I don't care what color you are, so long as you go up there and kill those Kraut sonsabitches! 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 believed he had former lives as a soldier and took pride in mystical ties with his ancestors. She covered the country during WWII raising money during bond drives. [141] Criticism of Patton in the United States was harsh, and included members of Congress and former generals, Pershing among them. [113] Soldiers under his command were known at times to have quipped, "our blood, his guts". Beatrice Banning Ayer was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, the daughter of Frederick Ayer, an industrialist who. [153] Adolf Hitler reportedly called him "that crazy cowboy general". Beatrice Banning Patton formerly Ayer Born 12 Jan 1886 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts Ancestors Daughter of Frederick Ayer and Ellen Barrows (Banning) Ayer Sister of Ellen Wheeton (Ayer) Wood [half], James Cook Ayer [half], Charles Fanning Ayer [half], Louise Raynor (Ayer) Hathaway [half], Frederick Ayer II and Katharine (Ayer) Merrill He handed them to Beatrice demanding that she open one of the crates she had worked on so long and hard, and re-pack it with the new acquisitions. Patton's I Armored Corps was officially redesignated the Seventh Army just before his force of 90,000 landed before dawn on D-Day, July 10, 1943, on beaches near the town of Licata. 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. [165] Equally important to the advance of Third Army columns in northern France was the rapid advance of the supply echelons. [117][118] The Sultan of Morocco was so impressed that he presented Patton with the Order of Ouissam Alaouite, with the citation "Les Lions dans leurs tanires tremblent en le voyant approcher" (The lions in their dens tremble at his approach). [211][212][213], Gay and others were only slightly injured, but Patton hit his head on the glass partition that separated the front and back seat. She unsheathed one of the swords and chased "Saber George" around the room, cursing with expletives that should have made her warrior husband proud. [227] When speaking, he was known for his bluntness and witticism; he once said, "The two most dangerous weapons the Germans have are our own armored halftrack and jeep. Historian Carlo D'Este later wrote that the Lorraine campaign was one of Patton's least successful, faulting him for not deploying his divisions more aggressively and decisively. Patton wore the ring, and it's visible in numerous photos during his life and the war years. On December 21, Patton met with Bradley to review the impending advance, starting the meeting by remarking, "Brad, this time the Kraut's stuck his head in the meat grinder, and I've got hold of the handle. Following the 1912 Olympics, Patton traveled to Saumur, France, where he learned fencing techniques from Adjutant Charles Clry, a French "master of arms" and instructor of fencing at the cavalry school there. [136], Word of the incident reached Eisenhower, who privately reprimanded Patton and insisted he apologize. of 1. His emphasis on rapid and aggressive offensive action proved effective, and he was regarded highly by his opponents in the German High Command. Unable to advance further, Colonel Patton continued to direct the operations of his unit until all arrangements for turning over the command were completed.[84]. Erwin Rommel credited Patton with executing "the most astonishing achievement in mobile warfare". [109] Patton had a preoccupation with bravery,[8] wearing his rank insignia conspicuously in combat, and at one point during World War II, he rode atop a tank into a German-controlled village seeking to inspire courage in his men. Their friendship resulted in marriage on May 26, 1910, in Beverly . [179], Patton left the conference room, phoned his command, and uttered two words: "Play ball." He carried an ivory-gripped, engraved, silver-plated Colt Single Action Army .45 caliber revolver on his right hip, and frequently wore an ivory-gripped Smith & Wesson Model 27 .357 Magnum on his left hip. [65] 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 the base. General Bradley and the Army Air Forces General Carl Spaatz shared the number one position, Walter Bedell Smith was ranked number three, and Patton number four. When Coningham dispatched three officers to Patton's headquarters to persuade him that the British were providing ample air support, they came under German air attack mid-meeting, and part of the ceiling of Patton's office collapsed around them. [140], On December 26, 1944, the first spearhead units of the Third Army's 4th Armored Division reached Bastogne, opening a corridor for relief and resupply of the besieged forces. Topics include the saber, cavalry, casualty information, denazification of Germany, and displaced persons. He was relieved of command of the Third Army on October 7, and in a somber change of command ceremony, Patton concluded his farewell remarks, "All good things must come to an end. He