George S. Patton
PattonGeorge Smith, Jr. (1885–1945), a United States army officer. In World War II he was a bold and brilliant strategist in applying cavalry tactics to the use of tanks, but undiplomatic words and unreasoned personal actions made him a political liability. He was called“Old Blood and Guts”from a phrase he supposedly used in one of his customarily profane pep talks.
Patton was born in San Gabriel, California, and graduated from West Point in 1909 as a cavalry officer. He was aide to General Pershing in Mexico, 1916–17. In World War I Patton organized the first United States tank unit; he led it in the Battle of St. Mihiel and, until he was wounded, in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
In 1941 as a major general, Patton commanded the 2nd Armored Division and in 1942 set up the desert training center at Indio, California. During the invasion of North Africa, he commanded the forces landing at Casablanca. As a lieutenant general, he commanded the 7th Army in the invasion of Sicily, 1943. After a brilliant campaign, he was suspended for slapping a hospitalized soldier suffering from battle fatigue.
Patton led the 3rd Army in its breakthrough at St. Lô, France, and its speedy dash to the German frontier in 1944. In 1945 his troops broke the formidable German defenses at the Siegfried Line, took Coblenz, and advanced into Czechoslovakia and Austria. Although promoted to general, Patton was relieved from command for criticizing administrative policies. He died from injuries suffered in an auto accident in Germany in December, 1945. His book, War As I Knew It, was published in 1947.