Elements of 4th Armored Division
100-857: Border War World War I World War II George Smith Patton III (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II , then the Third Army in France and Germany after the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Born in 1885, Patton attended the Virginia Military Institute and
200-513: A Renault FT light tank . On November 20, the British launched an offensive towards the important rail center of Cambrai , using an unprecedented number of tanks. At the conclusion of his tour on December 1, Patton went to Albert , 30 miles (48 km) from Cambrai, to be briefed on the results of this attack by the chief of staff of the British Tank Corps , Colonel J. F. C. Fuller . On
300-564: A "bandit killer". Shortly after, he was promoted to first lieutenant while a part of the 10th Cavalry on May 23, 1916. Patton remained in Mexico until the end of the year. President Woodrow Wilson forbade the expedition from conducting aggressive patrols deeper into Mexico, so it remained encamped in the Mexican border states for much of that time. In October Patton briefly retired to California after being burned by an exploding gas lamp. He returned from
400-658: A German ambush laid by veteran soldiers of the German Infantry Combat School in Hammelburg (nearly 100 NCOs in officer training). The first tank was hit by a German panzerfaust , abandoned, and captured. Then, a German drove this tank into a garden and a second answered the radio calls in English to lure more tanks into the ambush. The Germans used their Sherman prize with good effect against the other U.S. tanks. Four American Sherman tanks were destroyed. The remnants of
500-414: A cat… as everyone but me thought it too great a risk…. If I lose that column, it will possibly be a new incident. But I won’t lose it." ( The Longest Winter , p. 207) A furious General Eisenhower reprimanded Patton for the incident. While Patton admitted the failure of the mission, he defended his actions due to fear that retreating Germans might kill the prisoners in the camp. The Malmedy massacre during
600-727: A fencing instructor. He was the first Army officer to be designated "Master of the Sword", a title denoting the school's top instructor in swordsmanship. Arriving in September 1913, he taught fencing to other cavalry officers, many of whom were senior to him in rank. Patton graduated from this school in June 1915. He was originally intended to return to the 15th Cavalry, which was bound for the Philippines. Fearing this assignment would dead-end his career, Patton travelled to Washington, D.C. , during 11 days of leave and convinced influential friends to arrange
700-542: A high-pitched voice and worried that this would make it impossible for him to inspire his troops. For his skill in running and fencing, Patton was selected as the Army's entry for the first modern pentathlon at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm , Sweden. Patton was the only American among the 42 pentathletes, who were all officers. Patton placed twenty-first on the pistol range, seventh in swimming , fourth in fencing , sixth in
800-501: A later bullet passed through them, but the judges decided that one of his bullets missed the target completely. Modern competitions at this level frequently now employ a moving backdrop specifically to track multiple shots through the same hole. If his assertion was correct, Patton would likely have won an Olympic medal in the event. The judges' ruling was upheld. Patton's only comment on the matter was: The high spirit of sportsmanship and generosity manifested throughout speaks volumes for
900-584: A meeting might make the headlines. Mexican Border War (1910%E2%80%931919) Status quo ante bellum [REDACTED] Mex ico see also The Mexican Border War , also known as the Border Campaign , refers to a series of military engagements which took place between the United States military and several Mexican factions in the Mexican–American border region of North America during
1000-612: A new sword for such attacks. He was temporarily assigned to the Office of the Army Chief of Staff , and in 1913, the first 20,000 of the Model 1913 Cavalry Saber —popularly known as the "Patton saber"—were ordered. Patton then returned to Saumur to learn advanced techniques before bringing his skills to the Mounted Service School at Fort Riley , Kansas, where he would be both a student and
1100-486: A reassignment for him to the 8th Cavalry at Fort Bliss , Texas, anticipating that instability in Mexico might boil over into a full-scale civil war. In the meantime, Patton was selected to participate in the 1916 Summer Olympics , but that Olympiad was cancelled due to World War I . In 1915, Lieutenant Patton was assigned to border patrol duty with A Troop of the 8th Cavalry, based in Sierra Blanca . During his time in
SECTION 10
#17332019306161200-602: A ruptured aneurysm after falling while riding her horse in a hunt with her brother and others at the Myopia Hunt Club in South Hamilton, Massachusetts . Patton was an Episcopalian . The Patton family was of English , Irish , Scots-Irish , Scottish , French and Welsh ancestry. His great-grandmother came from an aristocratic Welsh family, descended from many Welsh lords of Glamorgan , which had an extensive military background. Patton believed he had formerly lived as
1300-406: A soldier and took pride in mystical ties with his ancestors. Though not directly descended from George Washington , Patton traced some of his English colonial roots to George Washington's great-grandfather. He is a 1st cousin six times removed of George Washington. He was also descended from England's King Edward I through Edward's son Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent . Family belief held
