The Armies of George S. Patton

332 Pages·1998·24.19 MB·English

by  George Forty

THE ARMIES OF
GEORGE S.
PATTON
G E O R GE
F O R TY

THE ARMIES
OF
GEORGE S. PATTON
George Forty
ARMS AND
ARMOUR
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO
THE PATTON MUSEUM OF CAVALRY AND ARMOR,
FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY
Arms and Armour Press
A Cassell Imprint
Wellington House, 125 Strand, London WC2R OBB.
Distributed in the USA by Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.,
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810.
First published in paperback 1998
© George Forty, 1996
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical
including photocopying recording or any information storage and
retrieval system without permission in writing from the Publisher.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data: a catalogue record
for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 1-85409-484-X
Maps by Adam Forty.
Designed and edited by DAG Publications Ltd.
Designed by David Gibbons; edited by Michael Boxall;
Printed and bound in Great Britain by
MPG Books Ltd. Bodmin, Cornwall
Jacket illustrations
Front: Major General George S. Patton, Jr, Commandng General US 2nd
Armored Division, photographed in front of his tank during the Louisiana
manoeuvres of autumn 1941; inset, portrait of Patton painted by Boguslav
Czedekowski in September 1945; US Army Photo courtesy of the Patton
Museum, Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Back, from top: sets of commemorative stamps featuring Patton (courtesy of
Mike Province); one of the last photographs of Patton, taken in the summer
of 1945 and showing him wearing most of his decorations; and the 'Pyramid
of Power' - the symbol of American Armor (see page 74).
All photographs in this book are US Army Photographs which have
mainly been supplied courtesy of the Patton Museum, Fort Knox,
Kentucky, USA, except where indicated otherwise.
Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 9 3. HIGHER COMMAND, 39
INTRODUCTION, 10 Section 1: Operation 'Torch' and
II Corps, 39
The Landings, 39
PART I. THE MAKING OF AN Western Task Force, 39
ARMOUR COMMANDER, 13 'I Wish I Could Get Out and Kill
Someone', 41
1. THE MAKING OF AN ARMOUR II (US) Corps, 43
COMMANDER (PART ONE), 15 Infantry Divisions, 44
Section 1: The Early Years Dress and equipment, 44
(1885-1917), 15 1st Armored Division, 45
West Point, 16 Dress and equipment, 46
Joining the Cavalry, 16 Just 43 Days in Command, 47
The Olympics, 17 Back to Morocco, 47
Saumur, 18 Section 2: Operation 'Husky' and
Mexico, 18 US Seventh Army, 47
Section 2: 'Treat 'em Rough!', 19 Background Planning, 47
The Move to Tanks, 19 Organisation, 49
Esprit de Corps, 20 Special Units and Equipment, 50
Organising the Tanks, 21 The Landings, 50
The 'Treat-'em Rough Boys', 23 A Clash of Personalities, 51
First Blood, 24 The End in Sicily, 52
Annex 'A' to Chapter 3: Operation
2. THE MAKING OF AN ARMOUR 'Torch', Composition of Western
COMMANDER (PART TWO), 26 Task Force, 52
Section 1: Back to the Cavalry Annex 'B' to Chapter 3: Sicily -
(1920-1940), 26 Composition of US Forces on D-
Peacetime Reductions, 26 Day, 10 July 1943, 53
Section 2: Goodbye to Boots and
Saddles! (1940-1942), 29
Organisation, 29 PART II. PATTON'S THIRD
Equipment, 30 ARMY, 55
Uniform, 30
Expansion Brings Promotion, 4. US THIRD ARMY, THE BASICS, 57
Corps Command and the Desert 'Well, I have an Army and it is up
Training Center, 33 to me', 57
Mission of the Desert Training Third Army's Early Years, 57
Center, 35 A New Commander, 59
Armoured Division Organisation, 35 Patton's Address to His Troops, 60
On the Move Again, 36 Operation 'Fortitude', 61
CONTENTS
The Knutsford Incident, 62 Major General Gilbert R. Cook, 90
The 'Hub', 62 Major General Manton S. Eddy,
Third Army, Initial Organisation of 90
Corps and Divisions, 63 Major General S. LeRoy Irwin, 92
Organic Components of Activated Lieutenant General Wade H.
