The True Story of The Patton Prayer

Many conflicting and some untrue stories have been printed about General George S. Patton and the Third Army Prayer. Some have had the tinge of blasphemy and disrespect for the Deity. Even in "War As I Knew It" by General Patton, the footnote on the Prayer by Colonel Paul D. Harkins, Patton's Deputy Chief of Staff, while containing the elements of a funny story about the General and his Chaplain, is not the true account of the prayer Incident or its sequence.

As the Chief Chaplain of the Third Army throughout the five campaigns on the Staff of General Patton, I should have some knowledge of the event because at the direction of General Patton I composed the now world famous Prayer, and wrote Training Letter No. 5, which constitutes an integral, but untold part, of the prayer story. These Incidents, narrated in sequence, should serve to enhance the memory of the man himself, and cause him to be enshrined by generations to come as one of the greatest of our soldiers. He had all the traits of military leadership, fortified by genuine trust in God, intense love of country, and high faith In the American soldier.

My note to Al, veteran of the Battle of the Bulge:

Al, I'm sending this to you, not to remind you of something that happened in 1944 just before the march from Metz to the Bulge; but to let you know again how grateful I am for the lasting effect of your service under Patton. You cannot have forgotten the account given here:

http://www.pattonhq.com/prayer.html

The True Story of The Patton Prayer

by Msgr. James H. O'Neill

(From the Review of the News 6 October 1971)

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The above was posted on the Free Republic forum, and here is my note to the person who spotted it:

< snip > (I sent Al my post #7 which was to you)

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Al's response:

"I'm Sending this to all on my mailing list and to the secretary of the YDVA and I'm sure it will be published in the Yankee Doings Magazine. Thanks, I remember the prayer card but I don't remember what happened to mine. Merry Christmas!"

Al B

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It looks like the whole of 26 Div. veterans will get this.

Thanks for your thoughtfulness! God bless you!

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