registered for military service in 1914. [64] 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. By the end of the battle, the 200,000-man Seventh Army had suffered 7,500 casualties, and killed or captured 113,000 Axis troops and destroyed 3,500 vehicles. [210], Patton's final assignment was to command the U.S. 15th Army, based in Bad Nauheim. Colonel Patton displayed conspicuous courage, coolness, energy, and intelligence in directing the advance of his brigade down the valley of the Aire. [76], Patton's brigade was then moved to support U.S. Edit your search or learn more Public Member Photos & Scanned Documents Pictures [176] In all, Patton would reposition six full divisions, U.S. III Corps and U.S. XII Corps, from their positions on the Saar River front along a line stretching from Bastogne to Diekirch and to Echternach, the town in Luxembourg that had been at the southern end of the initial "Bulge" front line on December 16. In spite of their love for each other, there were many explosive episodes during the Pattons' 30 years together. [251] Other Allied commanders were more impressed, the Free French in particular. Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, the southern end of the initial "Bulge" front line, List of places named for George S. Patton, Double Exposure: The Story of Margaret Bourke-White, George S. Patton's speech to the Third Army, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, General George Patton Museum of Leadership, "Lot Detail - George Patton's 1899 School Report Card and Signed Envelope Dated 1906", "distinguished-achievement-award/george-s-patton-jr", "How the Knickerbocker snowstorm became D.C.'s deadliest disaster 100 years ago", "When a Winter Storm Triggered One of the Deadliest Disasters in D.C. History", "Storied Schooner Once Owned by General Patton to be Sold", "What Bill O'Reilly ignored about George Patton", "Surviving the Nazis, Only to Be Jailed by America (Published 2015)", "H. L. Woodring Dies at 77; Was Driver in Patton Crash", "Footnotes to Greatness: A review of Patton: A Soldier's Life, by Stanley P. Hirshson". 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. Official date of rank of September 1, 1943. [17] Patton's wife Beatrice died on September 30, 1953, from a ruptured aneurysm[18] after falling while riding her horse in a hunt with her brother and others at the Myopia Hunt Club in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. Login to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. Patton's colorful image, hard-driving personality, and success as a commander were at times overshadowed by his controversial public statements. There is another woman's presence: The ashes of the general's widow, Beatrice Ayer Patton were strewn over his grave by their children several years after her death. Rows 57 are foreign medals and noted where required. Banning, CA 92220 Phone: (951) 588-2553. 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. Patton repeatedly boasted of his sexual success with Gordon, and his wife and family plainly believed that the two were lovers. What we are doing is to utterly destroy the only semi-modern state in Europe so that Russia can swallow the whole. Actually the Germans are the only decent people in Europe. [150][151] This duty kept Patton busy during the first half of 1944. He married Joanne Stanley Holbrook on 14 June 1952, in Washington, District of Columbia . [189] When Eisenhower learned of the secret mission, he was furious. [42] 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 a new sword for such attacks. [55][56] As an aide, Patton oversaw the logistics of Pershing's transportation and acted as his personal courier. Under his decisive leadership, 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. She was bilingual in French and translated many French army manuals into english. [223] Patton also cultivated a stern expression he called his "war face". Chaffee was named commander of this force,[104] and created the 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions as well as the first combined arms doctrine. [218] Historian Terry Brighton concluded that Patton was "arrogant, publicity-seeking and personally flawed, but among the greatest generals of the war". [11] He excelled at military drills, though his academic performance remained average. [48] In the meantime, Patton was selected to participate in the 1916 Summer Olympics, but that Olympiad was cancelled due to World War I. Don't let them down and, damn you, don't let me down! He was also frequently in disagreement with Terry de la Mesa Allen Sr. and Theodore Roosevelt Jr. though often then conceding, to their relief, in line with Bradley's view.[132]. Instead he tried out for the sword team and track and field and specialized in the modern pentathlon. 