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George S Patton. Photo sourced from

10 Surprising Facts About General George Patton

George Smith Patton Jr. was an American Military General in the United States Army.

Patton was born on 11th November 1885 in Los Angeles, California. His parents were George Smith Patton Sr. and his wife Ruth Wilson. He was the elder brother of Anne Wilson Patton.

Patton was homeschooled until he was 11 years old when he joined Stephen Clark鈥檚, a private boys-only school. At 17 years he joined Virginia Military Institute like his Father and Grandfather.

He later joined United States Military Academy at West Point and passed out in June 1909. The following year he married Beatrice Banning Ayer and together had 3 children.

1. Patton Participated in the 1912 Olympics

Patton (right) fencing in the modern pentathlon of the 1912 Summer Olympics –

Patton joined the football team at West Point but had an accident and injured his arm so he stopped playing. He tried out the sword team and track and field where he found a home and excelled in the games.

His skills in running and fencing were so good that as a young officer, He was selected to represent the army at the 1912 Olympic Games held in Stockholm, Sweden. He participated in Pistol range, Swimming, Fencing, Horseback riding, and Foot-racing.

Although he did not win any medals, he was fifth overall with four Swedish athletes ahead of him making him first among the non-Swedish competitors. He was selected to participate in the next Olympics of 1916 but the event was canceled because of World War I.

2. He Repeated a Class in Military School

When he joined the military academy in West Point, he adjusted well to the routine. He was very good at the military drills that he was Cadet Sergeant Major during his junior year and Cadet Adjutant his senior year.

However, he was really poor in academics. Reading and writing were a major challenge for him and so he performed poorly. He was forced to repeat his first year at the academy after failing in mathematics.

In the end, he graduated position 46 in a class of 103 cadets and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Cavalry branch of the United States Army.

3. He Believed in Reincarnation

General George Patton – Image from

The Patton family had an extensive military background. His paternal grandfather, George Smith Patton, commanded the 22nd Virginia Infantry in the civil war and died in the Third Battle of Winchester.

Patton had several other relatives who were soldiers that had died in various battles across the world. He believed in reincarnation, stating that he had fought in previous battles and wars before his time.

His ancestry was a very important part of him, forming a central part of his identity. Patton had never considered any other career apart from the military.

4 His Grandfather was a Mayor

Patton鈥檚 maternal grandfather was Benjamin 鈥淒on Benito鈥� Davis Wilson. He was a powerful merchant and landowner in Southern California, who was elected to the Los Angeles Common Council in 1850.

A year later, he became the second elected Mayor of Los Angeles after California was made a state. He also served as Los Angeles County’s supervisor. He was elected to three terms in the California State Senate.

5. He was in the Combat Team Chasing Pancho Villa

General George S. Patton –

In March 1916, Mexican forces loyal to Pancho Villa crossed into New Mexico and raided the border town of Columbus killing several Americans. In response, President Woodrow Wilson ordered American troops to cross the Mexican border to capture and kill the revolutionary.

Patton served as aide-de-camp to the mission鈥檚 commander and participated in the first motorized attack in which Villa鈥檚 men were killed. He injured three men before they were killed and strapped like trophy animals to the hood of their war vehicles before driving back to camp.

6. Patton had Ivory-handled Pistols

While stuffed into his belt, Patton accidentally discharged his colt .45 after which he switched to colt Single Action Army Revolver. He ordered two of these for added firepower and had them come with ivory handles and contained his handcrafted initials. The two pistols would be part of his trademark for the rest of his life.

7. He Earned a Purple Heart in World War I

Bust of General George Patton in Avranches (Manche, France) Photo by –

Patton was injured while leading an attack against Germany in September 1918. He continued to command the battle from a shell hole and insisted on filing his report before being taken to the evacuation hospital. He was awarded The Purple Heart for his wounds. He also received the Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Service Cross for his service.

8. He Designed a Sword

The Patton Saber designed by General Patton -Photo from

Patton was so good at Fencing that he was the first Army Officer to be given the title 鈥淢aster of The Sword鈥�. He taught fencing to other officers, many of whom were senior to him in rank. He designed a sword that favored thrusting attacks over slashing maneuvers to improve his abilities. The sword is known as the Patton Saber after its designer.

9. Patton Evicted the Bonus Marchers

In July 1932, Army Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur ordered Patton鈥檚 600 3rd Cavalry troops to disperse the World War I veterans seeking cash payment for their bonuses to feed their families. The 鈥楤onus Marchers鈥� had occupied Washington D.C. for two months protesting down Pennsylvania Avenue and through the streets of the national capital. Led by Patton, the troops on horseback fired tear gas and beat the protestors plus civilian observers with the flats of their swords.

10. His Assistant was Illiterate

Pallbearers at General George Patton’s Funeral –

General George Smith Patton鈥檚 aide-de-camp was Master Sergeant William George Meeks. He was a Black Veteran Buffalo Soldier who could not read or write. Meeks was a pallbearer at Patton鈥檚 funeral.

George Patton got into a car crash and he broke his neck and was paralyzed for the 12 days he was in the hospital. He died on 21st December 1945 at the age of 60yrs. He was buried in Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial in Germany.