General Patton

[Sgtleo]

Didn't see this Forum on Pattom and incorrectly posted this data on Other WW II Vets and Stories - my bad!!

 

 

Here's one more you may enjoy:- This is the "Bad" Patton"

 

Remember hearing snippets of this story at "Lucky Forward" (3rd Army HQ.) when someone dared to tell it.

 

The General is NOT always Right!!!!!

 

There was an editorial Writer for a Boston,MA newspaper by the name of Donald Murray(I believe he may now be deceased) who served time as an MP for the 101 AB Div. during WW II.

 

THE STORY FOLLOWS:_

 

One day he,Don Murray,was at a cross-roads with a Staff Sgt. when Gen. Geo. Patton came down the road and asked where such and such a unit was.

 

Don was on the passenger's side so he saluted and asked permission to see the General's Sector map and proceeded to indicate the unit's position on the map. Gen. Patton said "OK driver take the right hand fork-that's the shortest route".

 

"I wouldn't if I were the General Sir" says Don!!"

 

Gen. Patton reaches over his driver's body and said "Staff Sgt. tell that Pvt.-he DOESN'T tell the General what to do and which way to go!

 

"But Sir said the Staff Sgt............." but zoom the General HAD gone down the right fork.

 

Seconds later,after two bursts of a Schmeizer Machine Pistol,the jeep roars back through the cross road-burning rubber!!!!

 

Don and the Staff SGT. had to hide their laughter until the jeep was out of sight and sound because they saw the bullet holes in the right rear quarter panel of the jeep.

 

"TS" said the Staff-"you tried to tell him the Krauts were only a short ride down that road but we are only enlisted after all!!"

 

Too many times the Officers thought the MP was out there all alone for something other than his real purpose. Officers were never brought to a cross road and dropped off and then told hold this post until relieved or maybe even KIA like some of these men were.

 

That's how close Don and the Staff Sgt. were to the Krauts. Actually TOO CLOSE!!!!

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Here is the "Good Patton"

 

Here is a true anecdote in which I was personally involved and one which should show just how much he was concerned for his men.

 

Sometime late in early Oct. there was to be a conference between Gen. Bradley;Gen.Patton and Gen. Hodges. We were asked to provide and escort for Gen. Patton to and from the conference. A Staff Car was provided for the Gen. and it was to be sandwiched in between an armored jeep,a half track in front and a half track and a jeep following. Being one of the lucky ones, I won the job of manning the .50cal MG on the trailing jeep which meant that I had to stand with both hands on the weapon. It was a cold,rainy miserable day and although the ride wasn't all that long,we became cold and wet to the skin before we arrived at the conference site.

 

As they entered the building,we were told by a Staff Sgt.,there that we could go around back and get some coffee if we wanted. Gen. Patton overheard this and bellowed(as only he could)-where is the ^%$%^%^^* )Mess Officer for this group. Relunctantly,the MO appeared and the Gen. told him that we were his escort and he(the MO)was to provide a HOT meal ASAP NOT just coffee. After that, he(the MO) was to arrange that we all get a clean dry set of uniforms for the trip back because his escort was to be able to function 100%. I never knew that canned hot beef stew,with white bread and hot coffee would make a meal fit for a king. My hands were so cold I couldn't even open the buckle on my cartridge belt without help also wouls have had trouble with the thumbs on the .50cal.

 

I have to admit that by being a little sneaky I even got an extra set of new,dry socks to stuff inside my shirt. Up until this point we had called him(Very,Very quietly) every name in the book for riding in an enclosed Staff car while we had not cover at all.

 

Here,I think Love/Hate says it all

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Here is General George Smith Patton our "fearlesss leader"

Sgtleo

[Sgtleo]

Walt's Daughter:-

 

Bien Sur votre site est magnifique. C'etais bien fait!!

 

Et Bonjour vous-meme!!

 

A Bientot - Sgtleo

[roque_riojas]

Welcome aboard Sgt. Leo. Good story on Gen. Patton. Learned a little more

about the Gen. Roque of the 34th.