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. [75] He personally led a troop of tanks through thick fog as they advanced 5 miles (8km) into German lines. I would never have asked for you if you weren't good. <br><br>I am passionate about working in my community and giving back wherever possible. I am a quick learner, always keen to develop new skills, and strive for continuous personal growth. [139] Eisenhower suppressed the incident in the media,[140] but in November journalist Drew Pearson revealed it on his radio program. [201], Patton attracted controversy as military governor when it was noted that several former Nazi Party members continued to hold political posts in the region. [248] President Franklin D. Roosevelt appeared to greatly esteem Patton and his abilities, stating "he is our greatest fighting general, and sheer joy". [137] Patton apologized to both soldiers individually, as well as to doctors who witnessed the incidents,[138] and later to all of the soldiers under his command in several speeches. He was assigned a key role in Operation Fortitude, the Allies' military deception campaign for Operation Overlord. When Ruth Ellen Patton was born on 28 February 1915, in Pasadena, Los Angeles, California, United States, her father, Gen. George Smith Patton Jr., was 29 and her mother, Beatrice Banning Ayer, was 29. Patton never seriously considered a career other than the military. [33] In late 1911, Patton was transferred to Fort Myer, Virginia, where many of the Army's senior leaders were stationed. [209], On September 28, 1945, after a heated exchange with Eisenhower over the denazification controversy, Patton was relieved of his military governorship. [154] Through the British network of double-agents, the Allies fed German intelligence a steady stream of false reports about troops sightings and that Patton had been named commander of the First United States Army Group (FUSAG), all designed to convince the Germans that Patton was preparing this massive command for an invasion at Pas de Calais. [233] Patton reportedly had the utmost respect for the men serving in his command, particularly the wounded. Soon thereafter, he had Major General Omar Bradley reassigned to his corps as its deputy commander. Huguenots migration: descendants' contributions to America. He was cadet sergeant major during his junior year, and the cadet adjutant his senior year. He would reprise the role in 1986 in the made-for-television film The Last Days of Patton. The Patton and Banning Families, both prominent in the history of Southern California, shared a close relationship; Benjamin Wilson and Phineas Banning (founder of the Port of Los Angeles and of Wilmington, California) were business partners. [12] He competed in this sport in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, and he finished in fifth placeright behind four Swedes. [106] Although he garnered a reputation as a general who was both impatient and impulsive and had little tolerance for officers who had failed to succeed, he fired only one general during World War II, Orlando Ward, and only after two warnings, whereas Bradley sacked several generals during the war. [59] His initial combat experience came on May 14, 1916, in what would become the first motorized attack in the history of U.S. warfare. They had been slaughtered" Patton is reported to have said: "Try the bastards. Notwithstanding Eisenhower's estimation of Patton's abilities as a strategic planner, his overall view of Patton's military value in achieving Allied victory in Europe is revealed in his refusal to even consider sending Patton home after the slapping incidents of 1943, after which he privately remarked, "Patton is indispensable to the war effortone of the guarantors of our victory. [106] His exploits earned him a spot on the cover of Life magazine. Patton had insisted upon an immediate crossing of the Saar River against the advice of his officers. [192], In its advance from the Rhine to the Elbe, Patton's Third Army, which numbered between 250,000 and 300,000 men at any given time, captured 32,763 square miles (84,860km2) of German territory. The schooner's name comes from Patton saying he would sail it "when and if" he returned from war. He was reportedly appalled to learn that the Red Army would take Berlin, feeling that the Soviet Union was a threat to the U.S. Army's advance to Pilsen, but was stopped by Eisenhower from reaching Prague, Czechoslovakia, before V-E Day on May 8 and the end of the war in Europe. "[176] Patton then argued that his Third Army should attack toward Koblenz, cutting off the bulge at the base and trap the entirety of the German armies involved in the offensive. Patton's chief of staff, Major General Hobart Gay, invited him on a December 9, 1945 pheasant hunting trip near Speyer to lift his spirits. Then he went to Stockholm, where he reunited with other athletes from the 1912 Olympics. Hirshson said that the relationship was casual. Waters was graduated from Foxcroft school in Virginia. 