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Quote of the Day: Patton and Veterans
“All through your Army careers, you men have bitched about what you call ‘chicken [expletive] drilling.’ That, like everything else in this Army, has a definite purpose. That purpose is alertness. Alertness must be bred into every soldier. I don’t give a [expletive] for a man who’s not always on his toes. You men are veterans or you wouldn’t be here. You are ready for what’s to come.” — George S. Patton, Jr., Speech to the Third Army, 05 JUN 1944.
George S. Patton got a birthday present on his thirty-third birthday as the Germans signed an armistice to end The Great War or as that [expletive] Wilson called it, “The War to End All War.” But less than twenty-five years later, war had come again, and Patton and his men were pressing forward into Europe.
Happy birthday, GSP.
Published in Group Writing
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Grandpa was a fan of Patton’s readiness. Thought as apparently some others did at the time that GSP had potential to end things a bit more quickly.
I’ve always liked the story about Lt. Col. Patton meeting a brigadier general named MacArthur outside Essey, France during the effort to take that town. As artillery shells landed around them and nearby soldiers including their staffs dove for cover, the two of them stood there talking, neither one would so much as flinch.
That is leadership.
Yes, definitely.
My father served for a time under Patton. He thought the general was an SOB, as did many at the time. The soldier’s view of war is necessarily limited. I’m convinced Patton was as essential as any individual can be in a world war.
George B. McClellan was beloved by the troops of the Union. They voted overwhelmingly for Lincoln anyway.
Not a Patton fan. At all. The warrior he wanted to be was Terry de la Mesa Allen. Allen was his subordinate during OPERATION TORCH (the invasion of N. Africa), as the Division Commander of the First Infantry Division (Terry’s Deputy Division Commander was Teddy Roosevelt, Jr.)
Patton sought Glory (as opposed to ambition, which is important, but he wanted Glory that was centered around Patton). Allen just wanted to get the damn job done.
There’s a story (best citation I can think of is Rick Atkinson’s An Army At Dawn), Patton, as Corps commander showed up at Allen’s Division Command Post. Patton noticed all the holes dug by the men as survivability positions in case they came under artillery attack. Allen and Roosevelt had dug their own holes, setting the example.
Patton asked which was Allen’s, and, when that hole was pointed out, whipped out his dingle-dangle and proceeded to urinate in it. Reports are, Allen’s Personal Security Detail (modern term) all racked the charging handles of their Thompson submachine guns. Patton finished up and buttoned up, and beat feet out of the 1st ID’s AO.
Patton and MacArthur were cut from the same cloth. Situationally excellent when properly employed. Loose cannon the rest of the time. Would someone with less of an ego ever dreamed of pulling off an Inchon? Would someone who was less of a glory hound have terrorized the German High Command?
Well, he did get to be very well known, good or bad. And it was not only Armistice Day, but his birthday, so I went with it. But I’ll remember you don’t like him in the future, just as I remember how much @kirkianwanderer loves Toynbee. And their names will probably come up again, maybe with tags to you. Because I’m a giver, I am.
Of course, I’m such a nice guy that I have been trying to honor your slow reading speed. I have four chapters of Jack the Magicless backed up in the queue waiting to be published.
Jesus wept.
Procreative act the Boss. Publish them.