1400-717: A tank in an attack on German machine guns near the town of Cheppy . His orderly, Private First Class Joe Angelo , saved Patton, for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). Patton commanded the battle from a shell hole for another hour before being evacuated. Although the 35th Division (of which Patton's tank troop was a component) eventually captured Varennes , it did so with heavy losses. Trying to move his reserve tanks forward, Patton relates that he might have killed one of his own men, stating: "Some of my reserve tanks were stuck by some trenches. So I went back and made some Americans hiding in
1500-416: A tough guy, Patton was deeply affected by the horror of war and suffered from post-traumatic stress. What had been a high on the battlefield turned into the giant letdown that is so common to soldiers who have been in combat. Patton left France for New York City on March 2, 1919. After the war, he was assigned to Camp Meade, Maryland , and reverted to his permanent rank of captain on June 30, 1920, though he
1600-470: A younger sister, Anne, nicknamed "Nita". Nita became engaged to John J. Pershing , Patton's mentor, in 1917, but the engagement ended because of their separation during Pershing's time in France during World War I. As a child, Patton had difficulty learning to read and write, but eventually overcame this and was known in his adult life to be an avid reader. He was tutored from home until the age of eleven, when he
1700-459: The 2nd Armored Division . Patton led U.S. troops into the Mediterranean theater with an invasion of Casablanca during Operation Torch in 1942, and soon established himself as an effective commander by rapidly rehabilitating the demoralized II Corps . He commanded the U.S. Seventh Army during the Allied invasion of Sicily , where he was the first Allied commander to reach Messina . There he
1800-583: The American Revolutionary War . Patton's father, who graduated from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), became a lawyer and later the district attorney of Los Angeles County . Patton's maternal grandfather was Benjamin Davis Wilson , a merchant who had been the second Mayor of Los Angeles . His father was a wealthy rancher and lawyer who owned a one-thousand-acre (400 ha) ranch near Pasadena, California . Wilson had married into one of
1900-727: The Battle of the Bulge and the Stalag Luft III murders showed that the Germans were more than capable of the intentional killing of POWs. According to Patton, the mistake was sending a force too small to perform the mission, saying, "I can say this, that throughout the campaign in Europe I know of no error I made except that of failing to send a combat command to take Hammelburg". As a footnote, Captain Abe Baum
2000-730: The German High Command . An award-winning biographical film released in 1970, Patton , helped popularize his image. George Smith Patton Jr. was born on November 11, 1885, in the Los Angeles suburb of San Gabriel, California , to George Smith Patton Sr. and his wife, Ruth Wilson, the daughter of Benjamin Davis Wilson , the second mayor of Los Angeles, and Margaret Hereford, a widow from Virginia. The wealthy Patton family resided at Lake Vineyard, built by Benjamin Wilson, on 128 acres (52 ha) in present-day San Marino, California . Patton had
2100-623: The Knickerbocker Theatre in D.C. From 1922 to mid-1923 he attended the Field Officer's Course at the Cavalry School at Fort Riley, then he attended the Command and General Staff College from mid-1923 to mid-1924, graduating 25th out of 248. In August 1923, Patton saved several children from drowning when they fell off a yacht during a boating trip off Salem, Massachusetts . He was awarded
SECTION 20
#17332019306162200-602: The Mexican Revolution . It was the last major conflict fought on U.S. soil. From the beginning of the Mexican Revolution in 1910, the United States Army was stationed in force along the border and, on several occasions, fought with Mexican rebels or regular federal troops. The height of the conflict came in 1916 when revolutionary Pancho Villa attacked the American border town of Columbus, New Mexico . In response,
2300-513: The POWs in camp Oflag XIII-B , near Hammelburg . Controversy surrounds the true reasons behind the mission, which most likely was to liberate Patton's son-in-law, John K. Waters , taken captive in Tunisia in 1943. The result of the mission was a complete failure; of the roughly 300 men of the task force, 32 were killed in action during the raid and only 35 made it back to Allied -controlled territory, with
2400-553: The Texas Rangers . Violence was at its highest from 1915 to 1919, in response to the Plan de San Diego by Mexican and Tejano insurgents to conquer Texas. This further increased the prevalence of anti-Mexican sentiment. At least 300 Mexican Americans were killed in Texas during the 1910s, with total estimates ranging from hundreds to thousands killed. At least 100 Mexican Americans were lynched in
2500-591: The United States Fifteenth Army for slightly more than two months. Severely injured in an auto accident, he died in Germany twelve days later, on December 21, 1945. Patton's colorful image, hard-driving personality, and success as a commander were at times overshadowed by his controversial public statements. His philosophy of leading from the front, and his ability to inspire troops with attention-getting, vulgarity-laden speeches, such as his famous address to
