Thursday, July 1, 2004. He was a hero. During a visit to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, he rounded on the press reporters following him with the words, Ill bet you goddam buzzards are just following me to see if Ill slap another soldier, arent you? George Patton's Widow Put a Deadly Hawaiian Curse on his Mistress He discovered that the German organization set on behalf of Patton to administer Bavaria was riddled with former Nazis. General Patton was struck down the day before he was scheduled to make a triumphant return to the United States. George S. Patton - Death, WWII & Education - History The black car stands at roughly the position of the USArmy truck, prior to it turning left into a depot, denoted by the cobblestone driveway. No doubt with this in mind Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson did just that at a press conference in Washington on June 14; Patton was left merely to add a few comments about the Germans and the Third Army. But any satisfaction Patton might have derived from this report was to be short-lived. Pattons biographer, Carlo DEste, has suggested that his melancholy and increasingly extraordinary behavior may have been due to brain damage that resulted from a series of head injuries caused by a lifetime of falls from horses and road accidentsthe most serious being an accident in Hawaii in 1936 that had resulted in a two-day blackout. The room was empty except for a hospital bed and a few other pieces of standard furniture of that long-ago era. One news service said pictures of the general were strewn around her. After the German surrender, Patton campaigned vigorously for a command in the Pacific theatre in the ongoing war against Japan. I admit I am guilty of this practice, although at the moment I have no appropriate weapon.. The Tragic Death of General George S. Patton - YouTube A great man should be remembered for ever. Joe Scruce seemed troubled in the weeks leading up to his death. 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 always said Patton saved my life, I would not be home by now, but a war prisoner in Russia. It was a mistake to suppose a free-swinging fighter could acquire overnight the capacities of a wise administrator. From then on it was as wholeheartedly for him as the Third Army staff had been. But Patton was not really interested in an Army without weapons or a combat mission and consisting mainly of historians and an administrative staff. At the first, in Frankfurt on August 27, he spoke out against the Russians and signed a letter proposing the release of some Nazi internees. This apparently so angered Eisenhower that he is said to have demanded that Patton carry out the denazification program as ordered instead of mollycoddling the goddamn Nazis. But Patton was not going to change; two days later he wrote in his diary, The Germans are the only decent people left in Europe. I was born and raised in Brussels (Bxls), Belgium until I got remarried for the 2nd time to an Air Force aircraft mechanic from Spangdahlem, Germany. When Beatrice appeared, she took off her hat and coat, looked angrily at Gordon and pointed a finger at her. In 1943, he used daring assault and defense tactics to lead the 7th U.S. army to victory at the invasion of Sicily. Truman wrote in his diary, Dont see how a country can produce such men as Robert E. Lee, John J. Pershing, Eisenhower and Bradley and at the same time produce Custers, Pattons and MacArthurs., Patton did not enjoy his time there and on the 21st wrote to Beatrice, We have destroyed what could have been a good race and we [are] about to replace them with Mongolian savages. Tributes were already beginning to flow in and would eventually include messages from President Truman, British Prime Minister Clement Attlee, and the French National Assembly. Shortly after Beatrice Patton buried her husband, Gen. George S. Patton Jr., on Christmas Eve 1945, she summoned a woman named Jean Gordon to her hotel room in Boston. Patton obviously saw into the future and what the world would be like in our time with Russia and china. We, as a nation and an Ally, were fortunate to have him on our side. Advance elements of the Third Army reached Bastognes tenacious defenders on December 26, and additional reinforcements followed over subsequent days. All's Fair in Love and War 11 Famous Military Leaders Who Kept 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. While he was without a combat command at the time of his death, the occasion was nonetheless significant given his . Soon after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941), Patton organized the Desert Training Center near Indio, California, to simulate combat and maneuvers in the harsh North African climate. Youre all hoping I will! His daughter, who worked in the amputee ward as an occupational therapist, recalled later that when her father saw the soldiers there he burst into tears and exclaimed, Goddammit, if I had been a better general, most of you would not be here. The men, who were not looking for sympathy, cheered him as he left. The ASSASSINATION of GENERAL GEORGE PATTON by Dr. Peter Hammond . On his return to Bavaria, Patton, as military governor as well as Third Army commander, moved into his new headquarters, a former Waffen SS officers training school at Bad Tlz, 30 miles south of Munich. Crazy maybe but a hero nonetheless. No comparison to Ike or Bradley. His tragic death was the end of a great man to which the world owes a debt of gratitude beyond comprehension. Today's blog was written by David Langbart, Archivist at the National Archives at College Park. 