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George passed away on the 23 rd of September 2018, aged 72. She was dead within days. When they were alone again, Patton suggested that he should be simply relieved, but Ike said he did not intend to do that and had had no pressure from the States to that effect. Though the mission failed to apprehend Villa, Patton was responsible for leading a raid that killed three of Villas men. The United States should have helped destroy the Soviet Union in 1941. Pattons diary entry ended with the words, I took the train., The following day Bedell Smith phoned Patton and read a letter to him from Eisenhower. all ears I am for some brilliant military strategy. Rather than IKE. She was 30. The war was over and a different type of leadership was needed. How could the deaths of so many more American solders made to day any better? But any satisfaction Patton might have derived from this report was to be short-lived. I left for the States (Mt Home, ID) in 1996 (was 32 at the time). Now all that is left is to sit around and await the arrival of the undertaker and posthumous immortality.. Close to death from his wounds, Patton had a vision of his death as a Viking raider where a vision appeared to him on the battlefield, offering to take him to the Viking afterlife. Gordon was 21, and the daughter of Beatrices half sister. General Patton saved Bradleys ass at the battle of the bulge. None of todays generals could ever come close. General Patton belongs at West Point so that the cadets NEVER FORGET who he was, what he did for the Army and most importantly, their responsibility to the nation. Then, before a crowd of up to 50,000, he made a speech in which he said, My name is merely a hook to hang the honors on. After the tragic death of her husband in 1945, Mrs. Patton became a forceful and persuasive speaker advocating universal military training. America could use a great leader like him today! This is the only language they understand and respect. After knowing how our Soldiers were treated in Japanese Prison Camps, old Gutless left our boys to rot. A 12-man squad raised its rifles, and a three-round volley of salutes echoed into the Luxembourg hills. Although George Pattons formal education did not begin until after his 11th birthday, he was an eager student of history. I was stationed in Germany in the early 1970s and was hospitalized for several weeks at the US Army Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany. On the 69th anniversary of General Patton's death, . The attack garnered much publicity and was notable for being the first time that automobiles had been used in combat by the U.S. Army. Keyes had already thumbed a ride back to Patton's headquarters, but Patton didn't continue his ride until [4] From now on we will get . There are many famous and controversial figures to emerge from World War II, but General S. Patton is arguably one of its most controversial. He also breakfasted with Count Bernadotte and was able to enjoy a specially staged ice carnival and hockey game in the Olympic stadium. He had learned fencing at West Point and continued his study of swordsmanship while in Europe. The result . Patton Oswalt killed his wife, because she was about to reveal his closeted homosexuality to the world. We had no alternative but to turn to the people who knew what to do and how to do it. Sadly, generals have no say in the world when a war comes to an end. Her family connections included well-known surnames Pico, Sepulveda, and Alvarado. On the face of it, a conspiracy in the death of Patton might sound silly or inconceivable. Dead from injuries sustained in a car crash after the close of WWII, General George S. Patton, Jr. left in his wake a tremendous legacy. He died Dec. 21, and was buried in a military cemetery in Luxembourg. The two men did not get on. My chief interest in establishing order in Germany was to prevent Germany from going communistic. Salute to such a great man! Eisenhowers response is unrecorded. Joe Scruce seemed troubled in the weeks leading up to his death. Courtesy of The National Archives and Records Administration. Allied friends and acquaintances walked behind the casket. Three days after VE-Day, Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower called a conference of all his U.S. Army commanders and told them that they were not to criticize publicly any of the campaigns that had won the war and of the need for solidarity in the event that any of them were called before any congressional committees. His wife preferred to have him buried along with his men who died in Battle of Bulge. He was . Eisenhauers job was both military and political. His death resulted from complications with his injuries and congestive heart failure. Thanks for posting the article-overall, good information. Very Deep story. Patton's death was followed by deaths of his mistress niece, daughter, wife & others with knowledge of Ike's crimes & the