US Divisions initially in Third Haislip, 92
Army, 64 Lieutenant General Walton H.
The Basic Divisions, 64 Walker, 93
The Infantry Division, 65 Armour Commanders, 94
The Armoured Division, 69 4th Armored Division, 94
The Airborne Division, 71 5th Armored Division, 94
A Divisional Headquarters in 6th Armored Division, 95
Action, 71 7th Armored Division, 96
Preparing for Battle, 72 8th Armored Division, 96
Annex 'A' to Chapter 4: Shoulder 9th Armored Division, 97
Patches; Nicknames and Shoulder 10th Armored Division, 97
Patches of the Initial Divisions in 11th Armored Division, 98
Third Army, 73 12th Armored Division, 98
Annex 'B' to Chapter 4: Strengths 13th Armored Division, 98
and Principal Weapons of the US 14th Armored Division, 99
Infantry Division, circa 1944, 74 16th Armored Division, 99
Annex 'C' to Chapter 4: Strengths 20th Armored Division, 99
and Principal Weapons of the US Infantry Commanders, 100
Armoured Division, circa 1944, 1st Infantry Division, 100
75 2nd Infantry Division, 100
4th Infantry Division, 100
5th Infantry Division, 101
5. PATTON, HIS IMMEDIATE STAFF AND
8th Infantry Division, 101
HIS THIRD ARMY COMMANDERS, 83
'I am a genius. I think I am', 83 26th Infantry Division, 101
Patton's Aides, 83 28th Infantry Division, 101
Charles Codman, 84 29th Infantry Division, 102
Alexander 'Al' C. Stiller, 84 35th Infantry Division, 102
Francis P. Graves, Jr, 85 42nd Infantry Division, 102
A Personal Physician, 85 65th Infantry Division, 103
GSP's Orderly, 85 69th Infantry Division, 103
Personal Driver, 86 70th Infantry Division, 103
Best Damn Cook in the US 71st Infantry Division, 103
76th Infantry Division, 104
Army!, 86
79th Infantry Division, 104
Willie, 86
80th Infantry Division, 104
Personal Accommodation, 87
83rd Infantry Division, 105
Corps Commanders, 87
86th Infantry Division, 105
Pen Portraits of the Corps
87th Infantry Division, 105
Commanders, 87
89th Infantry Division, 105
Major General John Millikin, 87
90th Infantry Division, 106
General James A. Van Fleet, 88
94th Infantry Division, 106
Major General (later General)
95th Infantry Division, 106
Clarence R. Huebner, 89
97th Infantry Division, 107
Major General Troy H.
