SPECTACULAR CAREER

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 150, 22 December 1945, Page 7

SPECTACULAR CAREER

General Patton was born at Lake Vineyard, California, of wealthy Virginian stock, 60 years ago. He went to Virginia Military Institute before graduating from West Point. There he began to show the characteristics which later made him famous, a dazzling personal appearance, understanding of military procedure, and a sense of humour. In November, 1917, he was the first officer detailed to the newly-created American Tank Corps, and for 25 years after the war the creation of a new Tank Corps was his dream. Young Lieutenant Patton naturally chose the cavalry when he graduated from West Point. He served- at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, and had 26 polo ponies. In 1912 he was a member of the American Olympic team and finished fourth among the 43 contestants in the modern pentathlon. " . In the First World War he served in the Battles of St. Mihiel and the Meuse Argonne and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry near Cheppy, France, in September, 1918. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal after the war for his work in organising the United States tank forces.

When the United States went on to a war basis in the period before Pearl Harbour, it was General Patton who again organised the tanks. He built the 2nd Armoured Division which was later expanded, and he finally commanded the Ist Armoured Corps. It was while he was training his men and riding around in his tank painted

red and blue with yellow bands near the turret that he became widely famous among the American army of World War Two. . During the extensive war games he was likely to be found at any part of the field peering through a turret. "Old Blood and Guts," the soldiers called him. VARIED ACTIVITIES. He wore a crash helmet which he designed himself, wrote military studies and also volumes of verse which 'were not to be published during his lifetime, and carried pearl-handled pistols. When his forces landed at Casablanca the general's boat was demolished just as he was about to go ashore, and he had to pace the decks and wait while his men mopped up-the enemy without him. In the succeeding campaign his leadership was spectacular. He was promoted to command the American 7th Army but endangered his career when, in a moment of tension, he slapped the face of a shellshocked soldier because he thought the man was shirking his duty. It was only after delays that Congress confirmed his promotion to the permanent rank of major-general.

After D Day, General. Eisenhower selected him to lead the American 3rd Arrriy in its record smash through from Normandy right across the heart of France. General Patton was a hard driver, but was always in the forefront with his men. ' At one time his army was smashing forward about 100 miles a day.

During the occupation of the Reich trouble developed over the general's attitude towards employment of the Nazis in his zone. He was called to report to General Eisenhower and later transferred to the command of the 15th Army, a skeleton command.