Evening star., 1943-11-23
Patton Long a CoIorfuI Figure Here


The United States 7th Army COM
mander became we'll known around
Washington during his four tours of
duty at Fort Myer. His last assign
ment at the post was THAT of COM
mander, from 1898 until he was
assigned to the mechanized forces
in July, 1910.
i Gen. Patton, who is So now, has
always had a natural flair for the
dramatic, and has never managed to
stay out Of the headlines for long.
During the Tunisian campaign,
when he commanded the 1st Ar
mored Corps, he won the acclaim of
his troops and the American public
by subjecting himself to the same
dangers as those his men faced.
Motto Is Keep Punching"
His attitude was pretty we'll ex-
pressed in his order of the day to
troops landing in Sicily, when he
said, Keep punching. God is with
us"
Known to his men as "Old Blood
and Cuts" Gen. Patton entered the
field OF poetry In October when his
poem, God OF Battles" was pub
lished in that months issue of the
Women's Home Companion.
The poem. which was submitted
by Mrs. Patton, is prayer for Di-
vine guidance that would lead to
victory and was prophesied by the
magazine editors to take its place
with the worlds greatest war liter
ature."
Gen. Patton was born in San Ga
briel, Calf, on November II, 1885.
He entered West Point in 1904 and
was commissioned second ieuten-
ant Of cavalry in 1909. His first tour
of duty was at Fort Sheridan, ILL.,,
where he served until 1911. In that
year he was transferred to Fort
Myer, where he designed a new type
of cavalry saber.
Was PershinE Aide.
During the Mexican punitive expe-
dition in 1916 he served as aide-de-
camp to Gen. John J. Pershing and
soon after the United States entered
the World War Gen. Patton sailed
to France as member of Gen.
Pershing's staff. He was given his
first experience with the Tank
Corps at this time and was sent to
the French tank school, He was
present at the Battle of Cambria,
where tanks were first used extern
sively by the British.
On the first day OF the Meuse-
Argonne offensive Gen. Patton was
injured leading his men into battle
He was later awarded the Dis
tinguished Service Cross for his
conspicuous courage. GOODNESS, en-
ergy and intelligence" for his part
in the battle.
After the war Gen. Patton took
command of the 304th Tank Brigade
at Fort Meade. Md. and in 1920 he
was assigned to the cavalry squadron
at Fort Myer for two years He
returned to Washington in 1928 to
serve in the office of the chief of
cavalry. In 1881 he entered the
Army War College and after a year
was sent back to Fort Myer where
he remained until 1885.
Sailed Schooner to Hawaii.
When he was reassigned to the
Hawaiian Islands he bought a 81
foot schooner. took a quick course in
navigation and, with his wife and
several friends, sailed to his new
| Yv, 1000 hA rvi,,
mand of the Sd Cavalry at Fort
Myer. Two years later he was given
brigade command of the I'd Ar
mored Division, and later he be-
came commander of the 1st Tank
Corps.
Besides the Distinguished Service
Cross with Oak Leaf, Gen. Patton
holds the Distinguished Service
Medal with Oak Leaf, the Silver
Star citation and the Congressional
Medal of Honor.
Commanded Tank Force.
| He commanded the western task
force which occupied the Atlantic
coast of French Morocco in land
ings last November. His forces then
occupied all Morocco and he re-
mained in command there until the
German breakthrough at Kasserine
Gap In Tunisia in February, precipi-
tating an American retreat.
After that reverse, Gen. Patton
relieved 1t. Gen. Lloyd Fredendall
as commander of the American I'd
Corps. He rallied this force and
led it to victory at Maknassy, Ell
Guettar and Gafsa. These victories
led to junction of Americans with
the British 9th Army between Gafsa
and Gabes.
The I'd Corps then was shifted to
Northern Tunisia for the final phase
OF that campaign. Gen. Patton's
deputy commander, then major gen.
eral and now 1t. Gen. Omar Brad
ley, took command while Gen. Pat
ton devoted himself to the final
training of American soldiers who
were to invade Sicily as the 7th
Army.
On arriving in Africa Gen. Patton
had wartime rank of major gen.
eral. He was advanced to lieutenant
general when he took command in
Tunisia. His permanent rank was
brigadier general, higher than Gen.
Eisenhower's permanent rank at the
time. After the Sicilian campaign
both Gen. Eisenhower and Gen. Pat
ton were given the permanent rank
OF major general.
Supervised Sicilian Landing.
Gen. Patton supervised the land
ing Of the 7th Army in Sicily from
headquarters ship and then landed
himself into that successful cam
paign with driving energy.
The 7th Army swept over the
western part of the island as the
British 9Th Army took the eastern
part. In the mad race between the
two armies, the Americans drove
along the north coastal road and
were the first into Messina, last
Sicilian city captured.
During the battle Gen. Patton had
driven the soldiers under him as
hard as he had driven himself.
Many times during the Sicilian