2600-668: The United States Military Academy at West Point . He studied fencing and designed the M1913 Cavalry Saber , more commonly known as the "Patton Saber." He competed in the modern pentathlon in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm , Sweden. Patton entered combat during the Pancho Villa Expedition of 1916, the United States' first military action using motor vehicles. He fought in World War I as part of
2700-549: The Volkssturm . He joined Waters in the Serbian hospital at the Hammelburg camp, which was liberated by the 14th Armored Division on 6 April — just 9 days after the failed liberation by Task Force Baum. Ironically, the failure of the task force did help set Waters free sooner: had he not been shot he would have been marched off to a camp farther into Germany with the rest of the POWs. Patton
2800-820: The armistice of November 11, 1918 . For his actions in Cheppy, Patton received the Silver Star , later upgraded to the DSC. The citation for the medal read: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Colonel (Armor) George Smith Patton, Jr. (ASN: 0-2605), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Tank Corps, A.E.F., near Cheppy, France, 26 September 1918. Colonel Patton displayed conspicuous courage, coolness, energy, and intelligence in directing
2900-418: The equestrian competition, and third in the footrace, finishing fifth overall and first among the non-Swedish competitors. There was some controversy concerning his performance in the pistol shooting competition, in which he used a .38 caliber U.S. Army-issue pistol while most of the other competitors chose .22 caliber firearms. He claimed that the holes in the paper from his early shots were so large that
3000-795: The modern pentathlon . He competed in this sport in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm , and he finished in fifth place—right behind four Swedes . Patton graduated number 46 out of 103 cadets at West Point on June 11, 1909, and received a commission as a second lieutenant in the Cavalry branch of the United States Army . At age 24, Patton married Beatrice Banning Ayer, the daughter of Boston industrialist Frederick Ayer , on May 26, 1910, in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts . They had three children, Beatrice Smith (born March 1911), Ruth Ellen (born February 1915), and George Patton IV (born December 1923). Patton's wife Beatrice died on September 30, 1953, from
3100-414: The 1910s, mostly in Texas. 20 percent of all recorded lynchings of Mexicans in the United States occurred between 1910 and 1920. About 400 Anglo-Texans were also killed total in unrest and attacks along the border during the 1910s, and much property was destroyed. The United States occupation of Veracruz (21 April to 23 November 1914) came in the midst of poor diplomatic relations between Mexico and
George S. Patton - Misplaced Pages Continue
3200-620: The 304th Tank Brigade and was reassigned to Fort Myer as commander of 3rd Squadron, 3rd Cavalry . Loathing duty as a peacetime staff officer , he spent much time writing technical papers and giving speeches on his combat experiences at the General Staff College. In July 1921 Patton became a member of the American Legion Tank Corps Post No. 19. Maj. Patton led the rescue effort after the January 1922 blizzard destroyed
3300-583: The American Army. In addition, he was also awarded the Purple Heart for his combat wounds after the decoration was created in 1932. On 11 November 1918, World War I ended. In the months and years that followed Patton was haunted by his experience in the Meuse–Argonne. Although he emerged from the war with honours and acclaim, the year 1918 took its toll and the price was indeed high. Contrary to his image as
3400-459: The General Staff College. With Christie, Eisenhower, and a handful of other officers, Patton pushed for more development of armored warfare in the interwar era. These thoughts resonated with Secretary of War Dwight Davis , but the limited military budget and prevalence of already-established Infantry and Cavalry branches meant the U.S. would not develop its armored corps much until 1940. On September 30, 1920, then-Major Patton relinquished command of
3500-640: The Mexican government at Veracruz" occurred, violating the unilateral sanction the United States had imposed on Mexico. As a result, the U.S. military seized the port beginning with the Battle of Veracruz and ending seven months later. During the Mexican Border Wars, there was a series of revolutionary attacks on the Mexican Government and Military that started in 1910 and was most prolific throughout 1920. Francisco I. Madero challenged Porfirio Díaz in
3600-454: The Oflag camp's occupants were Serb officers. The camp was later split into sections of American officers on one side and Serbs in the other. Most of the American portion of the camp was hastily upgraded in January 1945 after an influx of POWs from the Battle of the Bulge , which began 16 December of the previous year. As Soviets continued a westward advance toward Germany in the winter of 1944,
3700-421: The Oflag. Colonel Goode himself decided not to slow the rest of the task force down and began the march back under a white flag. Baum gave the order to move out shortly after dawn on 28 March. Just as the column started up, they immediately came under fire from all directions. Germans, having surrounded the hill during the night, opened fire on the first sign of mobilization. Knowing there was no way of fending off
