george patton wife death
General Patton belongs at West Point so that the cadets NEVER FORGET who he was, what he did for the Army and most importantly, their responsibility to the nation. As a grieving widower, he was keeping proper company with Patton's older sister, Nita. As a result of Dorns discoveries and the PW Camp 8 incident, he and Adcock, presumably with Bedell Smiths agreement, arranged for a psychiatrist, disguised as a supply officer, to be posted to Pattons headquarters to study his behaviorand, unbelievably, for Pattons phones to be tapped and his residence bugged. . In the gray skies above, an aircraft circled, attempting to bring Lieutenant General Walton Walker, one of Pattons former corps commanders, to the funeral, but low cloud cover prevented it from landing. (I doubt it would have been possible standing up to that juggernaut, even with our Air Force, to push them back to their borders, though. The American press had guaranteed him a heros welcome. But like he said and probably thought deep in his heart, he was here to do what God wanted him to do, no more, no less! Stories of General George Pattons encounters with the Russians are legendary, and some may well be apocryphal. Pattons forces continued to push the Germans back, and by the end of January 1945, the Third Army had reached the German frontier. Nobody would have thought anything unusual about it, and even would have thought it to be proper. The present internals of the EU certainly reflect that even today. His normal cavalry breeches, swagger stick, and pistols had been left behind. Too bad it should have been the future President who really did do as much as Patton but got the credit. I wish I were young enough to fight in the next one [war]. These are the 8 reincarnations of General Patton Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. His removal by General Eisenhower was an acknowledgement of that mistake. Rather surprisingly, Patton chose to return the governors hat-doffing salute by removing his own helmet, complete with its four stars and the emblems of the Third and Seventh Armies and I Armored Corps. He was not interested in the details of rebuilding a country. And then, two weeks later, he was again thrilled to receive an invitation to go to Sweden to address the Swedish-American Society. I especially liked the excerpts from his diary which shows Patton NOT to be the person that many have said, to have had too many bumps to the head, but a man of common sense who was derailed by political academists. He also breakfasted with Count Bernadotte and was able to enjoy a specially staged ice carnival and hockey game in the Olympic stadium. When his host pointed out a new, massive, and very advanced Stalin IS-3 tank and mentioned that its cannon had a range of 17,000 meters, Patton is said to have replied, Indeed? Cavalry reconnaissance vehicles led the way, followed by an Army ambulance and staff cars holding dignitaries. george patton was the living, walking, talking definition of antifa & he had no use or patience for cowards like captain bone spurs. Just Berlin! Do you want me to give it back? Over the next 10 days, they cleared the entire region north of the Moselle River, trapping thousands of Germans. They then joined the Seventh Army in sweeping the Saar and the Palatinate, where they took 100,000 prisoners. Soon, the five foot five airman would make US military aviation history. General William H. Simpson, commander of Ninth Army, has received little attention in the historiography of World War II. We could beat hell out of them., The following day he in turn was entertained by Marshal F.I. This article was published more than6 years ago. His early years were marred, however, by difficulties in spelling and reading, which has led some historians to speculate that he suffered from undiagnosed dyslexia. Patton is said to have predicted his own death to both his daughters, Ruth Ellen and Bee, during a visit to the latters home in Washington shortly before his return to Germany. Patton had taken so little interest in the new administration that he did not even recall meeting its Minister President, a Dr. Fritz Schaeffer. Fortunately, Pattons condition began to stabilize. This was despite the fact that an Army order banning dependents had prevented Beatrice from accompanying him. Mr. Hymel has also worked as the director of research for WWII Historyand WWII Quarterlymagazines, as well as the associate editor of ARMY magazine. George Smith Patton IV (December 24, 1923 - June 27, 2004) was a major general in the United States Army and the son of World War II General George S. Patton Jr. It is for me personally another very sad thought. A blood clot in his paralyzed body had worked its way to his heart, stopping it and ending the life of one of America's greatest battlefield commanders. She was 30. Get this son-of-a-bitch out of here! The Real Story of General George Patton, Jr's Death & Final Days I think it is amusing that no one tries to get any [medals] for me. A doctor summoned her at about 1800 hours, but it was too late. Death car at the General George Patton Museum. Cartoonist Bill Mauldin describes the moment: "Beside him, lying in a big chair was Willie, the bull terrier. Instead, the museum was temporarily closed, remodeled, and reopened in 2018 with a tighter emphasis on Patton himself. by Eustace Mullins. . The officers with few exceptions gave the appearance of recently civilized Mongolian bandits., The most notorious incident allegedly happened toward the end of May when an English-speaking Russian brigadier general arrived at Pattons headquarters to demand that some river boats on the Danube that had contained Germans who had surrendered to the Third Army be returned to the Russians. It was too late by 1945, the US had made the USSR a superpower. Patton was just an average general, nothing more. With hind sight many people think if we would have went to war right away with the Russians things would be different today. 