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 a fencing instructor. [224] His attitudes were likely cultivated from his upbringing and family roots in the Confederate South. Each column was protected by a standing patrol of three to four P-47 and P-51 fighter-bombers as a combat air patrol (CAP). [54] He left Paris and reported to the French Army's tank training school at Champlieu near Orrouy, where he drove a Renault FT light tank. The schooner was designed by famous naval architect John G. Alden and built in 1939. The 15th Army at this point consisted only of a small headquarters staff working to compile a history of the war in Europe. Luckily, "doing better" never occurred to Beatrice. [80] 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. The best thing that has ever happened to me thus far is the honor and privilege of having commanded the Third Army. He was an admirer of Admiral Horatio Nelson for his actions in leading the Battle of Trafalgar in a full dress uniform. [30][31], Patton's first posting was with the 15th Cavalry at Fort Sheridan, Illinois,[32] where he established himself as a hard-driving leader who impressed superiors with his dedication. The only US soldier with tank-driving experience, Patton personally backed seven of the tanks off the train. He ordered Jews to share living quarters with former Nazis. There he was embroiled in controversy after he slapped two shell-shocked soldiers, and was temporarily removed from battlefield command. She met George Patton for the first time as children. 319 [191] Later that month, Patton, Bradley, and Eisenhower toured the Merkers salt mine as well as the Ohrdruf concentration camp, and seeing the conditions of the camp firsthand caused Patton great disgust. [185] Between January 29 and March 22, the Third Army took Trier, Koblenz, Bingen, Worms, Mainz, Kaiserslautern, and Ludwigshafen, killing or wounding 99,000 and capturing 140,112 German soldiers, which represented virtually all of the remnants of the German First and Seventh Armies. [54][62] Shortly after, he was promoted to first lieutenant while a part of the 10th Cavalry on May 23, 1916. I have nothing but the best in my army. [50] Patton remained in Mexico until the end of the year. Patton replied that his staff already had a contingency operations order ready to go. [67] He received the first ten tanks on March 23, 1918, at the tank school at Bourg, a small village close to Langres, Haute-Marne dpartement. "There is a very Semitic influence in the press," he wrote. [216], Patton epitomized the fighting soldier in World War II. [79] Patton commanded the battle from a shell hole for another hour before being evacuated. 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 Crdenas and two of his guards. July 7 Patton participated in Modern Pentathlon, Olympic Games. Other armored units would then break through enemy lines and exploit any subsequent breach, constantly pressuring withdrawing German forces to prevent them from regrouping and reforming a cohesive defensive line. [128], When informed of the Biscari massacre of prisoners, which was by troops under his command, Patton wrote in his diary, "I told Bradley that it was probably an exaggeration, but in any case to tell the officer to certify that the dead men were snipers or had attempted to escape or something, as it would make a stink in the press and also would make the civilians mad. She enjoyed the life of privilege & attended prestigious finishing schools. He also joined the football team, but he injured his arm and stopped playing on several occasions. [7] Frederick Ayer (1888-1969) [8] [9] Mary Katherine "Kay" Ayer (1890-1981). One of them occurred in 1912 after George had placed fifth in the Military Pentathlon in the Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. At the banquet, President de Gaulle gave a speech placing Patton's achievements alongside those of Napoleon. Biographer Martin Blumenson, who was Third Army Historian and also edited Patton's papers, sums up this period tersely: "Clearly, he had become delusional. The violence in Columbus killed several Americans. After Patton accompanied Eisenhower to a Yom Kippur service in one of the camps, he referred to the Jews at the service as a "stinking mass of humanity," and complaining about their hygiene, said: "Of course, I have seen them since the beginning and marveled that beings alleged to be made in the form of God can look the way they do or act the way they act. He would not work so I hit him over the head with a shovel". Nonetheless, he was known to be admired widely by the men under his charge. He personified the offensive spirit, the ruthless drive, and the will for victory in battle.As the outstanding exponent of combat effectiveness, particularly with respect to the employment of armored forcesthat is, the combined use of tanks, motorized infantry, and self-propelled artillery, closely supported by tactical aircraftPatton brought the blitzkrieg concept to perfection. "[145], Patton did not command a force in combat for 11 months. He compared Nazis to Democrats and Republicans, bringing negative press stateside and angering Eisenhower. Jr., married Beatrice Banning Ayer. He married Beatrice Banning Ayer on 25 May 1910, in Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. . [120], On