Sunday, October 10, 2010

General George S. Patton


You've probably seen the 1970 film, Patton, many times over the years since it was first screened in the theaters. I was so taken with George C. Scott's portrayal of Patton that I read a couple of books about Patton and determined that Scott had really captured Patton's character about as well as could have been done. Scott's physical appearance was eerily similar to Patton's as the photos above show.

Military historians generally credit General Courtney Hodges, commander of the First Army, as having carried a much larger load in Europe than General Patton had with his smaller Third Army. However, Patton was much better at garnering publicity. Men who served in Patton's Third Army were often mixed in their appreciation of their former commander. Nevertheless, Patton was, without doubt, a soldier's soldier.

Sharp portraits of General Patton are difficult to find online. He was tragically killed in a car accident in late 1945 and was buried in the Luxembourg American Cemetery with his grave symbolically placed at the head of his former soldiers, most of whom died in the Battle of the Bulge.

If you are a fan of well-done war movies, this one is one of the best and it is faithful to the man it portrays.



Peace

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