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.. General William H. Simpson, commander of Ninth Army, has received little attention in the historiography of World War II. George Patton - Death, WW2 & Military Career - Biography I believe Germany should not be destroyed, but rather rebuilt as a buffer against the real danger which is Bolshevism from Russia., Eisenhower ended the meeting by telling Patton that he felt he should get back to Bad Tlz as quickly as possible and that his personal train was ready to take him at 1900 hours. After inspecting the American garrison responsible for administering and guarding the camp, he met the German commander of the prisoners. Even so, he took little serious interest in the work other than to ensure, according to Eisenhowers son John, a lieutenant on the Fifteenth Army staff, that Pattons Army was mentioned about three times as often as any othereven though John Eisenhower himself felt that the First Army had contributed more to victory than had the Third. Few unbiased military historians would disagree with that view. When Patton eventually met him on September 28, he described him as a smooth, smart-ass academic type. Academic or not, Dorn soon focused his attention on the success or otherwise of the denazification program in Bavaria. After satisfying himself about the correctness of the complaints, Patton immediately ordered action to rectify the situation and then went further, ordering that the starvation diet, which was described by one former senior German officer as not enough to live on, but too much to die on, should be supplemented by American Army rations. "Never tell people how to do things. Though the mission failed to apprehend Villa, Patton was responsible for leading a raid that killed three of Villas men. 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. This is the only language they understand and respect. Prior to the Normandy Invasion, he was publicly placed in command of the First U.S. Army Group (FUSAG), a fictitious army whose supposed marshaling in eastern England helped to deceive German commanders into thinking that the invasion would take place in the Pas-de-Calais region of France. 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. Two days later he repeated his concern when he wrote his wife: "If we have to fight them, now is the time. This suspicion is reinforced by a comment in a letter to Beatrice dated November 24: I finally after a fight of three years got the DSM for all my people, ten in all. Following the service, the coffin, accompanied by Beatrice who was supported by Pattons old friend General Geoffrey Keyes, was taken to Heidelberg station along a route lined by some 6,000 U.S. soldiers. This is a wonderful account of his final days when his transition from a powerful general to a peacetime administrator showed that that was never going to be a role which he was able to do. On the afternoon of the 23rd, Pattons coffin was taken on an Army half-track to the Protestant Christ Church in Heidelberg for a short Episcopalian service conducted by two Army chaplains during which there were no eulogies. During that time the Third Army suffered roughly 137,000 casualties, but it had inflicted more than 10 times that on the enemy. He was buried in Luxembourg. The investigation into the Golden State Killer was just a cover-up to throw off Patton. During their two-hour meeting Eisenhower was more excited than I have ever seen him, remembered Patton in his diary. Salute to such a great man! Thats what your Grandpa did to me. I have a months leave but dont intend to go back to Europe. How Did Patton Die? Here's A Summary Of The Events - History On May 26, 1910, he married Beatrice Banning Ayer, the daughter of Boston industrial tycoon Frederick Ayer. George S. Patton Sr. - Wikipedia The first stop of Patton's last ride, however, was after only about five miles when he saw General Keyes's car, who left earlier for his headquarters, stalled on the side of the road with mechanical trouble. When Patton received a message instructing him to bypass the city because it would take four divisions to capture it, Patton replied, Have taken Trier with two divisions. Was he any relation to you by any chance and, if so, what ever happened to him? 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. On April 4, 1941, he was promoted to temporary major general, and a week later he was made commander of the 2nd Armored Division. 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. Jean Gordon's father died at an early age and her mother, Beatrice Patton wife's half-sister, was an invalid. Not surprisingly, one of the American officers, a Jew, reported the incident to Eisenhowers headquarters, now housed in the IG Farben building in Frankfurt and known as Headquarters U.S. Genealogy for Mary "Polly" Patton (Carpenter) (1782 - 1871) family tree on Geni, with over 245 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Who Is George S. Patton's Wife? It is not clear if or what the psychiatrist reported, but needless to say it was not long before the wiretappers heard their subject expressing violently anti-Russian views and even suggesting that ex-members of the Wehrmacht should be rearmed and used to help the U.S. Army force the Red Army back into Russia. In one conversation with Ikes deputy, McNarney, he allegedly went as far as to say, In ten days I can have enough incidents happen to have us at war with those sons of bitches and make it look like their fault., Patton held two disastrous press conferences during the following month. As he put it to his III Corps commander, Maj. Gen. James Van Fleet, There is already a star [MacArthur] in that theater and you can only have one star in a show., Patton was also depressed because he knew there would be a rapid reduction in the strength of the U.S. Army in Europe, and he believed this was inviting disaster. Patton Museum: Death Car, Fort Knox, Kentucky Pattons personal residence was a palatial house on nearby Lake Tegernsee. events, and resources, The Real Story of General George Patton, Jrs Death & Final Days. This is a bit off topic but perhaps you might clarify something for me. A good leader, as Patton knew, tells his or her subordinates what is expected, or what the overall goal is. This is one of them.. Military career. He graduated with distinction from the Army War College in 1932, and he remained a vigorous proponent of tank warfare throughout the interwar years. 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. Walter T. Patton met his end during the infamous ill-fated attack known as Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg. Fighting the Allies during the North African campaign of 1942-1943, German Field Marshal Erwin Rommels Afrika Korps (DAK) was resupplied by a concerted air and sea lift effort. Why does General Patton still lay in Europe? Pattons morale, however, got a lift when his aircraft was given a fighter escort for its flight to Bavaria and troops and tanks lined the route from the airfield to Bad Tlz. Ike was playing politics and Bradley did not act on the intelligence he was given at the Ardennes. But over the years, certain circumstantial evidence has come forward from multiple sources that put that theory in a new light. She was dead within days. Gordon was 21, and the daughter of Beatrices half sister. One person even stated an admission of responsibility for his purported role in the attack-make of that what you will. But Gordon had reappeared in Europe during the war, alarming Beatrice. The mystery is why. Those who knew the Pattons were aware of the vital role Beatrice played in his reaching his destiny, but few others . Pattons opening words were, Well, you know damn well I didnt ask for this job, dont you?, The headquarters was in an old hotel in Bad Nauheim, and Pattons arrival in the mess for lunch was greeted by some 100 officers standing to attention. The notoriously outspoken George S. Patton was (not surprisingly) far less discreet about his many dalliances. 