POW's. Beetle was the one person in place with opportunity & under Ike's authority as CIA director to assure each death of Patton's family & friends to protect Ike's presidency. funny. He served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The incident nearly destroyed the Pattons marriage, left Beatrice crushed and the general stricken with remorse. This article is part of a series commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II made possible by the Department of Defense. The ceremony lasted 25 minutes. (Video: National Archives and Records Administration), Local news, weather, sports, events, restaurants and more. My soldiers are fighting men and if I dismiss the sewer cleaners and the clerks my soldiers will have to take over those jobs, he reasoned. His public criticisms of the Allied postwar denazification policy in Germany, coupled with ill-advised comments to the press, led to his removal from the command of the Third Army in October 1945. What a gripping story and a great General, Its no wonder where Donald trump gets his leadership from. The route from Luxembourg City station to the U.S. cemetery was lined by troops from the United States, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg, and the cortge was followed by Prince Felix of Luxembourg, two French, one Italian, and numerous American generals, including Gay and Truscott. George Patton was also the great-grandfather of Major General George Patton IV, who died in 2004. Beatrice and an American neurosurgeon, Colonel Geoffrey Spurling, flew in from the States on the 11th. The highlight was perhaps a reenactment of the 1912 Olympic pistol competitionPatton came second, 13 points better than I made in 1912., The Swedish trip was the last highlight of Pattons life. https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Smith-Patton, Jewish Virtual Library - Biography of George Patton. In the Meuse-Argonne offensive a few weeks later, Patton was badly wounded by a machine-gun bullet. Eisenhower, Bradley and the like had never been to a battlefield until after the battle. Patton was offered command of the Fifteenth Army an army in name only since its sole mission was to prepare a history of the war in Europe! This was despite the fact that an Army order banning dependents had prevented Beatrice from accompanying him. Patton desperately wanted to complete an encirclement of the Germans, but his commander, Gen. Omar Bradley, feared that such an attack would leave Pattons flanks weak and exposed to counterattack. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He briefed Ikes chief of staff, General Walter Bedell Smith, who sent the report of the incident to Eisenhower who was on leave in the South of France. June 2009. A blood clot in his paralyzed body had worked its way to his heart, stopping it and ending the life of one of Americas greatest battlefield commanders. So, for the time being we are compromising with the devil. For all his showmanship he was a scientific soldier, a thorough military student. On September 22, Patton agreed to answer questions from reporters after his normal morning briefing at Bad Tlz. George Smith Patton, the first of his name, died in the Third Battle of Winchester while under the command of Jubal Early. George Patton, in full George Smith Patton, Jr., (born November 11, 1885, San Gabriel, California, U.S.died December 21, 1945, Heidelberg, Germany), U.S. Army officer who was an outstanding practitioner of mobile tank warfare in the European and Mediterranean theatres during World War II. As far as the test of time goes, there has never, since the death of Charlemagne, been a settled Europe for more than a few decades. Other than a handful of men on his personal staff, no one even knew where Patton would be, what route he would follow, or what time he would arrive at his destination.. There he will have an honored place. The latter then skillfully and ruthlessly demonstrated that the Fritz Schaeffer administration in Bavaria was full of former Nazis. Carlo DEste dismisses this idea succinctly: Those who suggest that Patton was somehow murdered have failed to provide the slightest evidence of how anyone could have planned such a caper or ensured that Pattons Cadillac would be momentarily stopped for the passage of a train at the crossing just down the street from the scene of the accident. General Partin was the scientist who developed lasers, cluster bombs, cruise missiles and other precision-guided weapons. The next day, people lined Heidelbergs streets (and some roofs) to watch Pattons funeral procession on its way to the Episcopalian Christ Church. Pall bearers, including Master Sergeant George Meeks, carry Pattons casket on its last leg of the journey to his burial spot in the American cemetery in Hamm, Luxembourg. The apogee of Pattons career came with the dramatic sweep of his Third Army across northern France in the summer of 1944 in a campaign marked by great initiative, ruthless