3800-611: The POW camp Oflag 64 in Schubin , Poland was emptied of its prisoners on 21 January 1945. In the dead of winter, 1,290 POWs headed west into Germany, then south toward Hammelburg. Among them was Lt. Col. John K. Waters , General Patton's son-in-law, who had been captured in Tunisia in February 1943. Col. Paul Goode, the senior ranking officer at the camp, kept a list of the men in his ranks, which would have helped U.S. intelligence keep track of where
3900-555: The Patton family home when George was a child. He was also a devoted horseback rider . Patton never seriously considered a career other than the military. At the age of seventeen he sought an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He also applied to several universities with military corps of cadet programs, and was accepted to Princeton , but eventually decided on Virginia Military Institute (VMI), which his father and grandfather had attended. He attended
4000-642: The Pattons were descended from sixteen barons who had signed Magna Carta . Patton believed in reincarnation , stating that he had fought in previous battles and wars before his time, additionally, his ancestry was very important to him, forming a central part of his personal identity. The first Patton in North America was Robert Patton, born in Ayr , Scotland . He emigrated to Culpeper, Virginia , from Glasgow , in either 1769 or 1770. George Patton, Jr.'s paternal grandfather
4100-982: The Silver Lifesaving Medal for this action. He was temporarily appointed to the General Staff Corps in Boston, Massachusetts , before being reassigned as G-1 and G-2 of the Hawaiian Division at Schofield Barracks in Honolulu in March 1925. Patton was made G-3 of the Hawaiian Division for several months, before being transferred in May 1927 to the Office of the Chief of Cavalry in Washington, D.C., where he began to develop
George S. Patton - Misplaced Pages Continue
4200-468: The Third Army , was received favorably by his troops, but much less so by a sharply divided Allied high command. His sending the doomed Task Force Baum to liberate his son-in-law, Lieutenant Colonel John K. Waters , from a prisoner-of-war camp further damaged his standing with his superiors. His emphasis on rapid and aggressive offensive action proved effective, and he was regarded highly by his opponents in
4300-468: The Third Army took the lead in relieving beleaguered American troops at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge , after which his forces drove deep into Nazi Germany by the end of the war. During the Allied occupation of Germany , Patton was named military governor of Bavaria , but was relieved for making aggressive statements towards the Soviet Union and questioning denazification . He commanded
4400-485: The U.S. launched the Pancho Villa Expedition into Mexico. Chagrined to discover that his unit would not participate, Patton appealed to expedition commander John J. Pershing , and was named his personal aide for the expedition. This meant that Patton would have some role in organizing the effort, and his eagerness and dedication to the task impressed Pershing. Patton modeled much of his leadership style after Pershing, who favored strong, decisive actions and commanding from
4500-400: The United States Army, under the direction of General John J. Pershing , launched a punitive expedition into northern Mexico, to find and capture Villa. Although Villa was not captured, the US Army found and engaged the Villista rebels , killing Villa's two top lieutenants. The revolutionary himself escaped, and the American army returned to the United States in January 1917. Conflict at
4600-415: The United States, and was related to the ongoing Mexican Revolution . Tensions were further escalated by the Tampico Affair of 9 April 1914, where nine American sailors landed in a restricted dock area and were subsequently detained for an hour and a half. Following this, "the Ypiranga incident —in which the U.S. learned that the SS Ypiranga , a German steamer, was about to deliver weapons and munitions to
4700-407: The United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. By his energy and sound judgment, Colonel Patton rendered very valuable services in his organization and direction of the Tank Center at the Army schools at Langres, France. In the employment of Tank Corps troops in combat he displayed high military attainments, zeal, and marked adaptability in a form of warfare comparatively new to
4800-425: The advance of his brigade down the valley of the Aire. Later he rallied a force of disorganized infantry and led it forward, behind the tanks, under heavy machine-gun and artillery fire until he was wounded. Unable to advance further, Colonel Patton continued to direct the operations of his unit until all arrangements for turning over the command were completed. For his leadership of the tank brigade and tank school, he
4900-409: The attack, Baum ordered every man for himself. The battle lasted mere minutes before the survivors who hadn't escaped into the woods were lined up as fresh POWs. Baum managed to escape with two soldiers into the nearby woods, as did a number of American POWs from the camp. Baum was Jewish and discarded his dog tags, believing he would be shot on sight if identified. As the Soviets were encroaching from
5000-482: The base. Patton was dissatisfied with the post and began to take an interest in tanks , as Pershing sought to give him command of an infantry battalion. While in a hospital for jaundice , Patton met Colonel Fox Conner , who encouraged him to work with tanks instead of infantry. On November 10, 1917, Patton was assigned to establish the AEF Light Tank School. He left Paris and reported to the French Army 's tank training school at Champlieu near Orrouy , where he drove