99th Infantry Division, 107
Middleton, 89
6
CONTENTS
Airborne commanders, 108 XIX Tactical Air Command, 142
Foreign commanders, 109 Annex 'A' to Chapter 6: Locations
Up and coming officers, 109 of Lucky Forward between 5 July
Clarke of St-Vith, 109 44 and 3 May 1945, 143
CO 37th Tank Battalion, 110
Annex 'A' to Chapter 5: Division 7. GEORGIE'S BOYS, 145
Commanders and Assistant Mobilisation and Training, 145
Division Commanders who 'A Prodigy of Organisation', 145
served with Third (US) Army The Selective Service Act, 146
between 1 August 44 and 9 May Training, 147
1945, 111 Basic training, 148
Service schools, 149
Officer training, 149
6. PATTON'S STAFF, 113
'Lucky Forward', 113 Personal reactions to induction,
Principal Staff Officers in HQ Third 149
Army, 113 Tactical training, 151
The Chief of Staff, 117 Overseas training, 152
Chiefs of Staff: Biographies, 118 The Move Overseas, 153
Hobart R. Gay, 118 Embarkation, 154
Hugh Joseph Gaffey, 120 Uniforms, 156
Composition and Duties of Third Non-Combat Dress, 156
Army HQ Staff, 121 Combat Dress, 156
G-l Section (Personnel), 121 Specialised Clothing, 157
G-2 Section (Intelligence), 121 Personal Equipment, 158
G-3 Section (Operations and Webbing, 158
Training), 124 Personal Weapons, 160
G-4 Section (Supply), 125 Rations, 161
G-5 Section (Civil Affairs), 126 Living Conditions, 162
Special Staff Sections and Morale, 163
Duties, 127 Cocky Bastards, 164
Adjutant General Section, 127
Anti-Aircraft Artillery Section, 128 8. THE COMBAT ARMS, WEAPONS,
Artillery Section, 128 VEHICLES, EQUIPMENT AND TACTICS,
Chaplain Section, 129 165
Chemical Warfare Section, 130 Combat Arms and the Technical
Engineer Section, 131 Services, 165
Finance Section, 133 The All Arms Team, 165
Headquarters Commandant Infantry Weapons, 166
Section, 134 Machine-Guns, 166
Inspector General Section, 134 Mortars, 167
Judge Advocate Section, 135 Flame-Throwers, 168
Medical Section, 135 Anti-Tank Weapons, 168
Ordnance Section, 137 Artillery, 169
Provost Marshal Section, 138 Armoured Fighting Vehicles, 170
Public Relations Section, 138 Light Tanks, 171
Quartermaster Section, 139 Medium Tanks - The M4 Sherman
Signal Section, 139 Series, 173
Special Services Section, 141 Heavy Tanks, 174
Tank Destroyer, 142 Tank Destroyers, 174
7
CONTENTS
Armoured Cars and Scout Cars, 176 Chaplains, 198
Patton's Household Cavalry, 177 Special Services, 198
Half-Tracks, 177 Post Exchange, 199
Field Artillery, 177
'Artillery Won the War', 177
Towed Field Artillery, 178 PART III. THE BATTLE HISTORY
Heavy Towed Artillery, 178 OF THIRD ARMY, 201
Self-Propelled Artillery, 179
A German view, 180 10. CHRONOLOGY, THIRD ARMY'S
Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA), 180 BATTLE RECORD: 1 AUGUST 1944 TO 8
Battle record, 181 MAY 1945, 203
Engineer Equipment, 181 Moving to Fiance, 203
Engineers at work, 182 Patton Arrives, 205
Signals, 183 Breakout from the Bridgehead, 205
Shortages in 1939, 183 Third Army Goes Operational, 205
Radios, 183 Weekly Chronology, 207-233
Wire Communications, 184
Linemen for the Army, 184 11. OPERATIONAL SUMMARY, 236
From the Channel to the Alps, 236
9. THE SERVICES, SPECIALIST Decorations, 236
WEAPONS, VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT, Records of the Supporting Arms
186 and Services, 237
Chemical Warfare Service Annex 'A' to Chapter 11: Corps
(CWS), 186 And Divisions that Served with
Protection and neutralisation, 186 US Third Army in Combat, 241
Smoke Generators, 186
Chemical Mortars, 186 PART IV. END OF AN OLD
Other Tasks, 187 CAMPAIGNER, BIRTH OF A
Quartermaster Corps (QMC), 187 LEGEND, 243
A determination to succeed, 187
QMC responsibility, 188 12. NEW CHALLENGES, 245
QMC Companies, 188 Section 1: The Traumas of Peace,
The Red Ball Express, 188 245
Vehicles used, 188 Lucky's Last Operational Briefing,
Always overstretched, 192 245
Ordnance, 193 Patton's General Order for VE-Day,
Unit fitters, 193 246
Ordnance Maintenance Company, Occupation Problems for Patton, 247
194 All Good Things Must Come to an
Medical, 195 End, 248
Two types of medics, 195 Fifteenth Army, 248
Ambulances, 196 Section 2: The Accident, 250
Types of hospital, 196 Section 3: Patton, the Man and
General evacuation plan, 196 the Legend, 253