[Sgtleo]

 

Gotta Go to Work WD j3rd Will tell You I Am MY Wife's Care Giver Since her Heart Operation last October and She Hasn't been Well Since Then so I'm the Jack of All Trades - No Complaints- after 55 years of marriiage her turn in value is kinda low!!

 

God if she reads this I'm a dead man.

 

Last one for tonite:-

 

Here's another Gen. Patton story that has been almost lost in time!!

 

The Medal Gen. Patton Lost

 

George S. Patton was the first Soldier to compete in the pistol event during the 1912 Games at Stockholm, Germany. Then a lieutenant, he encountered controversy in the shooting competition when one of his shots was ruled a miss – despite his contention the bullet passed through a previous hole in the target. No evidence supported his case, however, left him in 5th place instead of clutching a gold medal.

 

 

Late in the 1980s, a Patton life long researcher sent copies of the target to three individual engineering experts to assess a copy of the target. Each of the engineers thought that he was the only researcher to get the target.

 

After a prolonged testing procedure it was decided that one of the holes was slightly elongated which proved that Patton's contention was correct. There were computer produced data to support each of the engineer's finding(s)

 

Patton never officially protested the Olympic decision but silently walked away.

 

Sgtleo (who is silently going to do house work - )

[chambers]

Thank you for sharing another good one!!

 

Brooke

[Walt's Daughter]

My dear, you are to be commended for taking on the care and housework. But as you said, after 55 years, how could you complain? La vérité restera notre secret. Tres difficulte! Patton would be proud of ya! Another good story about the ol' man.

[Dogdaddy]

Great stories Sgt!

 

 

[Walt's Daughter]

Jim Hennessey sent me this page:

 

General George Smith Patton

 

Born: 1885

 

Campaigns: Operation Torch, 1942

Invasion of Sicily, 1943

Battle of the Bulge, 1944

 

Died: 1945

 

 

"Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom."

 

"Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory."

 

"Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way."

 

"Sure, we want to go home. We want this war over with. The quickest way to get it over with is to go get the bastards who started it. The quicker they are whipped, the quicker we can go home. The shortest way home is through Berlin and Tokyo. And when we get to Berlin, I am personally going to shoot that paper hanging son-of-a-bitch Hitler. Just like I'd shoot a snake!"

 

"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."

 

"An army is a team. It lives, eats, sleeps, fights as a team. This individuality stuff is a bunch of bullshit."

 

"Go forward until the last round is fired and the last drop of gas is expended...then go forward on foot!"

 

"A good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed at some indefinite point in the future."

 

"It is absurd to believe that soldiers who cannot be made to wear the proper uniform can be induced to move forward in battle. Officers who fail to perform their duty by correcting small violations and in enforcing proper conduct are incapable of leading."

 

"You cannot be disciplined in great things and indiscipline in small things. Brave undisciplined men have no chance against the discipline and valour of other men. Have you ever seen a few policemen handle a crowd?"

[awj5343]

All that I can say is, "Patton was the best!"

 

My only story about Patton: On 2 January 1945, Patton was driven into our company bivouac area,

sitting the front seat of a jeep with no windshield, just a wire cutter welded to the front bumper. He had his hands in his tanker jacket pockets. This was on the outskirts of Libramont, Belgium. My foxhole buddy and I were standing about 12 to 15 yards away from Patton, and we could see the ivory handled pistol on his right side. He asked a soldier to get our Company Commander. The C.O. came up and spent just a few minutes in a conversaton with Patton...end of the visit. I told my buddy that I felt sorry for "that old man" (who was 59 at the time). When Patton wrote his memoirs he said, "On 2 January I visited the troops of the 87th Infantry Division. It was six degrees below zero, and I felt sorry for the troops."

--Bill Jasper, Co. B., 312th Engineer Combat Battalion, 87th Infantry Division

[Dogdaddy]

My Uncle Rusty, who was a tank commander with the 691rst Tank Destroyer Battalion- attached to Patton's 3rd Army, had an opportunity to see Gen. Patton several times and said of him "When it came to tank warfare, he knew how to use them, and he had our respect." That's the most important thing....not how he was viewed by the Public, or by the British commanders. I'm just glad he was on our side!

 

 

Dogdaddy