drive, and disregard of classic military rules. His attempts to get an appointment in the Pacific had again failed. This came to be per his request to "be buried with his men." Lucian truscott had US Army six corps off the beach in Anzio And trapped the German 10th army in the mountains. Furthermore, his problems were compounded by the fact that Washington was intent on demobilizing its warrior soldiers as quickly as possible, thus reducing his pool of skilled American manpower. At 5:55 p.m. on December 21, 1945, General George S. Patton, Jr. passed away in his sleep. In the gray skies above, an aircraft circled, attempting to bring Lieutenant General Walton Walker, one of Pattons former corps commanders, to the funeral, but low cloud cover prevented it from landing. He complained that some Germans were being interned there as political prisoners without justification. Along with the faux pas committed during his Boston speech, Pattons past indiscretions continued to dog him. His cross faces those of the men he led, as if he were leading them again for one last battle. On the evening of December 8, Gay suggested to Patton that they should spend the following day pheasant shooting in an area known to be rich in game about 100 miles southwest of the headquarters. His strict discipline, toughness, and self-sacrifice elicited exceptional pride within his ranks, and the general was colourfully referred to as Old Blood-and-Guts by his men. On September 30,1953 at Hamilton, Massachusetts, while horse riding she suffered a ruptured aortic aneurysm which took her life instantly causing her to fall from the animal. The cemetery belongs to and is gifted to USA by Luxembourg and hence he is buried on American soil. He lay in a shell hole for hours before it was safe to evacuate him, but he refused to be taken to the hospital until he had reported to his commander. Patton as a four-star general. This is a bit off topic but perhaps you might clarify something for me. In 1943, he used daring assault and defense tactics to lead the 7th U.S. army to victory at the invasion of Sicily. Model, Manstein, Guderian, Rommel, Kesselring and von Bock were the greatest generals of World War II. I admit I am guilty of this practice, although at the moment I have no appropriate weapon.. Patton was rushed to the 130th Station Hospital in Heidelberg, 12 miles away. Two days later, Patton wrote his last letter to his wife telling her that he was coming home for Christmas. "Never tell people how to do things. Gay counseled Patton to consult Beatrice and other family members before taking such a drastic step, but it seems his mind was made up. Extremely captivating story and well written with plenty of facts to back up the story. Jeter Downs needs to play to develop. I despise them. Patton began his military career . Join historians and history buffs alike with our Unlimited Digital Access pass to every military history article ever published (over 3,000 articles) in Sovereigns military history magazines. However, fewer accounts exist of Operation Flashpoint, Ninth US Armys assault crossing of the Rhine, which began on March 24. The Pattons were then stationed in Hawaii, and Gordon was passing through, headed for Asia. Patton handed over command of his beloved Third Army to another cavalryman, General Lucian Truscott, on October 7, 1945. The reports were true. May God bless you and your family the way HE has blesses your Grandpa! So, how did Patton die? Needless to say, the press ran with this story, particularly the Democrat versus Republican analogy. IN DECEMBER 1945 General George S. Patton was executed by his Communist foes. I am extremely proud of our General Patton and Im pretty sure you are too! His grandfather, Gen. George S. Patton commanded the U.S. II . The French government, grateful for Pattons role in liberating their country, offered to bury him in Napoleons tomb, where a number of great marshals were laid to rest. Locals removed their hats as the casket passed. However, such accusations tend to rely on circumstantial evidence, and no definitive proof of any conspiracy has emerged. Fortunately, the official aim of Pattons month-long leave was achievedhis enthusiastic oratory helped to sell millions of war bonds and he received a letter of thanks from Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau. He toured France collecting, according to his aide, enough certificates of honorary citizenship from cities like Avranches, Rennes, and Chartres to paper the walls of a room, and he had lunch with the unanimously elected president of the provisional French government, Charles De Gaulle, and dinner with the chief of staff of the French Army. Sometime in October, Patton resolved to quit outright, not retire. I think it is amusing that no one tries to get any [medals] for me. He was an exceptional warrior and leader. The former supreme commander was due to return home in November to take over as Army chief of staff