George Smith Patton Biography

Birth of George Smith Patton

Appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the 15th cavalry Regiment

Graduates from the United States Military Academy at West Point

Patton marries Beatrice Ayer

Appointed Captain

Participates in the worlds 1st major tank battle

Leads the 304th Brigade US tank Corps with distiction at Meuse-Argonne Forest

Leads the 304th Brigade US tank Corps with distiction at St Mihiel

Appointed Commander of the US Tank School

Appointed Commander of the US Tank School

Appointed Commander of the US Tank School

Wins the Distinguished Service Cross for Heroism. Commands 345 during tanks the Meuse-Argonne Operation

Graduates from the Command and General Staff School

Distinguished graduate of the Army War College

Commands the Western Task Force, only all-American force landing for Operation Torch

Appointed Commanding General of the Second Armored Division at Fort Benning, Georgia

Appointed Commanding General of the Second Armored Division at Fort Benning, Georgia

Delivers the "Blood and Guts" speeches

Appointed Commander of the Western Task Force during the North African Landings

Appointed Commander of the Western Task Force during the North African Landings

Appointed Commander of II US Corps

Appointed Commander of II US Corps

Suspended during the invasion of Siciliy for assaulting a shell-shocked soldier

Appointed Lieutenant General

Appointed Lieutenant General

Lands ashore at the head of the 7th Army

Caputres the Sicillian capital of Palermo

Captures Gela during the 1st American landings on Sicily

Arrives at Messina 2 hours ahead of Montgomery

Sicily is in Allied hands after a campaign lasting 38 days & costing 31,000 casualties

Captures Morlaix

Captures Nantes

Captures Quimper

Captures St Brieuc

Says it the US & British destiny to rule the post-war world

Helps convince the Germans he will be leading an Allied landing in the Pas de Calais

Patton arrives in Normandy

Operation Cobra commenced on 25 July with a concentrated aerial bombardment from thousands of Allied aircraft

To help Patton to break out of Avranches & drive into Brittany. Clearing ports such as Lorient & Brest

Clearing ports such as Lorient & Brest

By 27 July most organized resistance had been overcome, and VII and VIII Corps were advancing rapidly, isolating the Cotentin peninsula

Captures Coutance

Appointed Commander of the Eighth Corps

Appointed Commander of the Eighth Corps

Arrives at Avranches

Captures Granville

By 31 July, XIX Corps had destroyed the last forces opposing the First Army, and Bradleys troops were finally freed from the bocage

By 31 July, XIX Corps had destroyed the last forces opposing the First Army, and Bradleys troops were finally freed from the bocage

Patton captures Avranches

Appointed Commander of the 3rd Army

Appointed Commander of the 3rd Army

Patton captures Rennes

An attempt to outflank the Germans at Caen

Authorised by Bradley to turn into the Orleans gap toward the Seine & Paris

Ordered by Bradley to create a "short hook" from Le Mans to Falaise

Turns the 5th & Free French 2nd northward to Le Mans

Turns the 5th & Free French 2nd northward to Le Mans

The "Falaise Pocket" forms as a French patrol enters Argentan

The "Falaise Pocket" forms as a French patrol enters Argentan

Pattons 3rd Army was at Falaise & Montgomerys 2First Army Group at Argentan. Patton is ordered to halt, Montgomery takes 2 weeks to close the gap

The "Falaise Pocket" forms as a French patrol enters Argentan

Pattons 3rd Army was at Falaise & Montgomerys 2First Army Group at Argentan

Mantes is captured & the Seine crossed, Patton hopes to head directly for Germany

Pattons 3rd Army is given the task of occupying the French region of Lorraine

Pattons 3rd Army is given the task of occupying the French region of Lorraine

Closes in on Metz

Captures Metz

16 Dec-28 Jan, leads the 3rd Army across France & into Germany

16 Dec-28 Jan, leads the 3rd Army across France & into Germany

Turns 90 degrees north to attack the German southern flank. Halts the 3rd Armys advance into the Saar

Launches an attack on Bastogne

The 3rd Army break through Manteufells troops & reach Baston

The 3rd Army break through Manteufells troops & reach Baston

Dismissed for disagreeing with Allied occupation policies

Patton crosses the Rhine at Oppenheim

The 3rd Army crosses the Rhine & establishes its 1st bridgehead

The 3rd Army crosses the Rhine & establishes its 1st bridgehead

Liberates Buchenwald concentration camp

Enters Czechoslovakia & liberates Prague

Appointed Military Govrernor of Bavaria

Appointed Military Govrernor of Bavaria

Elements of the 3rd Army reach Czech

Elements of the 3rd Army reach Czech

Appointed Commander of the 15th Army

Appointed Commander of the 15th Army

Buried among the soldiers who died in the Battle of the Bulger

Death of George Smith Patton