5100-465: The border continued, however, and the United States launched several smaller operations into Mexican territory until after the American victory in the Battle of Ambos Nogales in August 1918, which led to the establishment of a permanent border wall. Conflict was not limited to battles between Villistas and Americans; Maderistas , Carrancistas , Constitutionalistas and Germans also engaged with American forces in that period. The Bandit War in Texas
SECTION 50
#17332019306165200-399: The camp contained far more than the 300 officers they were originally planning to liberate. After calculating losses, he determined no more than two hundred men would actually be able to be taken back to Allied-controlled land with their remaining fleet. It was decided that only field-grade officers (O-4 and above) would be allowed to ride back, while any remaining men who wished to march with
5300-476: The camp suffered dramatic weight loss of more than 50 pounds (23 kilograms) and atrophy of muscles because of the lack of food and subsequent immobility. Dysentery due to unsterile conditions and utensils further weakened many men in the camp. General Patton assigned the mission to Combat Command B (CCB), 4th Armored Division , commanded by Lt. Col. Creighton Abrams . Abrams wanted to use his entire combat command (two battalions and supporting artillery) but
5400-446: The camp to notify the Americans of the mistake. While approaching the American column, an uninformed German soldier putting up resistance shot Waters in the buttocks before the German officer could explain the situation. He was taken back and treated for his wounds by Serbian doctors interned in the camp. Roughly half of Baum's forces made it to Hammelburg in fighting shape. Greeted by thousands of cheering prisoners, Baum quickly realized
5500-432: The camp, which would have to be obtained through questioning of the locals en route. This slowed the task force considerably, forcing it to take on more fire than anticipated. Furthermore, a German spotter plane shadowed the column as it neared the camp, which would help coordinate resistance to the task force. A few Jagdpanzer 38(t) "Hetzers" were sent as support. By the afternoon of the 27th, tanks had arrived in sight of
5600-511: The camp. Some of the guards in the camp put up resistance, though many of them fled or surrendered. The Serbian section of the camp received the brunt of American fire as it approached—likely due to the gray uniforms they wore, making them appear as Germans to the advancing columns. General Gunther von Goeckel, the camp commandant, called for Colonel John K. Waters to try to arrange a truce. Waters agreed to act as intermediary. Waters and several men, including one German officer, volunteered to exit
5700-469: The character of the officers of the present day. There was not a single incident of a protest or any unsportsmanlike quibbling or fighting for points which I may say, marred some of the other civilian competitions at the Olympic Games. Each man did his best and took what fortune sent them like a true soldier, and at the end we all felt more like good friends and comrades than rivals in a severe competition, yet this spirit of friendship in no manner detracted from
5800-416: The columns would be allowed to do so, or they could try to travel cross-country on their own to the American lines about 50 miles to the west. Barely able to walk, the vast majority of POWs decided to stay behind. Waters, unable to be moved, was left behind in the camp. The task force left the camp at 8 pm local time to cross back across the German lines. By then, further complications had surfaced. There
5900-420: The concepts of mechanized warfare . A short-lived experiment to merge infantry, cavalry and artillery into a combined arms force was cancelled after U.S. Congress removed funding. Patton left this office in 1931, returned to Massachusetts and attended the Army War College , becoming a "Distinguished Graduate" in June 1932. In July 1932, Patton (still a Major) was executive officer of the 3rd Cavalry, which
6000-437: The crack of my bottom about two inches to the left of my rectum. It was fired at about 50 m [160 ft] so made a hole about the size of a [silver] dollar where it came out." While recuperating from his wound, Patton was promoted to temporary colonel in the Tank Corps of the U.S. National Army on October 17. He returned to duty on October 28 but saw no further action before hostilities ended on his 33rd birthday with
6100-421: The east, the Americans began advancing into Germany days after the task force, with Germans moving POWs farther away from combat zones. Those able to move were rounded up into unmarked boxcars and sent via train to Nuremberg , then to other prisoner camps away from the front lines. The remaining men were left behind at Hammelburg. Baum was shot in the groin while trying to flee back to allied lines and captured by
SECTION 60
#17332019306166200-401: The election, who has been a longtime Mexican president but recently sent the citizens into economic struggles. Madero lost to an unfair ballot and this caused uprisings throughout Mexico which made Diaz lose control and overthrew him in 1911. After Madero gained control, he had to defend himself from other powerful leaders such as Bernardo Reyes and Victoriano Huerta . They believed that Madero
