George S. Patton

**George Smith Patton, Jr.** (also **George Smith Patton III**) (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a U.S. Army officer who was in the army from 1909 to his death.  He was in charge of many soldiers and worked to defeat Nazi Germany during World War II in Europe.

He was sent to the North African Campaign in 1942 after the United States, led by Franklin D. Roosevelt, declared war on Nazi Germany after he Empire of Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 because Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party supported Japanese Emperor Hirohito after Luftwaffe Commander Hermann Göring and Kriegsmarine Admiral Erich Raeder urged him to declare war on America.

Patton was also involved in the Allied invasion of Sicily, the Allied invasion of Italy, and the Normandy landings in some of the most severe fighting in the war. However, he also was involved in a series of slapping incidents.

Patton was born on November 11, 1885 in San Gabriel, California. He was married to Beatrice Banning Ayer from 1910 to his death; they had a son.

Patton died on December 21, 1945 after a car crash in Heidelberg, Germany, aged 60. He was later buried at American Cemetery and Memorial in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. In the movie  _Patton_, he was portrayed by George C. Scott.

## Infobox (military person)

- **birth place**: San Gabriel, California
- **death place**: Heidelberg, Occupied Germany
- **placeofburial**: Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, American Cemetery and Memorial
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
- **placeofburial label**: Place of burial
- **image**: Pattonphoto.jpg
- **caption**: George S. Patton as a Lieutenant general (United States), lieutenant general
- **nickname**: Bandito, Old Blood and Guts, The Old Man
- **allegiance**: United States of America
- **branch**:
- **serviceyears**: 1909–1945
- **rank**:  General (United States), General
- **commands**: Machinegun Platoon/3/15th Cavalry Regiment
K/3/15th Cavalry Regiment
A/1/7th Cavalry Regiment
HQs Troop/American Expeditionary Force
302nd Tank Center
1st Light Tank Battalion
1st Light Tank Regiment
66th Armor Regiment (United States), 1st Tank Brigade
66th Armor Regiment (United States), 304th Tank Brigade
3/3d Armored Cavalry Regiment (United States), 3rd Cavalry Regiment
5th Cavalry Regiment
3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Cavalry Regiment
2/2nd Armored Division
2nd Armored Division (United States), 2nd Armored Division
US 1st Armored Corps
Desert Training Center
US 1st Armored Corps
U.S. II Corps
US 1st Armored Corps
U.S. Seventh Army
U.S. Third Army
U.S. Fifteenth Army
- **battles**: Pancho Villa Expedition, Mexican Revolution
* Battle of San Miguelito
World War I
* Battle of Saint-Mihiel, Saint Mihiel Campaign
* Battle of the Argonne, Meuse-Argonne Campaign
World War II
* Operation Torch, North Africa Campaign
* Invasion of Sicily, Sicily Campaign
* Invasion of Normandy, Normandy Campaign
* Lorraine Campaign
* Battle of the Bulge, Ardennes Campaign
- **awards**: Distinguished Service Cross (United States), Distinguished Service Cross (2)
Distinguished Service Medal (Army), Distinguished Service Medal (3)
Silver Star (2)
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal, Bronze Star
Purple Heart
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Légion d'honneur, Legion of Honor (Fr)
Order of the White Lion, Order of the White Lion (Cz)
- **relations**: Major General George Patton IV (son)
 General John K. Waters (Son in law)