70 years ago, Gen. Patton was laid to rest at Third Army Cemetary.

DWalt · Dec 27, 2015

Patton's wife wanted his body to be interred at the West Point cemetery, but the Army would not allow it. At the time, government policy was that any service member who was killed overseas was to be buried there, and the body could not be transported back to the US. And the Army would not make an exception, even for Patton.

UncleEd · Dec 27, 2015

Reading a book right now about the Battle of the Bulge, titled
Snow and Steel by a British military historian.

He maintains Patton, among other reasons, had a leg up on other commanders is that he made use of all the intelligence services he could get his hands on, including OSS, partisans, etc.

He was ready for the Bulge attack because where other generals ignored a lot of the available intelligence or simply dismissed it as not being possible the Germans had strength for an attack.

The book also contains a lot of comments by German generals the author interviewed, or officers who knew the generals. They believed the Ardennes campaign was doomed from the start.

steveno · Dec 27, 2015

some more on Patton's funeral and gravesite

General Patton's Funeral and Burial Site Equipment Leasing

NYlakesider · Dec 27, 2015

Onomea said:
I had not heard or read about suspicions of assassination. I just looked it up and seems like a fairly straightforward car accident....

I knew a guy once who broke his neck diving into a swimming pool from poolside. Freak accident. So the fact that the others in the car were not injured does not seem overly suspicious to me.

What has the assasination theory got going for it?

Patton has always been a hero of mine since I used a bio about him for a book report in high school (early 60s.) Since then I have read many of the books published about him. I have thought for a long time his death was rather suspicious!

My family knows I like reading and I got both Killing Patton by Bill O Riley & Target Patton by Robert Wilcox as presents. I read both of them and both bring up a lot of information that hardly gets talked about.

The List of SERIOUS players includes but not limited to Eisenhower, Bradley, Truman, members of the Roosevelt/Truman cabinet with Wild Bill Donavan very high on the list. Throw in a few Russian Generals and Stalin and the possibilities are endless. There were some not so serious but dangerous lessor players to think about also.

Read them both - those books should make you go HIMMMMMMM! Yes these books are not as enjoyable as a Tom Clancy yarn. (In fact there a little boring but I did them both) A good case is that it was a well-planned homicide and was not investigated nowhere near the level it should have been. Heck they never even done a autopsy!

Read and make your own decision. His usefulness was over and he was not needed anymore and he would be a LIABILITY to the above mentioned players.

federali · Dec 27, 2015

Patton's Injury

I recall reading recently that Patton had fractured his neck in a horseback riding accident earlier in his life. Apparently, a broken cervical vertebrae remains prone to fracture and it was this old injury that gave way, paralyzing him.

I never put much credence in assassination stories. Also, I'll forever ponder how he would have managed the current Mideast crisis with ISIS.

DWalt · Dec 27, 2015

Another possible attempt on Patton's life involved an attack on Patton's L-3 aircraft, with Patton aboard, by a Spitfire fighter with Polish markings. Patton's pilot managed to evade the attack. No such aircraft should have been within hundreds of miles of that area. Supposition was that it may have been a Spitfire piloted by a Russian.

the ringo kid · Dec 27, 2015

DWalt said:
If you haven't read "Killing Patton," It's worth the read. But much better books about Patton have been written. I found a copy at the local Half-Price Book Store for $4.00. I wouldn't pay full price.

The book doesn't speculate on whether Patton's death was an assassination or not, but the circumstances were very strange to say the least. And there was no shortage of those who wanted him to be taken out.

I've been wanting to read it but haven't bought a copy yet.

the ringo kid · Dec 27, 2015

steveno said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLYVOaKdTvc

I thought that was great that his personal aide--the sergeant up front and left side of Pattons casket//whose first name was also George//, was one of his pallbearers.

the ringo kid · Dec 27, 2015

max said:
My wife visited this cemetery 2 years ago and saw Patton's grave. One of the local volunteers asked her where she was from and when she answered Illinois, the volunteer took her to the grave of a soldier from Illinois and she was given a white rose to place on the grave. She was very impressed.

One of these years, I plan on going and paying my respects to them all. Its hard enough to see all those crosses in a video, let alone in person.

the ringo kid · Dec 27, 2015

chud333 said:
Never be another like Patton.
The quintessential Battlefield Commander.
Let us not forget him and others of his time.
Great Post Ringo.

Chuck

Thank you. I wished I had had more than just a few sentences, he deserves much more.

the ringo kid · Dec 27, 2015

Ed Fowler said:
He remains one of my most prominent heroes! I wish he could have written the book he was planning to write, I believe our history would be much different. The allies could not afford to let him live to print it.
RIP Sir, your legacy will live!

