95-564: The United States Army Transportation Corps S160 Class is a class of 2-8-0 Consolidation steam locomotive , designed for heavy freight work in Europe during World War II . A total of 2,120 were built and they worked on railroads across much of the world, including Africa , Asia , all of Europe and South America . During the 1930s, the United States Army Transportation Corps approved an update of
190-777: A Baldwin Locomotive Works World War I design, to be used, if required, for war transportation. The result was the S159 Class loco. During the early period of World War II, when America was neutral, the government of Franklin D. Roosevelt approved the Lend-Lease supply to the United Kingdom of the S200 Class , a 2-8-2 configuration, designed specifically to fit into the restricted British loading gauge . With America's entry to World War II,
285-693: A banana-shaped cart called a gondola. During the Spanish–American War , the task of mobilizing and deploying a largely volunteer force to Cuba and the Philippines magnified the need for a separate transportation service within the Quartermaster Department. Army transporters worked with both the civilian railroads and the maritime industry to pull together a successful intermodal operation. The American Expeditionary Force that deployed to France during World War I emphasized
380-468: A collapse of the firebox crown, with the first leading to the death of a GWR fireman on No. 2403 in November 1943. Although there are claims that the stay bolts or firebox design were less than for domestic locomotive boilers, the locomotives were equipped with a "boiler built to comply in all aspects with the A.S.M.E. Boiler Code, except that the shell shall have a factor safety of 4." Judging accurately
475-561: A fencing instructor. He was the first Army officer to be designated "Master of the Sword", a title denoting the school's top instructor in swordsmanship. Arriving in September 1913, he taught fencing to other cavalry officers, many of whom were senior to him in rank. Patton graduated from this school in June 1915. He was originally intended to return to the 15th Cavalry, which was bound for
570-478: A foraging expedition, killing Julio Cárdenas and two of his guards. It was not clear if Patton personally killed any of the men, but he was known to have wounded all three. The incident garnered Patton both Pershing's good favor and widespread media attention as a "bandit killer". Shortly after, he was promoted to first lieutenant while a part of the 10th Cavalry on May 23, 1916. Patton remained in Mexico until
665-554: A high-pitched voice and worried that this would make it impossible for him to inspire his troops. For his skill in running and fencing, Patton was selected as the Army's entry for the first modern pentathlon at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm , Sweden. Patton was the only American among the 42 pentathletes, who were all officers. Patton placed twenty-first on the pistol range, seventh in swimming , fourth in fencing , sixth in
760-504: A later bullet passed through them, but the judges decided that one of his bullets missed the target completely. Modern competitions at this level frequently now employ a moving backdrop specifically to track multiple shots through the same hole. If his assertion was correct, Patton would likely have won an Olympic medal in the event. The judges' ruling was upheld. Patton's only comment on the matter was: The high spirit of sportsmanship and generosity manifested throughout speaks volumes for
855-528: A long life, including axlebox grease lubricators, and rolled plates in preference to castings. With cast frames (a few had frames which were flame-cut from rolled steel slabs) and cast wheels, the front two driving axles were sprung independently from the rear two driving axles, to cater for running on poor-quality track. The larger tender layout was derived from the similar design of the British WD Austerity 2-8-0 , with an inset coal bunker above
950-636: A new sword for such attacks. He was temporarily assigned to the Office of the Army Chief of Staff , and in 1913, the first 20,000 of the Model 1913 Cavalry Saber —popularly known as the "Patton saber"—were ordered. Patton then returned to Saumur to learn advanced techniques before bringing his skills to the Mounted Service School at Fort Riley , Kansas, where he would be both a student and
1045-621: A ruptured aneurysm after falling while riding her horse in a hunt with her brother and others at the Myopia Hunt Club in South Hamilton, Massachusetts . Patton was an Episcopalian . The Patton family was of English , Irish , Scots-Irish , Scottish , French and Welsh ancestry. His great-grandmother came from an aristocratic Welsh family, descended from many Welsh lords of Glamorgan , which had an extensive military background. Patton believed he had formerly lived as
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#17327872536691140-412: A soldier and took pride in mystical ties with his ancestors. Though not directly descended from George Washington , Patton traced some of his English colonial roots to George Washington's great-grandfather. He is a 1st cousin six times removed of George Washington. He was also descended from England's King Edward I through Edward's son Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent . Family belief held
