George Patton

1885 – 1945

George Smith Patton Jr. was a U.S. Army general who commanded the Seventh Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II and the Third Army in the Allied invasion of France and Germany after D-Day. A pioneer of mechanized warfare, he led some of the most rapid armored advances in modern military history, including the breakout from Normandy and the relief of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. He died from injuries sustained in a vehicle accident in occupied Germany on December 21, 1945, less than a year after V-E Day.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM