The Wilmington morning star., 1945-12-22
Personal Tribute To
General Patton

General George S. Patton is dead Paralyz-
ed in an automobile wreck early this month,
and well on his way to at least partial recov-
cry. his strength had been Slapped too much
to Withstand pneumonia. The end came peace
fully after dusk yesterday.
The United States Army has lost the great
est field commander of his generation barr
ing none. His campaigns in Africa, IN Sicily,
in the great battle of Germany, successlvely
with the Seventh and the Third Armies, WILL
find their way into textbooks for military aca-
denies, as surely as Lees campaign in Vir-
ginia has done.
BY E. strange circumstance the quality that
brought him to the top in battle completely
untitled him for diplomatic service an essen
tial need of any military leader commissioned
to administer civil affairs after victory. His
rugged individualism, which was never more
magnificent than when he was planning and
directing armies, clashed violently with the
requirements for diplomatic leadership when
his armies had been successful and it fell to
his lot to carry on in civilian affairs.
This is no surprise to persons who have
known him from childhood. The writer spent
{. part of his boyhood not as close neigabor
to the Pattons, who owned one of the fine old
estates in the upper San Gabriel valley, but
because population in the region was sparce,
near enough to know him well, despite some
nine years difference in age. As young boy
he had the same characteristics that distin-
guished his manhood. That is to say, he was
aeadstrong but withal leader, as fearless
of danger then as in the tightest place he &C.
cupied when his troops were attacking.
One illustration suffices to illustrate his dis
regard Of danger. When the Franciscan monks
of that name was infested with Indians, and
the kindly fathers to protect their people,
planted a cactus hedge around the mission
property which under the priests nursing grew
quickly. When an Indian raid was coming the
Mexicans sped to the mission for safety, as
outside and the Indians had no stomach to
try to penetrate it. In Patton's boyhood
tous Saturday morning, while Patton and some
season bore the beautiful flowers this particu-
lar type Of cactus is famous for. On momen-
stretches Of this hedge still stood and in
of his playfellows were enjoying release from
school, one of his companions, perhaps from
sheer mischief but possibly with worse mo-
tive pointed out particular flower and dar-
ed young Patton to pluck it, Without hesita-
ton, the little dare devil dismounted from
his pony forced his way through innumerable
thorns, and brought the flower back in a |
bleeding hand. He was in bed for a month
after this escapade, for cactus thorns, in such
quantities as his flesh held, are a problem
for any doctor.
Remembering this, it is easy to understand
his instruction to his troops When the stakes
were high: eve shall attack and attack until
we are exhausted. And then we shall attack
again.
His special hobby as youngster in knicker-
bockers was breaking horses. No matter how
often they threw him, he stayed with the worst
until the animal was meek and tractible as
any sissy. He could not let any deed of daring
back him down.
That's why, for all his shortcomings, his
feasibility under strain, the idiosyncrasies that
more often than not drove people from him,
ae became the greatest field commander
OF World War II. No enemy, however strong
or well entrenched or manned, could 'back
him down." The man was just the boy grown
up. The traits of the child became the genius
OF the man. J.EH