1235-732: A tank in an attack on German machine guns near the town of Cheppy . His orderly, Private First Class Joe Angelo , saved Patton, for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). Patton commanded the battle from a shell hole for another hour before being evacuated. Although the 35th Division (of which Patton's tank troop was a component) eventually captured Varennes , it did so with heavy losses. Trying to move his reserve tanks forward, Patton relates that he might have killed one of his own men, stating: "Some of my reserve tanks were stuck by some trenches. So I went back and made some Americans hiding in
1330-417: A tough guy, Patton was deeply affected by the horror of war and suffered from post-traumatic stress. What had been a high on the battlefield turned into the giant letdown that is so common to soldiers who have been in combat. Patton left France for New York City on March 2, 1919. After the war, he was assigned to Camp Meade, Maryland , and reverted to his permanent rank of captain on June 30, 1920, though he
1425-692: A unique solution - gun trucks . On 31 July 1986, the Transportation Corps was inducted into the U.S. Army Regimental System . In 1990 the Transportation Corps faced one of its greatest challenges with the onset of the Gulf War . During Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm , the Transportation Corps working out of ports on three continents demonstrating its ability to deploy and sustain massive forces. Operations in Somalia , Rwanda, Haiti , Bosnia , and Iraq have also seen
1520-564: A weapon that would later become an icon of Patton's image. In March 1916, Mexican forces loyal to Pancho Villa crossed into New Mexico and raided the border town of Columbus . The violence in Columbus killed several Americans. In response, the U.S. launched the Pancho Villa Expedition into Mexico. Chagrined to discover that his unit would not participate, Patton appealed to expedition commander John J. Pershing , and
1615-476: A younger sister, Anne, nicknamed "Nita". Nita became engaged to John J. Pershing , Patton's mentor, in 1917, but the engagement ended because of their separation during Pershing's time in France during World War I. As a child, Patton had difficulty learning to read and write, but eventually overcame this and was known in his adult life to be an avid reader. He was tutored from home until the age of eleven, when he
1710-624: Is a combat service support branch of the U.S. Army . It is responsible for the movement of personnel and material by truck, rail, air, and sea. It is one of three U.S. Army logistics branches, the others being the Quartermaster Corps and the Ordnance Corps . The Corps was established in its current form on 31 July 1942, with predecessor services dating back to the American Civil War. The Transportation Corps
1805-817: Is conducted at Fort Leonard Wood , Missouri. George S. Patton Border War World War I World War II George Smith Patton III (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II , then the Third Army in France and Germany after the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Born in 1885, Patton attended
1900-695: Is currently headquartered at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia . The officer in charge of the branch for doctrine, training, and professional development purposes is the Chief of Transportation (CoT) and Commandant of the US Army Transportation School, currently held by BG Beth A. Behn. The Corps's motto is "Nothing Happens Until Something Moves" ( https://transportation.army.mil/ ). During the American Civil War , transportation proved to be an integral part of military logistics through
1995-559: Is not found in 1942 and 1943 Baldwin drawing indexes, the Lima drawing index for the class, nor in meeting minutes in which representatives of the War Department and the three builders made several design decisions prior to production. It is also not found in any of approximately 900 engineering drawings which are still in existence. The Baldwin designation for the design, 2-8-0-19S, is found in their drawing indexes, on some drawings, and
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#17327872536692090-515: Is stamped onto major locomotive components on examples built by Baldwin. There were several major variants of the S160 class, excluding in-life design development: Mainly due to their numbers, rather than the design or build quality, at least 26 examples of the S160 have survived into preservation, making them one of the most numerous survivors of all Mainline Steam Locomotives: United States Army Transportation Corps The Transportation Corps
2185-466: The 2nd Armored Division . Patton led U.S. troops into the Mediterranean theater with an invasion of Casablanca during Operation Torch in 1942, and soon established himself as an effective commander by rapidly rehabilitating the demoralized II Corps . He commanded the U.S. Seventh Army during the Allied invasion of Sicily , where he was the first Allied commander to reach Messina . There he