6300-404: The evening of 26 March, the task force reached Aschaffenburg , encountering heavy fire that disabled several vehicles, including one of the Sherman tanks . It took until early the next morning to break through the bridgehead just past the German lines. The largest problem facing the force going into the mission was a lack of maps —15 for 57 vehicles—and lack of knowledge of the exact location of
6400-411: The expedition permanently in February 1917. After the Villa Expedition, Patton was detailed to Front Royal, Virginia , to oversee horse procurement for the army, but Pershing intervened on his behalf. After the United States entered World War I , in April 1917, and Pershing was named commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Western Front , Patton requested to join his staff. Patton
6500-424: The front for much of their attack, which began on September 12. He walked in front of the tanks into the German-held village of Essey , and rode on top of a tank during the attack into Pannes , seeking to inspire his men. While outside the village of Essey he had his first chance meeting with Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur , then commanding a brigade of the 42nd "Rainbow" Division , who, at just thirty-eight,
6600-402: The front. As an aide, Patton oversaw the logistics of Pershing's transportation and acted as his personal courier. In mid-April, Patton asked Pershing for the opportunity to command troops, and was assigned to Troop C of the 13th Cavalry to assist in the manhunt for Villa and his subordinates. His initial combat experience came on May 14, 1916, in what would become the first motorized attack in
6700-459: The history of U.S. warfare. A force of ten soldiers and two civilian guides, under Patton's command, with the 6th Infantry in three Dodge touring cars surprised three of Villa's men during a foraging expedition, killing Julio Cárdenas and two of his guards. It was not clear if Patton personally killed any of the men, but he was known to have wounded all three. The incident garnered Patton both Pershing's good favor and widespread media attention as
6800-423: The new United States Tank Corps of the American Expeditionary Forces : he commanded the U.S. tank school in France, then led tanks into combat and was wounded near the end of the war. In the interwar period, Patton became a central figure in the development of the army's armored warfare doctrine, serving in numerous staff positions throughout the country. At the United States' entry into World War II, he commanded
6900-404: The officers were. Traveling 340 miles (547 km)—mostly by foot—in 7 weeks time, the men arrived at their destination on 9 March. By the time the men from Schubin arrived at Oflag XIII-B, the numbers in the officer camp swelled to over 1,400, though it was by far less than the estimated 5,000-man population in the enlisted men's camp by that time. Conditions at the camp were miserable for both
7000-442: The order to employ armed force to disperse the veterans. Patton later stated that, though he found the duty "most distasteful", he also felt that putting the marchers down prevented an insurrection and saved lives and property. He personally led the 3rd Cavalry down Pennsylvania Avenue , dispersing the protesters. Patton also encountered his former orderly, Joe Angelo , as one of the marchers and forcibly ordered him away, fearing such
7100-460: The original Southern California settler families by marrying Ramona Yorba, who was the daughter of prominent Californio (Spanish and Mexican settlers in California) Bernardo Yorba , after whom the city of Yorba Linda is named. Patton is also a descendant of French Huguenot Louis DuBois . Personality George S. Patton is believed to have had Narcissistic Personality Disorder by many modern psychologists and historians. Patton's first posting
7200-478: The post, Patton trained tank crews to operate in support of infantry, and promoted its acceptance among reluctant infantry officers. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on April 3, 1918, and attended the Command and General Staff College in Langres. In August 1918, he was placed in charge of the U.S. 1st Provisional Tank Brigade (redesignated the 304th Tank Brigade on November 6, 1918). Patton's Light Tank Brigade
7300-490: The power of the federal government. Task Force Baum Elements of 251st Infantry Division Logistics Task Force Baum , also known as the Hammelburg raid was a secret and controversial World War II task force set up by U.S. Army General George S. Patton and commanded by Capt. Abraham Baum in late March 1945. Baum was given the task of penetrating 50 miles (80 km) behind German lines and liberating
7400-413: The prisoners and their guards. The winter of 1944 was considered one of the coldest on record. The seven 5-room buildings each were crowded with two hundred men. One small room was to house 40 prisoners on bunk beds , while coal was rationed out to heat the furnaces at a rate of just 48 briquettes per stove every 3 days. Although some men were able to scavenge for wood nearby, it still was not enough to keep
7500-454: The remainder being taken prisoner. All of the 57 tanks , jeeps , and other vehicles were lost. Camp Hammelburg, located just 1.8 miles (3 km) south from its namesake town, was originally used as a military training ground before World War I and again before World War II. It was converted into two separate POW camps during the second war; Stalag XIII-C for Allied enlisted men and Oflag XIII-B for Allied officers. Originally, all of