March 6, 1943, following the defeat of the U.S. II Corps by the German Afrika Korps, commanded by Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel, at the Battle of Kasserine Pass, Patton replaced Major General Lloyd Fredendall as Commanding General of the II Corps and was promoted to lieutenant general. [34] Patton had a high-pitched voice and worried that this would make it impossible for him to inspire his troops. [88], 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 the concepts of mechanized warfare. Still unconvinced, Eisenhower ordered Patton to attack the morning of December 22, using at least three divisions. [231], On a visit home after the war he again made headlines when he attempted to honor several wounded veterans in a speech by calling them "the real heroes" of the war, unintentionally offending the families of soldiers who had been killed in action. Beatrice Banning Ayer (1886-1953), who married future World War II general George S. Patton. Both of them had a kind of second sight in regard to this type of warfare. "[208] According to Anthony Cave Brown in Bodyguard of Lies, Patton "Patton was relieved of command of the 3rd Army by Eisenhower just after the end of the war for stating publicly that America had been fighting the wrong enemy - Germany instead of Russia". Patton then drove to Hatch Memorial Shell and spoke to some 20,000, including a crowd of 400 wounded Third Army veterans. This was the last straw for Beatrice, and her temper flared. Registers, records and certificates of county birth and death records acquired from county courthouses. For his leadership of the tank brigade and tank school, he 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 the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. Born in 1885, Patton attended the Virginia Military Institute and the United States Military Academy at West Point. Find Beatrice Patton stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Amen. [196], On June 14, 1945, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson decided that Patton would not be sent to the Pacific but would return to Europe in an occupation army assignment. While Eisenhower and Marshall both considered Patton to be a skilled combat commander, they felt Bradley was less impulsive and less prone to making mistakes. . Patton then set his sights on Messina. For other uses, see, Denazification controversy and antisemitism. "[228] During the Battle of the Bulge, he famously remarked that the Allies should "let the sons-of-bitches [Germans] go all the way to Paris, then we'll cut them off and round them up. [163] Its attached close air support group was XIX Tactical Air Command, commanded by Brigadier General Otto P. Weyland. On November 20, the British launched an offensive towards the important rail center of Cambrai, using an unprecedented number of tanks. She loved Lieutenant Patton, and he loved her. [212], Patton spent most of the next 12 days in spinal traction to decrease the pressure on his spine. He was very bold and preferred large movements. German commanders interviewed after the war noted he could have bypassed the city and moved north to Luxembourg where he would have been able to cut off the German Seventh Army. My name is Emma Rose, and I am in the fifth (& final!) She was the wife of Brig. "[202], Patton, in his new role, oversaw the displaced persons camps in Bavaria, which contained a majority of Jews who had survived Germany's concentration camps in the Holocaust. "Patton" and "George Patton" redirect here. A native of Fort Sheridan, Ill., Mrs. Beatrice had many talents. [7][8] He attended 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. [168] Patton believed his forces were close enough to the Siegfried Line that he remarked to Bradley that with 400,000gallons of gasoline he could be in Germany within two days. 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. Royalty-free Creative Video Editorial Archive Custom Content Creative Collections Contributor support. "[181], By February, the Germans were in full retreat. He proposed a new uniform for the emerging Tank Corps, featuring polished buttons, a gold helmet, and thick, dark padded suits; the proposal was derided in the media as "the Green Hornet", and it was rejected by the Army. Includes family papers consisting mainly of Patton's letters to his wife, Beatrice Banning Ayer Patton, and his father, George S. Patton (1856-1927). [122] His uncompromising leadership style is evidenced by his orders for an attack on a hill position near Gafsa which are reported to have ended by him saying, "I expect to see such casualties among officers, particularly staff officers, as will convince me that a serious effort has been made to capture this objective. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies, and establish Thy justice among men and nations. During this time he developed a belief that tanks should be used not as infantry support, but rather as an independent fighting force.
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