2280-684: The American Revolutionary War . Patton's father, who graduated from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), became a lawyer and later the district attorney of Los Angeles County . Patton's maternal grandfather was Benjamin Davis Wilson , a merchant who had been the second Mayor of Los Angeles . His father was a wealthy rancher and lawyer who owned a one-thousand-acre (400 ha) ranch near Pasadena, California . Wilson had married into one of
2375-588: The East Coast Main Line . This started a pattern whereby each of the four British railway companies eventually deployed a total of 400 S160's under the guise of "running in," but factually replacing damaged stock and increasing the capacity of the British railway system to allow for shipping of military pre-invasion equipment and troops. The eventual deployment of S160's were: The second batch of 400 S160's were prepared for storage by USATC personnel at
2470-604: The FS Class 736 class. Under the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration , a number of S160s were deployed to China and South Korea . In addition to this, a 1944 batch of 60 from Baldwin were sent to India and locally assembled. Although "S160" has been popularly adopted as the class identification for this design of War Department Consolidation, it can not be verified as an official designation despite considerable research. The S160 designation
2565-753: The German High Command . An award-winning biographical film released in 1970, Patton , helped popularize his image. George Smith Patton Jr. was born on November 11, 1885, in the Los Angeles suburb of San Gabriel, California , to George Smith Patton Sr. and his wife, Ruth Wilson, the daughter of Benjamin Davis Wilson , the second mayor of Los Angeles, and Margaret Hereford, a widow from Virginia. The wealthy Patton family resided at Lake Vineyard, built by Benjamin Wilson, on 128 acres (52 ha) in present-day San Marino, California . Patton had
2660-655: The Knickerbocker Theatre in D.C. From 1922 to mid-1923 he attended the Field Officer's Course at the Cavalry School at Fort Riley, then he attended the Command and General Staff College from mid-1923 to mid-1924, graduating 25th out of 248. In August 1923, Patton saved several children from drowning when they fell off a yacht during a boating trip off Salem, Massachusetts . He was awarded
2755-630: The North African Campaign , their Transport Corps brought the S160s with them. These locomotives moved across the north of the continent as Patton's troops waged war, and when the troops moved to Italy the majority of their S160s moved up with them. These locomotives, supplemented with those directly imported from America, were eventually to create a group of 243 locomotives, subsumed by the Italian State Railway's to become
2850-608: The United States Fifteenth Army for slightly more than two months. Severely injured in an auto accident, he died in Germany twelve days later, on December 21, 1945. Patton's colorful image, hard-driving personality, and success as a commander were at times overshadowed by his controversial public statements. His philosophy of leading from the front, and his ability to inspire troops with attention-getting, vulgarity-laden speeches, such as his famous address to
2945-730: The Virginia Military Institute and the United States Military Academy at West Point . He studied fencing and designed the M1913 Cavalry Saber , more commonly known as the "Patton Saber." He competed in the modern pentathlon in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm , Sweden. Patton entered combat during the Pancho Villa Expedition of 1916, the United States' first military action using motor vehicles. He fought in World War I as part of
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3040-845: The armistice of November 11, 1918 . For his actions in Cheppy, Patton received the Silver Star , later upgraded to the DSC. The citation for the medal read: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Colonel (Armor) George Smith Patton, Jr. (ASN: 0-2605), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Tank Corps, A.E.F., near Cheppy, France, 26 September 1918. Colonel Patton displayed conspicuous courage, coolness, energy, and intelligence in directing
3135-419: The equestrian competition, and third in the footrace, finishing fifth overall and first among the non-Swedish competitors. There was some controversy concerning his performance in the pistol shooting competition, in which he used a .38 caliber U.S. Army-issue pistol while most of the other competitors chose .22 caliber firearms. He claimed that the holes in the paper from his early shots were so large that
3230-813: The modern pentathlon . He competed in this sport in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm , and he finished in fifth place—right behind four Swedes . Patton graduated number 46 out of 103 cadets at West Point on June 11, 1909, and received a commission as a second lieutenant in the Cavalry branch of the United States Army . At age 24, Patton married Beatrice Banning Ayer, the daughter of Boston industrialist Frederick Ayer , on May 26, 1910, in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts . They had three children, Beatrice Smith (born March 1911), Ruth Ellen (born February 1915), and George Patton IV (born December 1923). Patton's wife Beatrice died on September 30, 1953, from
