How Appropriate: Veteran's Day Also B'Day of George Patton

Let us not forget that Veterans Day is also the birthday of one of America's greatest veteran warriors, General George S. Patton, Jr.

Through the travail of the ages, Midst the pomp and toil of war, Have I fought and strove and perished Countless times upon this star ... So as through a glass, and darkly The age long strife I see Where I fought in many guises, Many names, but always me. ... So forever in the future, Shall I battle as of yore, Dying to be born a fighter, But to die again, once more

"Always do everything you ask of those you command." -- George S. Patton

"Better to fight for something than live for nothing." -- George S. Patton

"A good plan violently executed right now is far better than a perfect plan executed next week." -- George S. Patton

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

"No b*stard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb b*stard die for his country". -- George S. Patton

"I'm proud to fight here beside you. Now let's cut the guts out of those Krauts and get the Hell to Berlin." -- George S. Patton

"Many of you have in your veins Geman and Italian blood. But remember that these ancestors of yours so loved freedom that they gave up home and country to cross the ocean in search of liberty. The ancestors of the people we shall kill lacked the courage to make such a sacrifice and remained slaves." -- George S. Patton

We'll win this war, but we'll win it only by fighting and by showing the Germans that we've got more guts than they have; or ever will have. We're not going to just shoot the sons-of-b*tches, we're going to rip out their living Godd*mned guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks. We're going to murder those lousy Hun c*cksuckers by the bushel-f*cking-basket. War is a bloody, killing business. You've got to spill their blood, or they will spill yours. Rip them up the belly. Shoot them in the guts. When shells are hitting all around you and you wipe the dirt off your face and realize that instead of dirt it's the blood and guts of what once was your best friend beside you, you'll know what to do!" -- George S. Patton

"Sure, we want to go home. We want this war over with. The quickest way to get it over with is to go get the b*stards who started it. The quicker they are whipped, the quicker we can go home. The shortest way home is through Berlin and Tokyo. And when we get to Berlin, I am personally going to shoot that paper hanging son-of-a-b*tch Hitler just like I'd shoot a snake". -- George S. Patton

A Soldier's Burial

by George S. Patton

Not midst the chanting of the Requiem Hymn,

Nor with the solemn ritual of prayer,

Neath misty shadows from the oriel glass,

And dreamy perfume of the incensed air

Was he interred;

But the subtle stillness after fight,

And the half light between the night and the day,

We dragged his body all besmeared with mud,

And dropped if, clod-like, back into the clay.

Yet who shall say that he was not content,

Or missed the prayers, or drone of chanting choir,

He who had heard all day the Battle Hymn

Sung on all sides by a thousand throats of fire.

What painted glass can lovelier shadows cost

Than those the evening skies shall ever shed,

While, mingled with their light, Red Battle's Sun

Completes in magic colors o'er our dead

The flag for which they died.

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