There is so much myth and BS about Patton out there you might hear just about anything. I knew one of his Aides who was later one of his Battalion commanders. He told us Patton went to extreme measures to show his troops their leader moving forward and without fear of the enemy. For example, no one talks about seeing Patton moving to the rear to get back to his staff and headquarters. That is because he often used light aircraft for return trips just so the men wouldn't see him moving in the wrong direction. Patton fostered this image as part of his leadership style and it obviously worked. I'm with Joe Taylor, the story that Patton was killed by our government is just crap. His popularity with the troops resulted in many war stories which were fabrications of those troops as a form of hero worship. I am sure there were troops that didn't like him for whatever reason as well so their fabrications would be derogatory. Truth is he was the right man for the job at that time and left a legacy which still influences our Army.