3325-651: The 304th Tank Brigade and was reassigned to Fort Myer as commander of 3rd Squadron, 3rd Cavalry . Loathing duty as a peacetime staff officer , he spent much time writing technical papers and giving speeches on his combat experiences at the General Staff College. In July 1921 Patton became a member of the American Legion Tank Corps Post No. 19. Maj. Patton led the rescue effort after the January 1922 blizzard destroyed
3420-525: The A B C Highway moved men and supplies from the Belgian port of Antwerp to the front. The story of the Red Ball Express was told in the 1950s movie Red Ball Express . There was a short lived television series in the early 1970s named Roll Out which focused on the experiences of a fictional African American motor transportation unit involved with the Red Ball Express. The Cold War between
3515-598: The American Army. In addition, he was also awarded the Purple Heart for his combat wounds after the decoration was created in 1932. On 11 November 1918, World War I ended. In the months and years that followed Patton was haunted by his experience in the Meuse–Argonne. Although he emerged from the war with honours and acclaim, the year 1918 took its toll and the price was indeed high. Contrary to his image as
3610-614: The D-Day invasion called the Communications Zone, or Com-Z), European Theater of Operations. One of the greatest feats of the Transportation Corps, via the Military Railway Service , was the rebuilding of France's shattered railroad network after D-Day and the transportation of 1,500 locomotives and 20,000 railway cars specially built for the lighter French track system starting with D-Day + 38. To speed
3705-461: The General Staff College. With Christie, Eisenhower, and a handful of other officers, Patton pushed for more development of armored warfare in the interwar era. These thoughts resonated with Secretary of War Dwight Davis , but the limited military budget and prevalence of already-established Infantry and Cavalry branches meant the U.S. would not develop its armored corps much until 1940. On September 30, 1920, then-Major Patton relinquished command of
3800-676: The Great Western's Ebbw Junction locomotive depot in the immediate run-up to D-Day . After the D-Day invasion of Normandy , the locomotives deployed across Britain again began to be collected and be refurbished at Ebbw Junction in preparation for shipment to Europe. The S160's were designed for quick and efficient building, not long-term operations, thus compromises in design led to some difficulties in operation. The axle-box grease-lubricators were not very efficient, particularly when maintenance procedures lapsed or were delayed for operational war reasons, and so axle-boxes often ran hot. Braking
3895-564: The Patton family home when George was a child. He was also a devoted horseback rider . Patton never seriously considered a career other than the military. At the age of seventeen he sought an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He also applied to several universities with military corps of cadet programs, and was accepted to Princeton , but eventually decided on Virginia Military Institute (VMI), which his father and grandfather had attended. He attended
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3990-660: The Pattons were descended from sixteen barons who had signed Magna Carta . Patton believed in reincarnation , stating that he had fought in previous battles and wars before his time, additionally, his ancestry was very important to him, forming a central part of his personal identity. The first Patton in North America was Robert Patton, born in Ayr , Scotland . He emigrated to Culpeper, Virginia , from Glasgow , in either 1769 or 1770. George Patton, Jr.'s paternal grandfather
4085-491: The Philippines. Fearing this assignment would dead-end his career, Patton travelled to Washington, D.C. , during 11 days of leave and convinced influential friends to arrange a reassignment for him to the 8th Cavalry at Fort Bliss , Texas, anticipating that instability in Mexico might boil over into a full-scale civil war. In the meantime, Patton was selected to participate in the 1916 Summer Olympics , but that Olympiad
4180-993: The Silver Lifesaving Medal for this action. He was temporarily appointed to the General Staff Corps in Boston, Massachusetts , before being reassigned as G-1 and G-2 of the Hawaiian Division at Schofield Barracks in Honolulu in March 1925. Patton was made G-3 of the Hawaiian Division for several months, before being transferred in May 1927 to the Office of the Chief of Cavalry in Washington, D.C., where he began to develop
4275-415: The Third Army , was received favorably by his troops, but much less so by a sharply divided Allied high command. His sending the doomed Task Force Baum to liberate his son-in-law, Lieutenant Colonel John K. Waters , from a prisoner-of-war camp further damaged his standing with his superiors. His emphasis on rapid and aggressive offensive action proved effective, and he was regarded highly by his opponents in
4370-414: The Third Army took the lead in relieving beleaguered American troops at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge , after which his forces drove deep into Nazi Germany by the end of the war. During the Allied occupation of Germany , Patton was named military governor of Bavaria , but was relieved for making aggressive statements towards the Soviet Union and questioning denazification . He commanded
4465-403: The Transportation Corps of the AEF was abolished after the war, The M.T.C. subsequently conducted Transcontinental Motor Convoys in 1919 and 1920. On 9 March 1942 the Transportation Service was established as part of the Services of Supply. In March 1942, the transportation functions were consolidated into the Transportation Division of the newly created Services of Supply . On 31 July 1942,
4560-522: The Transportation Service became the Transportation Corps. By the end of the war the Transportation Corps had moved more than 30 million soldiers within the continental United States; and 7 million soldiers plus 126 million tons of supplies overseas. From the beginning in England in late May 1942, the Transportation Corps operations in the ETO were directed by Colonel (later Maj. Gen.) Frank S. Ross who had been selected by Maj. Gen. John C. H. Lee , Commanding General, Services of Supply (after
4655-540: The UN Forces supplied through three winters. By the time the armistice was signed, the Transportation Corps had moved more than 3 million soldiers and 7 million tons of cargo. The Vietnam War saw the most diversified assortment of transportation units ever assembled. For over a decade the Transportation Corps provided continuous support for American and allied forces through an unimproved tropical environment using watercraft, amphibians, motor trucks and Transportation Corps aircraft. The enemy threat to convoys required
4750-458: The USATC needed a developed design from which a large number of locomotives could be constructed to run on the wrecked railways of Europe, deploying military hardware and civilian goods. Hence, the development of the S160 Class, designed by Maj. J. W. Marsh from the Railway Branch of the Corps of Engineers, which drew on previous locomotives, using austerity principles, and was built using methods which allowed for efficient and fast construction, and
4845-417: The United States and the Soviet Union extended from 1945 into 1991, spanning the Gulf War. When the Soviet Union cordoned off the city of Berlin in 1948, the Transportation Corps played a vital role in sustaining the city. Two years later, on 28 June 1950, President Harry S. Truman established the Transportation Corps as a permanent branch of the Army. During the Korean War , the Transportation Corps kept
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#17327872536694940-407: The United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. By his energy and sound judgment, Colonel Patton rendered very valuable services in his organization and direction of the Tank Center at the Army schools at Langres, France. In the employment of Tank Corps troops in combat he displayed high military attainments, zeal, and marked adaptability in a form of warfare comparatively new to
5035-481: The actual deployment of 2120 locomotives is difficult, but the following numbers are referenced: The British locomotives, together with those shipped direct from America were also similarly deployed first with troops reclaiming Europe, and then subsumed throughout European national railways as replacements for their destroyed stock after the war: At the same time as S160s were being deployed into Britain, when General Patton led American troops in Operation Torch into
5130-426: The advance of his brigade down the valley of the Aire. Later he rallied a force of disorganized infantry and led it forward, behind the tanks, under heavy machine-gun and artillery fire until he was wounded. Unable to advance further, Colonel Patton continued to direct the operations of his unit until all arrangements for turning over the command were completed. For his leadership of the tank brigade and tank school, he
5225-488: The army, but Pershing intervened on his behalf. After the United States entered World War I , in April 1917, and Pershing was named commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Western Front , Patton requested to join his staff. Patton was promoted to captain on May 15, 1917, and left for Europe, among the 180 men of Pershing's advance party which departed May 28 and arrived in Liverpool , England, on June 8. Taken as Pershing's personal aide, Patton oversaw
5320-469: The character of the officers of the present day. There was not a single incident of a protest or any unsportsmanlike quibbling or fighting for points which I may say, marred some of the other civilian competitions at the Olympic Games. Each man did his best and took what fortune sent them like a true soldier, and at the end we all felt more like good friends and comrades than rivals in a severe competition, yet this spirit of friendship in no manner detracted from
5415-401: The clock truck convoys from allied held ports to supply troops on the front in a giant, one-way loop. There were other lesser known truck-route express operations: the Green Diamond Express operated out of Cherbourg due south, to serve the forces advancing on Brittany and Brest. Later the White Ball Highway Express operated out of Le Havre to the same depots served by the Red Ball. Later still,