30 views, 2 likes, 1 loves, 7 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Jefferson Avenue UMC: Jefferson Avenue UMC Gen. Leven Allen, Bradleys former chief of staff. Benjamin W. Patton stands with his father, Gen. George Patton in 1978 at the North Africa American Cemetery in Tunisia. He made emotional speeches in all three places, with 100,000 people, including many Hollywood stars, turning out to hear him in the Los Angeles Coliseum. Advance elements of the Third Army reached Bastognes tenacious defenders on December 26, and additional reinforcements followed over subsequent days. Trump Mocked For Kicking Off His Rally By Showing The Movie 'Patton' How could the deaths of so many more American solders made to day any better? With blood covering his face and scalp from cuts that had gone through to the bone, he was diagnosed as having a fracture of the third cervical vertebra, with a posterior dislocation of the fourth cervical vertebra. Whether or not the spinal cord had been transected or merely traumatized remained a matter of conjecture. Shortly after Beatrice Patton buried her husband, Gen. George S. Patton Jr., on Christmas Eve 1945, she summoned a woman named Jean Gordon to her hotel room in Boston. He was the grandfather of World War II general George S. Patton. He was one of several notable personalities I briefly crossed paths. During their two-hour meeting Eisenhower was more excited than I have ever seen him, remembered Patton in his diary. When she returned, her husband had already died. His tragic death was the end of a great man to which the world owes a debt of gratitude beyond comprehension. The ambulance, which eventually arrived at the scene with two medical officers, took Patton to the 130th Station Hospital in Heidelberg, 15 miles away, where he was admitted at 1245 hours. Much has been made in the historical record of the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine River at Remagen, Germany in early March of 1945. Along with the faux pas committed during his Boston speech, Pattons past indiscretions continued to dog him. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). This was, of course, completely contrary to the political direction he had received from Eisenhower for the denazification of the American zone of Germany. I was stationed in Germany in the early 1970s and was hospitalized for several weeks at the US Army Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany. Allied friends and acquaintances walked behind the casket. At 5:55 p.m. on December 21, 1945, General George S. Patton, Jr. passed away in his sleep. Salute to such a great man! Pattons morale, however, got a lift when his aircraft was given a fighter escort for its flight to Bavaria and troops and tanks lined the route from the airfield to Bad Tlz. Excellent fact based article, very human flaws and all including the facts of his anti semitism I happen to be Jewish so I am keenly aware of this flaw in his character He was from an extremely wealthy patrician family, anti semitism came naturally to him. In early July in Paris, Patton again confided in his close friend Everett Hughes that he was glad to be out of the States and back in Europe. After the shaken Russian was escorted out, Patton is said to have exclaimed, Sometimes you have to put on an act Thats the last well hear from those bastards. And apparently it was. Pattons biographer, Carlo DEste, has suggested that his melancholy and increasingly extraordinary behavior may have been due to brain damage that resulted from a series of head injuries caused by a lifetime of falls from horses and road accidentsthe most serious being an accident in Hawaii in 1936 that had resulted in a two-day blackout. I will ALWAYS say and think that he was the greatest General that the 20th century ever seen and I wished they could have unleashed him because the world would look quite different if they did. He should have been president. A group of rabbis, still dressed in their concentration camp uniforms, offer prayers at General Pattons grave. Bedell Smith did not attend the service, which is hardly surprising since Patton carried his dislike for both him and Eisenhower to his grave. Patton struggled academically, possibly because of undiagnosed dyslexia, but he graduated in 1909. THIS ARTICLE WAS MOST INTERESTING AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND IT SEEMS QUITE LIKELY IT WAS A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. There are a number of sources available to consult and the reader can decide for themselves. Elizabeth Patton Crockett - Wikipedia The Funeral of General George S. Patton, Jr. - The Text Message Rather than IKE. Salute to a great general! He told them, while his wife was out of the room, that he believed his luck had run out. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his paralysis and breathed his last before the move could be made. During the early part of that month he decided to visit some of the prison camps in his area holding hardened Nazis and former members of the Waffen SS. As the Third Army approached the German border, the advance was slowed because of supply shortages, but it was not stopped until it met the strong German defenses at Nancy and Metz in November. Pallbearer Master Sergeant George Meeks, Pattons long-serving enlisted aide, could not hide his grief at losing his commander and friend. In the aftermath of the Battle of Kasserine Pass, US II Corps passed to the command of General Harold Alexanders 18th Army Group. After inspecting the American garrison responsible for administering and guarding the camp, he met the German commander of the prisoners. Best of regards, Sam Virzi, Hemet, CA. Updates? Tributes were already beginning to flow in and would eventually include messages from President Truman, British Prime Minister Clement Attlee, and the French National Assembly. Patton wrote this account as part of a six-page letter to his wife, which, despite all its bombast, managed to be magnanimous to MacArthur's unwillingness to seek shelter: "I was the only man on the front-line except for General MacArthur who never ducked a shell." MacArthur's version of the story is more convoluted. George S. Patton - Death, WWII & Education - History George S. Patton Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family Gordon made a play for the general, DEste wrote, and after Patton and Gordon returned from an unchaperoned trip to another island, Beatrice realized that they were having an affair, he wrote. The other issue is that I got Eisenhower and gave Mark Clark a pass in Italy. His obituary revealed that he had died just a few weeks after he'd ushered in his 50 th wedding anniversary. Eisenhauers job was both military and political. Patton was a field commander in the finest sense. His first words to his wife were, Im afraid, Bea, this may be the last time we see each other., Needless to say, rumors soon began to circulate that the accident that had led to Pattons death was no accident. General Patton was the greatest US Army combat general of WWII. In that role he designed the U.S. Model 1913 Enlisted Cavalry Saber, known as the Patton Sword. Patton also loved polo, and he played it, like he pursued so many things, with a violent, reckless abandon, frequently injuring himself in the process. Locals removed their hats as the casket passed. Pattons armoured units were not operational until August 1, almost two months after D-Day, but by the end of the month, they had captured Mayenne, Laval, Le Mans, Reims, and Chlons. Seventh Army into Sicily, employing his armour in a rapid drive that captured Palermo in July and Messina in August. George S. Patton - Wikipedia George Smith Patton - Major General, United States Army This is one of them.. The whole luncheon party reminded me of a meeting of the Rotary Club in Hawaii where everyone slaps everyone elses back while looking for an appropriate place to thrust the knife. The two men did not get on. Gen Patton's Clear Vision - Why He Was Murdered 12-5-9 At the end of World War II, one of America's top military leaders accurately assessed the shift in the balance of world power which that war had produced and foresaw the enormous danger of communist aggression against the West. May God bless you and your family the way HE has blesses your Grandpa! Keyes had already thumbed a ride back to Patton's headquarters, but Patton didn't continue his ride until If you fail to do this, then I would like to say to you that we have had a victory over the Germans and have disarmed them, but have lost the war.. Patton accepted with enthusiasm. Very Warm story. Helen, In August of this year, I was at the American cemetery in Luxembourg where General George Payton is buried. During the demobilization that followed World War I, Patton reverted to the permanent rank of captain. Pattons version of what Ike said at this conference can be read in his diary. He married his first wife Ramona Yorba in 1844. Willie standing by Patton's belongings, 1945. General Partin was the scientist who developed lasers, cluster bombs, cruise missiles and other precision-guided weapons. Eisenhower, Bradley and the like had never been to a battlefield until after the battle. A jeep driven by Technical Sergeant Joe Spruce followed, carrying the guns and a gun dog. Pattons personal residence was a palatial house on nearby Lake Tegernsee. In a highly successful attempt to break the ice, Pattons first words were, There are occasions when I can truthfully say that I am not as much of a son-of-a-bitch as I may think I am. Death of General George S Patton - General George S Patton Pattons supporters claim that the Cold War may have unfolded differently had the West taken the capital, but this largely ignores the military situation on the ground in eastern Europe. He knew he was seriously injured and apparently murmured, I think Im paralyzed, and later, This is a helluva way to die.. Then, before a crowd of up to 50,000, he made a speech in which he said, My name is merely a hook to hang the honors on. On May 26, 1910, he married Beatrice Banning Ayer, the daughter of Boston industrial tycoon Frederick Ayer. But over the years, certain circumstantial evidence has come forward from multiple sources that put that theory in a new light. Sometime in October, Patton resolved to quit outright, not retire. Very Human story. She was the bridesmaid for both the Patton girls. He always said Patton saved my life, I would not be home by now, but a war prisoner in Russia. The real hero is the man who fights even though he is scared." 