If I had to choose three? certainly Patton, would be with George Washington and Robert E. Lee. Virginia produced some great military talent.

NYlakesider · Dec 27, 2015

the ringo kid said:
One of these years, I plan on going and paying my respects to them all. Its hard enough to see all those crosses in a video, let alone in person.

Ringo, I have been to both Punch bowl in Hawaii and Arlington, and also the Gerald Salomon National Cemetery about 40 miles from my house.

Let me tell you those hollowed places are a bit spooky/very respectful and do make you think. This is coming from an undertaker’s son who has seen more than my fair share of deaths and cemeteries’!

the ringo kid · Dec 27, 2015

DWalt said:
Patton's wife wanted his body to be interred at the West Point cemetery, but the Army would not allow it. At the time, government policy was that any service member who was killed overseas was to be buried there, and the body could not be transported back to the US. And the Army would not make an exception, even for Patton.

I hadn't heard that befoire--not saying its incorrect but, the one ive heard and read was that Patton wanted to be buried with his men.

M29since14 · Dec 27, 2015

DWalt said:
Patton's wife wanted his body to be interred at the West Point cemetery, but the Army would not allow it. At the time, government policy was that any service member who was killed overseas was to be buried there, and the body could not be transported back to the US. And the Army would not make an exception, even for Patton.

It has been said many times that this all worked out for the best since GSP would have wanted to rest among those who fell under his last active command. Probably so...

the ringo kid · Dec 27, 2015

NYlakesider said:
Patton has always been a hero of mine since I used a bio about him for a book report in high school (early 60s.) Since then I have read many of the books published about him. I have thought for a long time his death was rather suspicious!

My family knows I like reading and I got both Killing Patton by Bill O Riley & Target Patton by Robert Wilcox as presents. I read both of them and both bring up a lot of information that hardly gets talked about.

The List of SERIOUS players includes but not limited to Eisenhower, Bradley, Truman, members of the Roosevelt/Truman cabinet with Wild Bill Donavan very high on the list. Throw in a few Russian Generals and Stalin and the possibilities are endless. There were some not so serious but dangerous lessor players to think about also.

Read them both - those books should make you go HIMMMMMMM! Yes these books are not as enjoyable as a Tom Clancy yarn. (In fact there a little boring but I did them both) A good case is that it was a well-planned homicide and was not investigated nowhere near the level it should have been. Heck they never even done a autopsy!

Read and make your own decision. His usefulness was over and he was not needed anymore and he would be a LIABILITY to the above mentioned players.

Though I've never seen it, these books sound a lot like the movie: Brass Target which is about a plot to kill Patton. I think George Kennedy portrays Gen. Patton.

the ringo kid · Dec 27, 2015

federali said:
I recall reading recently that Patton had fractured his neck in a horseback riding accident earlier in his life. Apparently, a broken cervical vertebrae remains prone to fracture and it was this old injury that gave way, paralyzing him.

I never put much credence in assassination stories. Also, I'll forever ponder how he would have managed the current Mideast crisis with ISIS.

I think he'd have pulverized those idiots by now.

the ringo kid · Dec 27, 2015

NYlakesider said:
Ringo, I have been to both Punch bowl in Hawaii and Arlington, and also the Gerald Salomon National Cemetery about 40 miles from my house.

Let me tell you those hollowed places are a bit spooky/very respectful and do make you think. This is coming from an undertaker’s son who has seen more than my fair share of deaths and cemeteries’!

I've not been to those yet either, but fully intend to before I get dealt the Aces and Eights. To me they are as sacred as the Alamo is and are hallowed ground.

federali · Dec 27, 2015

Besides our local national cemeteries, I've also been to Arlington, Coleville Sur Mer, at Normandy and Punchbowl Cemetery in Hawaii. They are all a very somber experience, particularly the graves at Normandy, many of them date June 6, 1944. At Punchbowl, the tour operator elected not to let us off the bus.

the ringo kid · Dec 27, 2015

federali said:
Besides our local national cemeteries, I've also been to Arlington, Coleville Sur Mer, at Normandy and Punchbowl Cemetery in Hawaii. They are all a very somber experience, particularly the graves at Normandy, many of them date June 6, 1944. At Punchbowl, the tour operator elected not to let us off the bus.

I know I wouldn't be composed at any of those places.

steveno · Dec 27, 2015

as a side note there is a German military cemetery that is a couple of miles from the cemetery where Patton is buried.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandweiler_German_war_cemetery

70 years ago, Gen. Patton was laid to rest at Third Army Cemetary.

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