Air evacuation, 197 A change of heart, 253
Under the Red Cross, 197 'Not to be beaten', 254
Military Police, 197
Motorcycles, 197 BIBLIOGRAPHY, 257
MPs on traffic duty, 198 INDEX, 259
8
Acknowledgements
As always I have many people to thank for their help with the preparation
of this book, first and foremost Mrs Katie Talbot, the Librarian of the Pat-
ton Museum of Cavalry and Armor, for her generous, unstinting and con-
tinued support. She has provided me with a constant stream of
information and advice, not to mention allowing me to borrow many of
the Museum's photographs and, most importantly, a copy of the massive
After Action Report in which all Third Army's wartime operations are
recorded. I have dedicated this book to the Patton Museum, the living sym-
bol of GSP's sparkling career, so as to record formally my thanks to her, to
John Purdy the Museum Director and to all his staff. Next I must thank
Mike Province, President and Founder of the George Smith Patton, Jr His-
torical Society for his usual generous help. He is due to visit England this
autumn, so I will be able to thank him in person. As well as all those who
have allowed me to quote from their works on Third Army, both published
and unpublished, I must also thank the Tank Museum, the Ministry of
Defence Library, the US Army Center of Military History and the US Army
Military History Institute for their invaluable assistance. Finally I must
thank Colonel Owsley Costlow, Colonel Haynes Dugan and Colonel James
Leach, DSC, all US Armor Retd, also Colonel David Higgins, US Armor,
who is currently Deputy Commander of the RAC Gunnery School. Thank
you all for your help and kindness.
George Forty
Bryantspuddle, Dorset
August 1995
9
Introduction
Some years ago I had the privilege of being asked to write an illustrated
history of the exploits of the US Third Army in the Second World War.
I found it a stimulating experience, not just because of their incredible
war record - they went farther, faster than any other army had done in
history; not just because of their great commander whom I had always
rated as being one of the best armour commanders ever; but mainly
because of the large number of ex-Third Army GIs with whom I had
the pleasure of corresponding - and still do in a number of cases. From
them I believe I was able to get a far truer picture of GSP and all he
achieved, than from the myriad of books that have been written about
him since the war ended. Everyone nowadays seems to delight in try-
ing to prove that our war heroes had feet of clay, so someone as flam-
boyant as Patton is a perfect target. He was no politician, that is for
certain, but he was a highly successful soldier, and it is on his
undoubted success in his chosen field of endeavour, namely as a mili-
tary commander, that we should judge him.
Patton was the only senior armour commander of the Second
World War who had fought in tanks during the Great War at a suffi-
ciently high level as to be able fully to appreciate their true worth, yet
had not become hidebound by the semi-static tactics of that battlefield.
GSP handled tanks the way they should be handled - with elan, but at
the same time with common sense and expertise. One can criticise him
for his use of colourful bad language - but his soldiers loved it; for his
lack of tact off the battlefield - but as he once said, he wasn't trying to
be the 'Shah of Persia'; for his flamboyant dress - but his soldiers were
smarter than any other GIs; or even for his penchant for carrying two
pistols - although he was an expert shot and did kill at least two men
with them; but one cannot fault him for his generalship of armour.
However, this book is not meant to be just another biography
of Patton, but rather a 'nuts and bolts' primer on the armies he com-
manded - and what a fascinating collection they were! In 1918 he led
the first US tank brigade in its first tank action, having formed and
trained it virtually from scratch. At the beginning of the Second World
War he was in command of the 2nd Armored Division, training it to
perfection and ensuring that it would live up to its reputation and
never lose the fighting spirit which he had so imbued into all his 'Hell
on Wheelers'.
10