General Patton

[Custermen]

My previous statement may have lead some to believe that I didn't respect General Patton ability as a commander. So, I want to redeem myself by submitting some of his quotes. These are directly from him or those in his command. Maybe someone can learn a little about his personality from these quotes.

All quotes are taken from Atkinson's book "An Army at Dawn".

 

American soldiers "must have a superiority complex". Patton's instructions to his troops to take the initiative just before the landing on Vichy French Algiers.

 

"I guess I must be God's most favorite person." Comment made when the dawn revealed the sea conditions for their landing was the calmest it had been in 86 years.

 

"G--D---it! I hope you have a spare toothbrush with you I can use to clean

my foul mouth. I don't have a thing left in the world, thanks to the United States

Navy". Spoken just after the concussion from the flagship's guns blew out the bottom of Patton's landing craft, dropping his personal kit into the sea. Luckily he was wearing his ivory-handled revolvers.

 

"I wish I were a second lieutenant again". Spoken while sitting out the battle on

the bridge of Hewitt's flagship.

 

Patton appeared on the beach with a mission "to flay the idol, rebuke the incompetent, and drive the timid".

 

"The beach was a mess and the officers were doing nothing". Spotting a soldier cowering on the beach; "I kicked him in the arse with all my might....Some way to boost morale. As a whole the men were poor, the officers worse. No drive. It is very sad." quote from diary.

 

"pieces of bacon" - Patton's description of the badly burned sailor and soldiers

picked up after a U-Boat attack off N. Africa coast.

 

"they were a nasty blue color" - Patton's description of the corpses on the beaches.

 

"God favors the bold, victory is to the audacious." quote from diary.

 

"Ike is more British than the British". quote from diary amid the British/American squabbles.

 

Quote from President Roosevelt's diary after a ride with Gen. Patton to Cassablanca: he told me "at least five times that he hoped to die with his boots on".

 

Quote from a soldier's diary: "He sure scares the s### out of me."

 

Robinett's description of Patton as II Corps commander: "Bedizened with stars and loaded with guns, he came with Marsian speech and a song of hate."

 

When General Allen pointed to a slit trench outside his tent, Patton unzipped his fly and urinated in it, signaling his contempt for passive defenses.

 

"When he wanted advice from a colonel he d### well would ask for it and otherwise he d### well didn't want it."

[Custermen]

More quotes from "An Army At Dawn" about Patton.

First a description of Patton's action when his favorite aide, Captain Richard Jenson was killed at El Guettar, Tunisia.

 

Patton stood on the portico of the Gafsa gendarmerie as Jenson's body arrived in the rear seat of a jeep. He drove immediately to the town cemetery, where 20 other dead boys lay wrapped in a mattress covers awaiting burial. New crosses and Stars of David were stacked in a nearby tent. Tears coursing down his cheeks, Patton uncovered Jenson's face, kissed him on the forehead, and snipped a lock of hair, which he save for the dead man's mother. After kneeling to pray, Patton rose and without a word drove back to his office.

 

Now a few more of General Patton's quotes recorded by those who served with him or his diary.

 

General Ward commanded the 1st Armored Division and the 1AD could not force a break through the German lines(remember this was only a few weeks after the defeat at Kasserine."

"Get me General Ward" Patton yelled into the phone.

When Ward called, Patton asked "Pink, you got that hill yet?" He listened for about 1 minuted and then replied: "I don't want any g--d---- excuses. I want you to get out there and get that hill. YOu lead the attack personally. Don't come back 'til you've got it" and slammed down the phone.

Privately, Patton commented, "Now my conscience hurts me for fear I have ordered him to his death".

After the attack byt 1AD, General Ward received a slight shrapnel wound across his eye. He returned to Gen Patton's tent with blood all over him---Patton and Bradley were shocked to see him this way. Patton wrote his wife: "I think I have made a man of Ward."

 

When I saw the scene in the movie "Patton" where the Germans tanks and infantry advanced along the desert in neat rows while the Americans fired at the from the ridege, I scoffed at that scene. No way they would advance in broad daylight across a flat field like that. But it did happen that way.

The Americans had known that German 10 Panzer Division planned to attack at Keddab Ridge and Hill 336. General Roosevelt took position on Hill 336 with the 18 Infantry Regiment and was amazed that he could see the entire Amercian front line from one end to the other. They expected the Germans would cancel their operation and Patton was ordered to advance. But he didn't have to, as the Germans carried out their orders. Roosevelt described the terrain in front of Hill 336 as "brutally open, offering little cover other than tuft grass and a few olive trees". After the first assault was repulsed, General Patton joined Gen Roosevelt.

