Imperial Valley press., 1943-11-23
NECESSARY MAN


him.
NECESSARY MAN
The officer said Patton was not
relieved of his command because
of the episode or reprimanded for
mally by Eisenhower because he
was necessary and valuable" to
Allied operations in Sicily and be-
cause of his record.
Eisenhower did, however. obtain
a fun report and took the hide
off Patton for his action, the officer
said.
Patton apologized at once to the
hospital commander, a nurse and a
doctor who watched the episode.
This apology was witnessed by c.
r. Cunningham, United Press cor
respondent. He also apologized to
the soldier and TO men of the divi-
sions under his command.
Later Eisenhower was understood
to have asked correspondents not
TO transit reports of the incident.
Patton directed operations in both
Tunisia and Sicily, once during the
latter campaign disembarking on
beachhead TO command a drive
against a serious German counter
attack. He goes into battle packing
pearl-handled frontier model re-
volvers.
KNOWN TO r-tNY
The story OF tie inciGent has
been known to literally thousands
for weeks.
AS related b. the staff officer,
here is what happened:
Patton, on a visit TO an evacua-
ton hospital in Sicily early in Aug
ust, found soldier in bed wearing
the lining TO a steel helmet and
crying. Patton asked him what was
wrong
MY nerves, l guess" tie soldier
said. Il can't stand those shells
going over"
You are yellow bellied," Patton
replied angrily. Get out OF this
hospital and back up to your unit
at the front"
The soldier continued crying while
Patton, who is 81 and who has
gained reputation for picturesque
curses, grew more angry, raging
at the soldier.
= He finally struck the soldier with
the back of his hand, knocking
off his headgear, which rolled
across the floor. The nurse tried
to stop him but the doctor ordered
her away. Patton then went around
to others in the tent, telling them
all yellow bellies" should be sent
back to the front.
Patton returned a second time
to the soldiers bedside, cursed him
some more, and again struck him
with the back of his hand. The
nurse fled crying. The commanding
doctor also left because he could
not stop the general.
ESCORTED TO CAR
The doctor who had admitted the
soldier then escorted Patton to
car and the general drove off, with
out investigating how the soldier
had been admitted. The incident
was seen b. at least three hospital
staff members as well as most pa
tients.
Two American correspondents.
Red Mueller Of NBC and Demaree
Bess of Saturday Evening Post,
made full inquiry, obtaining state
ments from all witnesses, after
they heard of the incident.
They found out the soldier was
a 24-year-old regular army man
who twice refused TO leave front
lines and finally was sent back by
his commander to the hospital
where he was admitted as nerve"
case. After week in tfe hospital.
he was back on the linz
The neWsmen interviewed EiSen-
hover and found that he personally
had secured full report on the
incident, having statements from
three senior officers, all of Briga-
dier general rank or above.
Patton made immediate apologies
to the hospital commander, the
nurse and doctor. That development
was witnessed by Cunningham. Pat
ton also apologized to the soldier
in the company of the original wit
neSSes.
EXPLAINED TO MEN
Later he went around TO all divi-
sions under his command, calling
as many men together as possible
explained he had conducted himself
IN way unbecoming TO an Ameri-
can officer and apologized.
Cunningham SAID that he sat ir
Patton's office during the generals
talk with the three. The doctor, he
said, was pSychiatrist. Patton
talked at length on the appearances
OF shell-shock, praised medical work
in the Sicilian campaign, and ther
said it often was difficult to tel
whether soldier actually was suf-
fering from such shock or merely
trying TO escape the front
In modern war, he said, there
should be competent medical au.
thorities who could determine quick.
ly whether man actually has sucf
break in nerves. Several time,
during the meeting, Cunningham
said, member Of Patton's stat.
opened the door TO report a similar
case had been found and each time
Patton promised TO look into it a.
once. Finally he thanked them al
for coming and invited the nurs,
TO ride back TO the hospital in hi