7600-486: The school from 1903 to 1904, and though he struggled with reading and writing, performed exceptionally in uniform and appearance inspection, as well as military drill. While he was at VMI, Senator Thomas R. Bard nominated him for West Point. He was an initiate of the Beta Commission of Kappa Alpha Order . In his plebe (first) year at West Point, Patton adjusted easily to the routine. However, his academic performance
7700-475: The soldiers warm. The average temperature in the rooms at any time was estimated to be 20 °F (−7 °C). Food was just as scarce as heat. Initially, the men in camps were given a diet of 1,700 calories (7,100 kJ ) a day, well below the 2,000 calories recommended daily allowance for men doing no work. This was cut even more as supplies ran low and the camp population increased, until an estimated 1,070 calories (4,480 kJ) were distributed daily. Many men in
7800-428: The task force regrouped again after pulling back to a quiet area near Hill 427 in the early morning hours. Without enough fuel to make it back across the line by now, the task force waited for daylight to travel with visibility to maximize the distance they could travel. Colonel Goode, knowing most of the men would be unable to travel across the line on their own, advised that most of the walking wounded should head back to
7900-434: The task force, purportedly to identify Waters so he could be taken back with them. Diaries that Patton made publicly available indicate he was unaware of Waters' presence there until after the task force had arrived, but a letter written to his wife just after the task force left indicates otherwise. I sent a column to a place forty miles east of where John [Waters] and some 900 prisoners are said to be. I have been nervous as
8000-778: The territories acquired by the United States through the Texas annexation and the Mexican Cession . In exchange, the German Empire wanted Mexico's formal support in anticipation of a hypothetical United States entry into the war in Europe. While the offer was not accepted, a small German military presence could be observed in later battles along the border, such as the Battle of Ambos Nogales . The 1910s saw escalated violence between Anglo-Americans and Mexican-Americans in Texas. There were numerous instances of violence, including lynchings, against Mexicans by vigilantes, and law enforcement, such as
8100-525: The town, Patton took to wearing his M1911 Colt .45 in his belt rather than a holster. His firearm discharged accidentally one night in a saloon , so he swapped it for an ivory-handled Colt Single Action Army revolver, a weapon that would later become an icon of Patton's image. In March 1916, Mexican forces loyal to Pancho Villa crossed into New Mexico and raided the border town of Columbus . The violence in Columbus killed several Americans. In response,
8200-428: The trenches dig a passage. I think I killed one man here. He would not work so I hit him over the head with a shovel." Patton stopped at a rear command post to submit his report before heading to a hospital. Sereno E. Brett , commander of the U.S. 326th Tank Battalion, took command of the brigade in Patton's absence. Patton wrote in a letter to his wife: "The bullet went into the front of my left leg and came out just at
8300-455: The way back to Paris, he visited the Renault factory to observe French tanks being manufactured. Patton was promoted to major on January 26, 1918. He received the first ten tanks on March 23, 1918, at the tank school at Bourg , a small village close to Langres , Haute-Marne département. The only US soldier with tank-driving experience, Patton personally backed seven of the tanks off the train. In
8400-438: The zeal with which all strove for success. Following the 1912 Olympics, Patton traveled to Saumur , France, where he learned fencing techniques from Adjutant Charles Cléry, a French "master of arms" and instructor of fencing at the cavalry school there. Bringing these lessons back to Fort Myer, Patton redesigned saber combat doctrine for the U.S. cavalry, favoring thrusting attacks over the standard slashing maneuver and designing
8500-566: Was George Smith Patton , who commanded the 22nd Virginia Infantry under Jubal Early in the Civil War and was killed in the Third Battle of Winchester , while his great-uncle Waller T. Patton was killed in Pickett's Charge leading the 7th Virginia Infantry regiment during the Battle of Gettysburg . Patton also descended from Hugh Mercer , who had been killed in the Battle of Princeton during
8600-489: Was alleged to have offered Baum a Medal of Honor for a successful completion of the mission. As a Medal of Honor warrants an investigation into the events behind the awarding of it, which Patton would not have wanted, Baum received a Distinguished Service Cross . Patton awarded it to him personally. It is disputed whether Patton knew his son-in-law was being held at the camp, but many at the camp and Abraham Baum believed so. Patton sent an aide, Major Alexander Stiller , with
8700-461: Was already one of the most highly decorated officers in the AEF, and with whom Patton would serve later in his career. Patton's brigade was then moved to support I Corps for the upcoming Meuse–Argonne offensive , which began on September 26. He personally led a troop of tanks through thick fog as they advanced 5 miles (8 km) into German lines. Around 09:00, Patton was wounded while leading six men and