at the end of the year. The 60-year-old general had led a life of adventure, fighting in almost every major American twentieth century conflict. Patton, on the other hand, although conscious, was bleeding profusely from head wounds received when he was thrown forward against the steel frame of the glass partition separating the front and rear seats and then backward again into his seat. Neither driver was injured, and Gay received only slight bruises. After a ceremony at the church, pallbearers placed Pattons casket back onto the half-track for the trip to the train station. Amazingly, Patton's current historians still try to deny this happened, though many of the participants and their living descendants have confirmed it, orally and on paper. His former mistress. Then, with the formalities over, he was finally able to embrace his wife Beatriceit was their first hug in nearly three years. The previous afternoon it had been necessary to give him oxygen to restore his breathing and X-rays revealed that a small pulmonary embolism had obstructed his upper right lung. Death car at the General George Patton Museum. The Real Story of General George Patton, Jr's Death & Final Days Following his campaign in Western Europe, George S. Patton had difficulty adjusting to peacetime and was fatally injured in an automobile accident. He had little patience with the thousands of displaced persons (DPs), whom he described as too worthless to even cut wood to keep themselves warm, and his growing anti-Semitism coupled with despair over the fate of Germany led him to the depths of melancholia. Even now, twenty-six years after his death, he can be pictured clearly as the Army I was overwhelmed and prayed in front of his grave. The day after his return Patton and his wife flew to Denver and then on to Los Angeles and Pasadena. During that time the Third Army suffered roughly 137,000 casualties, but it had inflicted more than 10 times that on the enemy. A very unique man indeed. Although there was no eulogy, various holy men, including a group of rabbis wearing their concentration camp uniforms, prayed over Pattons grave. Whether or not these were his own or due to too much cooperation with the British I dont know. Patton knew he was in trouble. Woodring was unable to stop in time, and the two vehicles collided at a 90-degree angle, with the right front bumper of the truck smashing the radiator and bumper of the Cadillac. When his host pointed out a new, massive, and very advanced Stalin IS-3 tank and mentioned that its cannon had a range of 17,000 meters, Patton is said to have replied, Indeed? Wikipedia admits it, with footnotes. It is my opinion that this talking cooperation is for the purpose of covering up probable criticism of strategic blunders which he unquestionably committed during the campaign. But at the recommendation of Major General Geoffrey Keyes, Pattons deputy commander in North Africa and Sicily, Beatrice made up her mind. If any of my gunners started firing at your people before they had closed to less than 700 yards, Id have them court-martialed for cowardice.. Alexander Lovelace holds a masters degree in military and American history from George Washington University, where he was awarded the Charles Herber Teaching Prize for best Graduate Teaching Assistant Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Wonderfully done! Wife of David Crockett: Spouse(s) James Patton (d. 1813), David Crockett (1815-1836) Children: George Patton, Margaret Ann Patton, Robert Patton, . But he was ignored. For decades since General George S. Patton's untimely death in December 1945 there have arisen all manner of conspiracy theories regarding it. Benjamin W. Patton stands with his father, Gen. George Patton in 1978 at the North Africa American Cemetery in Tunisia. George Patton died peacefully at 1755 hours on December 21, 1945. His wife, Beatrice, a novelist, and their three children suffered greatly, according to the author, as Georgie went through periodic drinking bouts and began an affair with his wife's. He accepted the job with the Fifteenth Army, explaining this away in his diary by writing that in resigning I would save my self-respect at the expense of my reputation but would become a martyr too soon. He went on in his diary to justify his acceptance of the Fifteenth Army command as follows: I was reluctant, in fact unwilling, to be party to the destruction of Germany under the pretense of denazification. My dad was a classmate of Pattons son. Gen Patton's Clear Vision - Why He Was Murdered 12-5-9 At the end of World War II, one of America's top military leaders accurately assessed the shift in the balance of world power which that war had produced and foresaw the enormous danger of communist aggression against the West. So, how much is George S. Patton worth at the age of 60 years old? His personal ambitions, however, had not been achieved. Patton Gordon turned gray, and Ayer ran from the room. He agreed with Patton that the Russians were the enemy, and said the men on his troop ship heading home were willing to return to Europe and fight the Russians. Patton may have been a great war general, but the business of politics and running a country would not have been his cup of tea. No battle of the Bulge and probably a million plus lives saved, military and civilian. His removal by General Eisenhower was an acknowledgement of that mistake. Dead from injuries sustained in a car crash after the close of WWII, General George S. Patton, Jr. left in his wake a tremendous legacy. (I doubt it would have been possible standing up to that juggernaut, even with our Air Force, to push them back to their borders, though. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his paralysis and breathed his last before the move could be made. Modern mechanized armies need a robust logistics chain to provide fuel, ammunition, and other sinews of war to sustain combat operations. Many historians have written about the famous Buffalo Soldiers of the all-Black 92nd Infantry Division, who fought with distinction during World War II. He often led from the front, and he almost always delivered victory. One of Pattons last acts before handing over command was to award a Silver Star to his driver of more than four years, Master Sergeant John Mims. George S. Patton (1885-1945) was a high-ranking WWII general, who led the U.S. 7th Army in its invasion of Sicily and northern France in the summer of 1944. Patton opened a drawer, pulled out a pistol, slammed it down on his desk, and raged, Goddamnit! Two days later he repeated his concern when he wrote his wife: "If we have to fight them, now is the time. He was not allowed to crush the German 10th army but was directed by Mark Clark to the Appian Hills where he got 10,000 GIs killed in a fight west of Rome so that Mark Clark good march into Rome. In a highly successful attempt to break the ice, Pattons first words were, There are occasions when I can truthfully say that I am not as much of a son-of-a-bitch as I may think I am. Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered the Third Army to relieve Bastogne, and Patton repositioned his force with astonishing speed. Too bad he died. She was the same age as Patton's daughters, and in her youth spent most of her holidays with the extended Patton family. The fake news that haunted George Washington. A number of books and films have advanced conspiracy theories suggesting that the outspoken Patton was actually assassinated on orders from either Washington or Moscow. Hunting down runaway slaves: The cruel ads of Andrew Jackson and the master class, Gen. George S. Patton Jr. died on Dec. 23, 1945, after suffering a broken neck in a car accident days earlier. His academic performance improved, and, after graduating in June 1909, Patton was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the cavalry. Josiah Gray finishes April with a flourish as Nats avoid a series sweep. Upon arrival in Luxembourg, a light rain fell as the casket was brought to the cemetery on December 24, the day before Christmas. Corrections? His bitterness is very evident: General Clay [Ikes deputy] and General McNarney have never commanded anything, including their own self-respect. It was escorted by a platoon of the 15th Cavalry, the unit in which Patton had begun his career in 1910. Nobody would have thought anything unusual about it, and even would have thought it to be proper. Pattons body, draped with his personal four-star flag, lay in state for two days in the Villa Reiner, a 19th-century mansion overlooking Heidelberg and the Neckar River. For years The Patton Museum in Ft. Knox, Kentucky advertised that it had on display the limousine in which Patton was injured. I am afraid that our foolish and utterly stupid policy will certainly cause them to join the Russians and thereby ensure a communistic state throughout Western Europe. He always said Patton saved my life, I would not be home by now, but a war prisoner in Russia. Patton and Gay left Bad Nauheim at about 0900 hours on December 9 in Pattons 1939 Model 75 Cadillac driven by Pfc. There are a number of sources available to consult and the reader can decide for themselves. Biographer Martin Blumenson has suggested that his frequent head injuries may have contributed to the erratic behaviour attributed to him in his later years. A first-generation American of Lebanese descent, James Jabara was intent on being a fighter pilot. He was at his best when commanding his men and was extremely instrumental in the victory of the allies over the Germans. A Cadillac similar to that in which General George S. Patton was traveling when struck by a waiting 2.5 ton U.S. Army truck. You seem to have forgotten that you lost the war! However, Hubert Meyer, the ex-Chief of Staff of the Hitlerjugend, recalled that on the occasion of Pattons visit things had been very different. The room was empty except for a hospital