Patton exclaimed: "I want to fight the champ. If you lose, you've lost to the champ and it's no disgrace. If you win, you're the new champ." The second assault began. One described it as "The men walked upright, moved slowly, and made no attempt at concealment or maneuver. We cut them down at 1500 yards. It was like mowing hay." As the ranks began to break up and take cover, the artillery used timed fuses with devasting effect against the reverse sloops. "The battalion broke from cover and started to run for another wadi in the rear, but our artillery crucified them".

Patton's comment: "My God, it seems a crime to murder good infanty like that."

 

Then there was the scene in the movie where Patton jumped out of a window and fired his pistol at a German bomber. The real story behind that was that the Americans complained about lack of air support, which was under the command of British(New Zealand) General Coningham. Gen Coningham said the Luftwaffe did not have control of the skies and while trying to defend his air forces, he insulted Patton. Gen Coningham attempted an apology. A meeting was called at Patton's HQ to discuss air support with the two top commanders of the Mediterranean Air Force. In the middle of the meeting a lone Messerschmidt made a low-level strafing run. On his second pass he dropped a few bombs and a piece of shrapnel knocked a piece of chunk out of the wall and it landed on the floor next to the Air Force generals who were cowering under the desk. Patton ran outside and fired his pistol at the departing fighter-bomber.

The Air Force generals remarked, "Who arranged that welcoming for us?" At which Gen Patton said: "I don't know, but if I knew who that sonofa was, I would give him a medal.

So that part of the movie was accurate; except Patton may not have jumped out of the window.

 

Steve

(I could not finish my quotes as I had an emergency last night. My commode tank blew up.)

[roque_riojas]

My two cents. I was a combat infantryman, Don't know a thing about tanks and

as for Gen. Patton, all I know about him is what we heard or read in the Stars and Stripes when someone got hold of one. Did he slap a G.I. in a field hospital?

Were riding breaches considered legal dress code ? Chrome plated helmet?

Yep everyone has his own personal idea, me makes no nevermind. One thing

I get to wondering,,,,did he ever get in a wet foxhole?????????? Rocky

.

[Dogdaddy]

Steve

(I could not finish my quotes as I had an emergency last night. My commode tank blew up.)

Neighbor get you with a panzerfaust Steve?

 

 

Jim

[Walt's Daughter]

Steve, HIT THE DIRT!!!!!

[Sgtleo]

 

Hi! Sgtleo here I'm a Newbie here thanks to j3rdinf.

 

Part of the over 2+ years in the ETO in WW II I wound up as an Interpreter/interrogator at "Lucky Forward" which was the Code Name for the 3rd Army Hq. working TDY with an Intel Group because I spoke,read and wrote French and German. Not the same way today I'm too D*** Old for that and with my Senior Moments I have to really work at using either language now.

 

There was a Love/Hate relationship between Patton and his men at all levels and I did my very best to not be close to him if possible. Have two funny stories but they are too long for here.

 

Sgtleo

[chambers]

Welcome Sgtleo!!!

 

And thanks to Joe for bringing you in!!

 

We'd love to hear your stories, and I'm looking forward to hearing more from you.

 

Hugs,

Brooke

[Walt's Daughter]

Hey Sgt Leo:

 

So nice to have you here. Welcome sir. It's my honor and pleasure to have you on board. Hey Joe, you're a doll for bringing around some really great vets including yourself.

 

I would love to hear all your stories long and short and hope you will share them with all of us. It's always great and oh so interesting to hear from yet another vantage and viewpoint.

 

Accueil. J’espère que vous appréciez notre site.

 

Chauffer des égards,

[Dogdaddy]

Greetings Sgt. Leo!

Can't wait to hear about your ETO experiences, and they are NEVER too long for us!

 

Respectfully,

Jim

[Walt's Daughter]

Hey Sgt Leo, was reading the post on profanity during the war on the other forum, and had to laugh when the one guy said:

 

"The thing that cracks me up is when news reporters on network tv use the term "snafu." I don't think they know what it means. They just use it as a way to express something being messed up."

 

Loved your reply:

 

"At least you don't hear them using the expressiopn FUBAR = F****d Up Beyond All Recognition"

 

I too laugh when you hear that on TV, etc. No, they have no idea what they are saying.