doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Way OT -- General George S. Patton Jr.

"The Germans considered him our best general."

That could be true. They taught him a few lessons in North Africa. The Germans, infantry and armour, rarely stopped on their objectives (as the British, Americans and Canadians) if there was room to exploit: start-line to objective, stop and prepare for the next set-piece battle. Patton wasn't as predictable.

As for his character, as so many leaders, often impenetrable, contradictory. From my reading of the man, I admired his courage but would have found his character insufferable. As a warrior he had few peers. In the pantheon of American Second World War greats, he wasn't near Eisenhower and Marshall and a dozen others.

I remember when I was in the Navy out in San Diego and in 69 or 70 I was dating a girl and one night we happened to stop by her parents house. They had just gotten back from seeing the movie "Patton." He told me he was one of Patton's aides during WWII. He took me into his den and had relics galore from WWII, including pictures of him with Patton. I was amazed. He was the superintendent of the San Diego school system at the time. His daughter (my girlfriend) told me she had four sisters and none of them ever missed a day of school in 13 years no matter how sick they were. He had five daughters. They were the only siblings and all of their names started with an "R". Randi, Roxanne, Roberta, Rachelle, (I can't remember the other one's name). I think it was Rebecca or Rhonda. Anyway, it was a very unique family.

I live in Columbus, GA, adjacent to Fort Benning. When the war ended, and for a number of years afterward, there was almost constant talk about Patton's "murder." It was said he had political ambitions, and others of political persuasion are said to have had him "eliminated" from consideration as a presidential candidate. As we all know, another of our top generals made it to the top instead, so who is to say that another general may or may not have been also intereasted in running? Sure would have made for an interesting race???? At any rate, that's the word around the Army base.

A movie was made some years ago (10-20) called 'Brass Target' where Patton was assasinated during a vehicle accident by a sniper shooting a huge airgun that shot a large rubber, rivet shaped projectile, that broke his neck, without leaving an obvious wound. I don't remember the details of why someone wanted to kill him, or if this was presented as a plausible theory etc. All I know of Patton is what George C. Scott taught me, and I was probably in the 6th grade when that came out! What I do remember about 'Brass Target' though is that cool gun because I was (am) really into airguns too.
Lou M.

I would much prefer to serve under Omar Bradley then this wealthy, pompous,...

Come now, whe all know who beat hitler and his crony state. It was US Air Force and Soviet peasant foot soldier!

Wondering when we'd hear of the soldiers' General? To give Georgy Patton his due, most biographies agree that he had no inclination to advance to the rear.

jack

Given what I personally experienced as a marine in Vietnam,I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss anything as happening in a military environment.

The U. S. Air Force didn't exist until the post WW-II armed forces reorganization that Harry S. implemented.

Make that Army Air Force, PaulJ and you're back in on a technicality.