UND's current hockey arena is named after Engelstad, in appreciation of his generosity. With his gift of Patton Papers, Engelstad further displays both his loyalty to UND and his passion for history. I that we have either seen or, in our researches, have been made aware of. I battlefield maps, personal accounts and war diaries. I career is often neglected or glossed over by historians.
Some background is thus in order.
The United States declared war on Germany in April 1917. Patton began taking an interest in tanks, which were then new and untried weapons. In November 1917, he became one of the first officers in the newly established United States Tank Corps and was soon ordered to direct a new tank school near Langres, France. Here, he organized and trained the 304th Tank Brigade. He led this brigade into battle at St. Mihiel in September 1918 and the Meuse-Argonne offensive later that month.