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! Patton Oswalt killed his wife, because she was about to reveal his closeted homosexuality to the world. The Funeral of General George S. Patton, Jr. - The Text Message washingtonpost.com Gen. George Patton's wife put a curse on his ex-mistress. Now all that is left is to sit around and await the arrival of the undertaker and posthumous immortality.. Death of General George S Patton - General George S Patton Wife of David Crockett: Spouse(s) James Patton (d. 1813), David Crockett (1815-1836) Children: George Patton, Margaret Ann Patton, Robert Patton, . Patton was commanding general of the western task force during the successful U.S. landings at Casablanca in November 1942. The complaint landed on the desk of Ikes civil affairs officer, Brig. Family Name At one stage the officer responsible for USFET Civil Affairs, Clarence Adcock, was summoned and he brought Professor Dorn into the room with him. A first-generation American of Lebanese descent, James Jabara was intent on being a fighter pilot. He announced that he intended to return to the States by March 1946 at the latest and that he expected all the necessary reports about the European campaign to be finished by then. Jeter Downs needs to play to develop. THIS ARTICLE WAS MOST INTERESTING AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND IT SEEMS QUITE LIKELY IT WAS A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. 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. 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. 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. For decades since General George S. Patton's untimely death in December 1945 there have arisen all manner of conspiracy theories regarding it. George passed away on the 23 rd of September 2018, aged 72. 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. 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.. They were then driven through the suburbs of Boston to a ticker tape reception in the city itself. With Patton, you always knew where you stood with him, no doubt or grey areas! Patton himself seemed resigned to his fate; when he saw his wife, he said to her, "I'm afraid, Bea, this may be the last time we see each other." On December 20, medical staff gave Patton oxygen to restore his breathing; an x-ray revealed a small pulmonary embolism in his upper right lung. Soon, the five foot five airman would make US military aviation history. The only alternative was resignation. At the station, the casket was placed on a train for Luxembourg. He was obviously in a post which he was unsuited by temperament, training or experience to fill. But like he said and probably thought deep in his heart, he was here to do what God wanted him to do, no more, no less! 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. I have been a student of General George s. Patton for some 40-45 years and this is a well written article, very accurate. She asked her brother, Fred Ayer, to set up the meeting. Fort Knox, Kentucky. Now, more than half the Germans were Nazis and we would be in a hell of a fix if we removed all Nazi party members from office. 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. Girish Thakar (412)901-0039. When she returned, her husband had already died. (Video: National Archives and Records Administration), Local news, weather, sports, events, restaurants and more. Mrs Beatrice Ayer Patton Waters (1911-1952) - Find Eisenhowers response is unrecorded. Out in the rain, an honor guard fired volleys. General George Patton once remarked that World War II undoubtedly would have lasted a lot longer were it not for his soldiers and his wife. 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. It would be real fun killing Mongols. . General Pattons belief that the United States military should have driven the Russians back within their pre-war borders would have changed the history of Europe for the better. . Josiah Gray finishes April with a flourish as Nats avoid a series sweep. He entered the Virginia Military Institute in 1903 but transferred to theU.S. Military Academy at West Point after just one year. In that role he designed the U.S. Model 1913 Enlisted Cavalry Saber, known as the Patton Sword. Patton also loved polo, and he played it, like he pursued so many things, with a violent, reckless abandon, frequently injuring himself in the process. Too bad it should have been the future President who really did do as much as Patton but got the credit. So what did Patton do with his time? Thank you for the long article. The American press had guaranteed him a heros welcome. "May the Great Worm gnaw your vitals," Beatrice Patton declared to Jean Gordon. Although George Pattons formal education did not begin until after his 11th birthday, he was an eager student of history. Greg Wehner. A Viking on his way to Valhalla. By now Bedell Smith, Adcock, and others had come to the conclusion that Patton was mentally unbalanced. There he competed against military officers from around the world in the modern pentathlon, an event that included swimming, pistol shooting, running, fencing, and riding. Then, with the formalities over, he was finally able to embrace his wife Beatriceit was their first hug in nearly three years. Patton handed over command of his beloved Third Army to another cavalryman, General Lucian Truscott, on October 7, 1945. My language was not particularly politic, but I have yet to find where politic language produces successful government. A plane was sent to London to fetch them, and after they arrived on the morning of the 10th, they advised some changes that turned out to be equally painful.