Posted on 11/09/2021 5:13:46 PM PST by ammodotcom
Never again will there be a man like George S. Patton. The four-star general wasn't just a great man on the field of battle, he was also an inspiring paragon of American values and civic virtue, a tale of man's will to overcome.
George Smith Patton Jr. was born on what would become Veteran's Day, November 11, 1885 in San Gabriel, California. His father, George Smith Patton II, graduated from Virginia Military Institute on a scholarship but chose law over military service. Patton Jr. never seriously considered any other career path.
Despite being an avid reader, Patton struggled to learn how to read at an early age but was an otherwise excellent student at Stephen Clark's School for Boys, a private school in Pasadena. He liked to read classical military histories. After spending two years at the Virginia Military Institute, he transferred to West Point where he continued to struggle with reading and writing, but excelled during inspections and drills.
While at West Point he earned the ranks of sergeant major during his junior year, and the cadet adjutant his senior year. He played football before an arm injury thrust him into the worlds of fencing and track and field.
In 1909, he graduated 46 out of 103 cadets and received a commission as a second lieutenant in the Cavalry branch of the United States Army.
(Excerpt) Read more at ammo.com ...
Well, the author got it right that Patton’s pistol handles were ivory, not pearl. Many people get that wrong.
Only a two-bit pimp has pearl handle pistols.
His daughter(s) reported that he was extremely abusive to their mother.
From a Louisiana whore-house no less!
He was the Donald Trump in WWII......Ike had to use him because the Generals before him failed....
Rommel you magnificent bastard!! I read your book!
But it was a brilliant move using Patton as a decoy on D-Day, because even after the troops were landing on Normandy, the Germans were still convinced Patton was still to lead the main attack, so they withheld the reinforcements from Normandy.
I believe he cheated on her as well.
My Latin teacher in Catholic hs was a chaplain in Patton’s command in France and Germany. Although Patton was an Episcopalian, he often attended Catholic mass.
Patton always sat in the front row. After 8 minutes of sermon, he pulled out one revolver and put it on the seat. You better be finishing up by 10 minutes.
Hollywood probably got it right in changing the name for the movie because most people wouldn't have understood why it wasn't, strictly speaking, a tank book.
Question: What do you do with these people when there’s no war? Make up one? I don’t think so. Trump may just have to sit out ‘24 if the party is on the right track and people like DeSantis keep advancing the cause. Newt shouda never been speaker. He’s was a bomb thrower at best.
Can someone recommend a book which will help me understand why Patton was a brilliant commander? I’ve read Killing Patton, and a few articles, but nothing tells me exactly what he did to deserve his reputation.
I read, yeas ago, that when he was assigned to a post in Hawaii, he shipped his belongings via the army, but loaded his family into a small sailboat (30-40 ft?) and sailed to Hawaii.
He had never sailed before and taught himself celestial navigation on the trip.
“but nothing tells me exactly what he did to deserve his reputation.”
Bastogne.
L
Try: Patton, Ordeal and Triumph by Ladislas Farago. It’s his definitive biography and the book the movie was based on.
Col John Mosby, the Gray Ghost, was a friend of the Pattons and George knew him growing up. Mosby was an aggressive fighter and pushed attacking as the way to win which was the same style of Patton
Time prevents me from looking that information up for you. Sorry.
Just put it on my Kindle. Thanks!
People with that massive ego usually do.
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