8800-536: Was attacking for the wrong reasons and was able to end his leadership in 1913. This caused a series of attacks against powerful regional leaders throughout Mexico for the next 7 years. In 1914, leaders such as Venustiano Carranza and Pancho Villa overthrew Huerta and Reyes' regime until 1915. Carranza later betrayed Pancho Villa and by 1917, Carranza created the Constitution of Mexico and promoted land reform in Mexico as well as other important documents and increased
8900-605: Was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal , the citation for which reads: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Colonel (Tank Corps) George Smith Patton, Jr. (ASN: 0-2605), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of
9000-621: Was embroiled in controversy after he slapped two shell-shocked soldiers , and was temporarily removed from battlefield command. He was assigned a key role in Operation Fortitude , the Allies' military deception campaign for Operation Overlord . At the start of the Western Allied invasion of France , Patton was given command of the Third Army, which conducted a highly successful rapid armored drive across France . Under his decisive leadership,
9100-530: Was enrolled in Stephen Cutter Clark ' s Classical School for Boys, a private school in Pasadena, for six years. Patton was described as an intelligent boy and was widely read in classical military history , particularly the exploits of Hannibal , Scipio Africanus , Julius Caesar , Joan of Arc , and Napoleon Bonaparte , as well as those of family friend John Singleton Mosby , who frequently stopped by
9200-439: Was no moon out that night, so only artificial light could be used for navigation , which could be spotted easily by the growing number of German troops in the area. Only one reconnaissance jeep was able to scout ahead of the column to find an escape route. Sometimes the tanks had to be turned off entirely to avoid detection by a growing German encirclement. Nearing Höllrich in the black of night, Task Force Baum encountered
9300-430: Was ordered to Washington by Army Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur . Patton took command of the 600 troops of the 3rd Cavalry, and on July 28, MacArthur ordered Patton's troops to advance on protesting veterans known as the " Bonus Army " with tear gas and bayonets . Patton was dissatisfied with MacArthur's conduct, as he recognized the legitimacy of the veterans' complaints and had himself earlier refused to issue
9400-451: Was overruled, and instead one company of medium tanks , a platoon of light tanks and one company of armored infantry were assigned to the task force. The tank battalion commander tabbed to command the mission was ill and suggested that Baum, the battalion S-3 , instead lead the task force, which set out on late evening of 26 March. Altogether the force numbered 11 officers and 303 men, 16 tanks, 28 half-tracks, and 13 other vehicles. On
9500-464: Was part of Colonel Samuel Rockenbach 's Tank Corps, part of the American First Army . Personally overseeing the logistics of the tanks in their first combat use by U.S. forces, and reconnoitering the target area for their first attack himself, Patton ordered that no U.S. tank be surrendered. Patton commanded American-crewed Renault FT tanks at the Battle of Saint-Mihiel , leading the tanks from
9600-656: Was part of the Border War. The German Empire , a major trading partner with Mexico and a rival of the United States and its allies, was involved. In 1914, the United States occupied Veracruz , aiming to cut off supplies of ammunition from the German Empire to Mexico at the start of World War I . In 1917, the British government intercepted a German telegram which offered the Mexican President financial support in recapturing
9700-498: Was promoted to captain on May 15, 1917, and left for Europe, among the 180 men of Pershing's advance party which departed May 28 and arrived in Liverpool , England, on June 8. Taken as Pershing's personal aide, Patton oversaw the training of American troops in Paris until September, then moved to Chaumont and was assigned as a post adjutant, commanding the headquarters company overseeing
9800-823: Was promoted to major again the next day. Patton was given temporary duty in Washington D.C. that year to serve on a committee writing a manual on tank operations. During this time he developed a belief that tanks should be used not as infantry support, but rather as an independent fighting force. Patton supported the M1919 design created by J. Walter Christie , a project which was shelved due to financial considerations. While on duty in Washington, D.C., in 1919, Patton met Dwight D. Eisenhower , who would play an enormous role in Patton's future career. During and following Patton's assignment in Hawaii, he and Eisenhower corresponded frequently. Patton sent notes and assistance to help Eisenhower graduate from
9900-438: Was so poor that he was forced to repeat his first year after failing mathematics . He excelled at military drills, though his academic performance remained average. He was cadet sergeant major during his junior year, and the cadet adjutant his senior year. He also joined the football team, but he injured his arm and stopped playing on several occasions. Instead he tried out for the sword team and track and field and specialized in
10000-443: Was with the 15th Cavalry at Fort Sheridan, Illinois , where he established himself as a dilligent leader who impressed superiors with his dedication. In late 1911, Patton was transferred to Fort Myer , Virginia, where many of the Army's senior leaders were stationed. Befriending Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson , Patton served as his aide at social functions on top of his regular duties as quartermaster for his troop. Patton had
#615384