Evening star., 1943-11-23

Motto Is Keep Punching"
His attitude was pretty we'll ex.
pressed in his order of the day tc
troops landing in Sicily, when he
said, Keep punching. God is with
U.S."
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 a 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 IL, 1885
He entered West Point in 1904 anc
was commissioned a second lieuten.
ant of cavalry in 1909. His first toul
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 Pershing Aide.
During the Mexican punitive expe-
dition in 1916 he served as aide-de-
camp to Gen. John j. Pershing anc
soon after the United States entered
the World War Gen. Patton sailec
to France as member of Gen
Pershings staff. He was given his
first experience with the Tank
Corps at this time and was sent te
the French tank school. He was
present at the Battle of Cambria
where tanks were first used exten-
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 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 quick course In
navigation and, with his wife and
several friends, sailed to his new
post. In 1898 he was given COM
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 Maj. Gen. Lloyd Fredendan
as commander of the American I'd
Corps. He rallied this force and
led 1t to victory at Maknassy, El
Guettar and Gafsa. These victories
led to a 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
campaign he sent exhausted and al
most collapsing troops into battle
for the final blow which took enemy
positions.
Many officers believed that no
other general in the American Army
could have pushed his soldiers as
hard and could have reached Mes
sina over the most difficult ter
rain and fierce resistance in 80 days
In the heat of battle Gen. Patton
is contemptuous of his personal
safety. He has been known to break
into tears on occasion.
Four Corners PTA to Meet