The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-11-23
Gen. Patton
In Trouble
Continued from Page u

This apology was witnessed by c. r
Cunningham, United Press CORE
spondent. He also apologized to thu
soldier and to men of the divisions
under his command.
Merrill Mueller NBC correspond.
ent, and Demaree Bess, of the Sat
urday Evening Post, made {
thorough investigation.
| Later Eisenhower was understood
to have asked correspondents moi
transmit reports of the incident.
Yesterday a formal headquarters
statement in reply to questions
about the incident, reported in the
United States by Drew Pearson
newspaper and radio commentator
said Patton had never been repri-
manded and no soldier had evel
refused to obey an order from him
Patton directed operations in boil,
Tunisia and Sicily, once during the
latter campaign disembarking on g
beachhead to command a drive
against serious German counter
attack. He goes into battle packing
pearl-handled frontier model re-
volvers.
The story of the incident has been
known to literally thousands for
weeks.
Patton made immediate apologies
to the hospital commander, the
nurse and doctor. That develop
ment was witnessed by c. r. Cum
bingham, United Press Staff CORE
spondent. Patton also apologized
to the soldier in the company OF
the original witnesses.
Later he went around to all diviS-
ions under his command, calling as
many men together as possible, ex-
planned he had conducted himself
in a way unbecoming to an Ameri-
can officer and apologized.
Washington, November %. -
CUP - News that Lieutenant Gen.
era1 George s. Patton, U. S. Seventh
Army commander, struck a she'll
shocked soldier in a Sicilian field
hospital appeared certain today to
lead to renewed demands for con-
gressional investigation of the Incl
dent.
Several congressman yesterday -
before the details were announced
by a staff officer at Algiers head
quarters - believed the House Mil
itary Affairs Committee should in
vestigate in fairness to both Patton
and the American public.
Representative Calvin D. john
son, Republican, Illinois, and Sen
ator Harley M. Kilgore, Democrat,
West Virginia, both called for con-
gressional investigation yesterday.
Kilgore said any general officer
found guilty of mistake should
not be shielded"
when a general officer was a
misfit in the last war, General
Pershing sent him home" he said
1--WE need Pershing's forthrightness
if we are going to win the war IN
a hurry and if our Army is to main
tain its place in the confidence OF
the American people"
johnson said the treatment of SOL
diers by officers, whether by Sec
ond lieutenants or four-star gen.
erals, is a matter of concern to
every American"
What Happened
AS related by the staff officer,
here is what happened:
Patton, on a visit to an evacua-
ton hospital in Sicily early in Au-
gust, found a soldier in bed wearing
the lining to a steel helmet and
crying. Patton asked him what was
wrong.
my nerves, guess" the soldier
said ".I 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 a reputation for picturesque
curses. grew more angry, raging at
the soldier.
He finally struck the soldier with
the back of his hand, knocking of
his headgear, which rolled across
the floor. The nurse tried to STOP
him but the doctor ordered hel
away. Patton then went around te
others in the tent, telling them al
yellow bellies" should be sent back
to the front.
Nurse Flees
Patton returned second time tt
the soldiers bedside, cursed him
some more, and again struck him
with the back of his hand. The
nurse fled crying. The command
ing doctor also left because he coulc
not stop the general.
The doctor who had admitted the
soldier then escorted Patton to q
car and the general drove off, with
out investigating how the soldier
had been admitted. The incident
was seen by at least three hospita.
staff members as well as most hos
pital patients.
| 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
24-year-old Regular Army man who
/ k~wxs