to cut loose on them.

[xzins]

I believe that movie had a part in restoring American resolve after the hanoi john kerry years.

[mass55th]

Had he lived, I wonder if he would have run for President. I think his chances for winning would have been good. It would have been interesting to know how things would have been handled had he been in the White House in the 50's. Gee, that sounds like the beginning of one of those alternative history novels .

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." - General George S. Patton, Jr

[AndrewC]

We could use about 100 of them.

One is quite sufficient. Remember, Patton was in hot water and he rolled through the Huns. We have rolled through Afghan and Iraq despite how the fifth column describes the situation.

[sharktrager]

He began training at once early in May, went on a diet and abstained from alcohol and tobacco. Accompanied by his wife, his parents and his sister, he sailed from New York in mid-June. They reached Stockholm at the end of the month. The pentathlon started on July 7 and lasted a week. Patton finished fifth among 42 contestants.

He actually appears to have been robbed of the gold. His second shot in the pistol shooting was ruled to have missed the target entirely, after his first shot had scored a bullseye. He protested to no avail. Many believe he was correct, and that the second shot had entered the same hole as the first.

[sharktrager]

Actually, the Patton/Montgomery feud is myth. They weren't friends, but they were not the bitter rivals portrayed in the film. They actually had as much respect for one another as 2 men with egos that large could.

The producers of the film needed a foil for Patton, and Montgomery was an obvious choice.

[xzins]

passed through the hole of the first

Fascinating story...thanks. I didn't know that Patton had been an Olympian. Sounds like he was more than able as an athlete.

[xzins]

I've read Monty's autobiography.

He certainly had a large enough ego....I'm not sure 2 egos that big could fit inside one tent, one briefing room, ...

[Centurion2000]

Not to completely slam on him as I am a huge admirer of Patton, but they left out his participation in the Bonus March. I wonder why ?

[PattonReincarnated]

Excellent post, if I do say so myself. Thanks.

[NYCVirago]

IMHO, Patton was a great general, but MacArthur was even greater. However, Patton's legend was helped by an excellent movie about him, while the movie about MacArthur was terrible.

[xzins]

I wonder why

I'd say it was because the theme of the piece was "those things that made his legend grow."