7. Fort Knox, Kentucky. On his return to Bavaria, Patton, as military governor as well as Third Army commander, moved into his new headquarters, a former Waffen SS officers training school at Bad Tlz, 30 miles south of Munich. She was the same age as Patton's daughters, and in her youth spent most of her holidays with the extended Patton family. For decades since General George S. Patton's untimely death in December 1945 there have arisen all manner of conspiracy theories regarding it. Eisenhower returned to Bavaria a week later following reports of bad conditions in some of the DP camps there. December 21, 1945 - General Patton dies following mysterious car He did both quite well. I am afraid that our foolish and utterly stupid policy will certainly cause them to join the Russians and thereby ensure a communistic state throughout Western Europe. Marking the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, The National WWII Museum connects two instances of remorse for Nazi criminality by leading German politicians. But Ive been in Garmish and numerous places where your Grandpa was and it ALWAYS moved me to tears! Patton's wife Beatrice died on September 30, 1953, from a ruptured aneurysm . 6731 Whittier Avenue, Suite C-100 McLean, VA 22101, Stay up to date with all of our latest news, With the Generals passing, Beatrice had to decide where his remains would reside. At about 1145 hours, in the northeast suburbs of Mannheim, an oncoming two-and-a-half-ton U.S. Army truck swung across the path of Pattons Cadillac in an attempt to turn into a Quartermaster depot. [3] World War II In the past three years I did my utmost to kill as many of them as possible. In November 1917, Patton, now a major, left Pershings headquarters staff and became the first officer to be appointed to the new U.S. Army Tank Corps. Allen wrote later: The relieved staff roared with surprised delight. Mother of World War II General George S. Patton, Jr. . Alexander Lovelace holds a masters degree in military and American history from George Washington University, where he was awarded the Charles Herber Teaching Prize for best Graduate Teaching Assistant Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Ike told him they were both already filled. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Lieutenant General Geoffrey Keyes escorts Mrs. Beatrice Patton to her husbands funeral in Hamm, Luxembourg. This is the only language they understand and respect. Behind them are Beatrices brother, Frederick Ayer, and Major General Hobart Hap Gay, who was with Patton at the time of his car accident. PDF Patton Faked his Death I HAD JUST WATCHED THE MOVIE OF GENERAL PATTONS HISTORY DURING WORLD WAR 2 AND DECIDED TO DIG A LITTLE FURTHER AS MY HUSBAND WHO IS A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR SEEMED TO THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN FOUL PLAY AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH. A good leader, as Patton knew, tells his or her subordinates what is expected, or what the overall goal is. This was. (Video: National Archives and Records Administration), Local news, weather, sports, events, restaurants and more. IN DECEMBER 1945 General George S. Patton was executed by his Communist foes. These had, however, been rejected, and when references had been made to the Geneva Convention, the officer had been told: What do you mean Geneva Convention? The way I see it, this Nazi question is very much like a Democrat and Republican election fight. Shortly after Beatrice Patton buried her husband, Gen. George S. Patton Jr., she summoned a woman to her hotel room. He was obviously in a post which he was unsuited by temperament, training or experience to fill. Patton began his military career . You seem to have forgotten that you lost the war! However, Hubert Meyer, the ex-Chief of Staff of the Hitlerjugend, recalled that on the occasion of Pattons visit things had been very different. Close to death from his wounds, Patton had a vision of his death as a Viking raider where a vision appeared to him on the battlefield, offering to take him to the Viking afterlife. We came to give them back the right to govern themselves. Pattons medical records for that day read, Prognosis for recovery increasingly grave. Spurling and the other doctors knew that it was impossible to operate to relieve the pressure on his badly damaged spinal cord to eliminate the paralysis. At least, I have done my best as God gave me the chance.. Considered one of the most successful combat generals in US history, Gen. George S. Patton died on December 21, 1945, 12 days . (Image source: WikiCommons) A Family Affair Jean Gordon. Most of his time, however, was spent preparing his book War As I Knew It. Pall bearers, including Master Sergeant George Meeks, carry Pattons casket on its last leg of the journey to his burial spot in the American cemetery in Hamm, Luxembourg. The crowd along the 25-mile route was estimated at a million; people wept and girls threw flowers. George S. Patton, Jr., was buried at 0930 hours on December 24, 1945, among other American soldiers, many of whom had died while under his command. After nine days of agony, traction was maintained and the pain eased by encasing Pattons neck and shoulders in a special plaster jacket. When Patton eventually met him on September 28, he described him as a smooth, smart-ass academic type. Academic or not, Dorn soon focused his attention on the success or otherwise of the denazification program in Bavaria. Even so, he took little serious interest in the work other than to ensure, according to Eisenhowers son John, a lieutenant on the Fifteenth Army staff, that Pattons Army was mentioned about three times as often as any othereven though John Eisenhower himself felt that the First Army had contributed more to victory than had the Third. Few unbiased military historians would disagree with that view.
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