bed and a few other pieces of standard furniture of that long-ago era. George Patton was born into a life of privilege. While some have mourned what was a tragic loss at the time, others over the decades have theorized Patton's death was anything but an accident. On May 7, 1945, he had pleaded with visiting Undersecretary of War Robert Patterson: Lets keep our boots polished, bayonets sharpened and present a picture of force and strength to these people [the Russians]. Girish Thakar (412)901-0039. Top Image:General George S. Patton, Jr., one of Americas greatest battlefield commanders died on December 21, 1945, in an Army hospital in Heidelberg, Germany. By his very nature and background, Patton was unsuited to his role as military governor. George Smith Patton IV (December 24, 1923 - June 27, 2004) was a major general in the United States Army and the son of World War II General George S. Patton Jr. Who knows? A New Jersey husband and wife are behind bars after a routine traffic stop turned into a demolition derby that resulted in charges of attempted murder of a police officer and aggravated assault. Who Is George S. Patton's Wife? Hordes of well-wishers tore up the cemetery grounds making the trek to his grave in the back corner. Theres no room with the Nationals. But the end of the war with Japan only added to his low morale; on August 10 he wrote in his diary, Another war has ended and with it my usefulness to the world. Advance elements of the Third Army reached Bastognes tenacious defenders on December 26, and additional reinforcements followed over subsequent days. One can start with O-Reillys book. He was a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy during World War II, when his father, General George S . By Michael E. Ruane April 24, 2017 at 1:15 p.m. EDT Jean Gordon, left, was found dead in a. Wikipedia Advertisement 11. Gen. George Pattons wife put a Hawaiian curse on his ex-mistress. The only jobs in which he was interested were commandant of the Army War College or commanding general of the Army ground forces. Omissions? The crowd along the 25-mile route was estimated at a million; people wept and girls threw flowers. Patton accepted with enthusiasm. He was buried in Luxembourg. This article was published more than6 years ago. Only two months earlier he had told Ike, I cannot eat at the same table with Beetle Smith, and before he died he told Beatrice that he did not want either of them to attend his funeral. A blood clot in his paralyzed body had worked its way to his heart, stopping it and ending the life of one of America's greatest battlefield commanders. If you fail to do this, then I would like to say to you that we have had a victory over the Germans and have disarmed them, but have lost the war.. Patton was put in a crude and extremely painful form of traction that evening, and the U.S. Army Surgeon General in Washington recommended that a British neurosurgeon, Brigadier Hugh Cairns, and an orthopedic surgeon be brought in to assist. Gen. Patton was in the right place at the right time in history, doing what he had trained for all his adult life. Who in hell let him in? The only alternative was resignation. His distrust of the Russians and their communist ideals was ignored by the politicians of the time, much to the detriment of eastern Europe. He told them, while his wife was out of the room, that he believed his luck had run out. Patton noted in his diary that after a bout of heavy whiskey drinking during and after the meal, the Russian went out cold, while he himself walked out under my own steam. To remedy the situation, cemetery workers moved his casket to a more central location, but it was hardly the cure, as people still made a path to the grave. Why didnt I think of it? Those who knew the Pattons were aware of the vital role Beatrice played in his reaching his destiny, but few others . She was the bridesmaid for both the Patton girls. I cant understand why Patton wasnt brought back to the US for burial at West Point, like his wife wanted. Finalist Benjamin Franklin Award (for Biography) - Announcement on May 5, 2023. Politician were scared of him because he spoke the truth! And now, with the war over and her famous husband buried, Beatrice wanted to see Gordon. They did not get it. Our database is searchable by subject and updated continuously. One could perhaps be forgiven for suspecting that Patton saw this as an award to himself the Silver Star was after all conspicuous by its absence among his many decorations. Death: October 01, 1871 (89) Lincoln County, Kentucky, USA . Courtesy of The National Archives and Records Administration. He asked his chief of staff, Major General Hobart Hap Gay, who was sitting next to him, to rub his fingers. Get this son-of-a-bitch out of here! Walter T. Patton met his end during the infamous ill-fated attack known as Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg.

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