General George Smith Patton
Born: November 11, 1885
Died: December 21, 1945
Place of Birth: San Gabriel, California
Major Notes:
George Patton came from a wealthy family where the military was greatly respected.
He was in a line of soldiers who had fought going back to the American Revolution and the Civil War.
It is now thought that as a child Patton suffered from dyslexia which made his learning process slow even though he was an intelligent student.
He took five years to complete a four-year program at United States Military Academy, West Point.
George Patton married Bee Ayer, whom he met at West Point, in 1910.
Patton represented the United States in the historic first pentathlon of the 1912 Olympics.
In 1916, George Patton worked with General John Pershing in going into Mexico after Pancho Villa.
Pershing continued to use Patton in the First World War (1917) and Patton demonstrated his skill in using armored equipment.
Patton was also instrumental in setting up a teaching school for armored equipment in Langres, France.
During the Second World War, George Patton took on the nick-name "Old Blood and Guts."
Patton was said to be a major innovator in the way he introduced armored warfare into the war.
During the war, Patton was sometimes in conflict with other military leaders which led him to being given a "desk job."
In 1944, after the Normandy invasion, he was again appointed to a field position as leader of the Third Army in Europe.
After he had died, a biographical movie was produced named "Patton" which went on to win seven Academy Awards.
George Patton was a brilliant military commander earning great respect from his soldiers who were never known to lose a battle.
For detailed research and more information, check out the following:
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Last Updated: October 27, 2008
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