5510-421: The concepts of mechanized warfare . A short-lived experiment to merge infantry, cavalry and artillery into a combined arms force was cancelled after U.S. Congress removed funding. Patton left this office in 1931, returned to Massachusetts and attended the Army War College , becoming a "Distinguished Graduate" in June 1932. In July 1932, Patton (still a Major) was executive officer of the 3rd Cavalry, which
5605-438: The crack of my bottom about two inches to the left of my rectum. It was fired at about 50 m [160 ft] so made a hole about the size of a [silver] dollar where it came out." While recuperating from his wound, Patton was promoted to temporary colonel in the Tank Corps of the U.S. National Army on October 17. He returned to duty on October 28 but saw no further action before hostilities ended on his 33rd birthday with
5700-459: The deployment of large numbers of transportation units. When the coalition forces invaded Afghanistan, the Transportation Corps opened up the air line of communication into the country and until 2008, a single movement control battalion managed all logistics in Regional Command-East. As the number of brigade combat teams increased in Afghanistan in 2006, the Transportation Corps began ground convoy operations. The 143rd Transportation Command opened
5795-469: The end of the year. President Woodrow Wilson forbade the expedition from conducting aggressive patrols deeper into Mexico, so it remained encamped in the Mexican border states for much of that time. In October Patton briefly retired to California after being burned by an exploding gas lamp. He returned from the expedition permanently in February 1917. After the Villa Expedition, Patton was detailed to Front Royal, Virginia , to oversee horse procurement for
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#17327872536695890-425: The front for much of their attack, which began on September 12. He walked in front of the tanks into the German-held village of Essey , and rode on top of a tank during the attack into Pannes , seeking to inspire his men. While outside the village of Essey he had his first chance meeting with Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur , then commanding a brigade of the 42nd "Rainbow" Division , who, at just thirty-eight,
5985-410: The gauge and giving a false reading. If the valves were not fully open, the crews could be misled into thinking that the water level was adequate, even though it was becoming dangerously low. When a low water condition allowed the crown sheet to overheat, the stay bolts holding the crown sheet would fail with little warning, resulting in a boiler explosion. In a space of ten months, three UK S160s suffered
6080-453: The largest port operation in the Western Hemisphere in 1864. By 1864, five of the nine divisions in the Quartermaster Department dealt exclusively with transportation. The Army Transport Service was one of the divisions that was responsible for land and water transport. A substantial number of battles were won because of the field commander's ability to swiftly and effectively move troops and supplies. Most wounded soldiers were carried away in
6175-400: The need for a single transportation manager. William W. Atterbury , a former railroad executive, was commissioned as a brigadier general and appointed as the Director-General of Transportation and a separate Motor Transport Corps of the National Army was established to manage trucks on 15 August 1918. The United States Army School for Truck Drivers had been established by 9 July 1918; and
6270-423: The new United States Tank Corps of the American Expeditionary Forces : he commanded the U.S. tank school in France, then led tanks into combat and was wounded near the end of the war. In the interwar period, Patton became a central figure in the development of the army's armored warfare doctrine, serving in numerous staff positions throughout the country. At the United States' entry into World War II, he commanded
6365-516: The new Fort Lee Transportation School. For example, Cargo Specialist (MOS 88H), Watercraft Operator (MOS 88K) and Watercraft Engineer (MOS 88L) training remained at Fort Eustis, which is the main housing of the Army's Watercraft. Railway training for Army Reserve soldiers (MOSs 88P, 88T, and 88U) and Army civilian employees also remained at Fort Eustis, as there are only warehouse tracks and no railway system available for training at Fort Lee. Motor Transportation Operator (truck driver, MOS 88M) training
6460-439: The opportunity to command troops, and was assigned to Troop C of the 13th Cavalry to assist in the manhunt for Villa and his subordinates. His initial combat experience came on May 14, 1916, in what would become the first motorized attack in the history of U.S. warfare. A force of ten soldiers and two civilian guides, under Patton's command, with the 6th Infantry in three Dodge touring cars surprised three of Villa's men during
6555-444: The order to employ armed force to disperse the veterans. Patton later stated that, though he found the duty "most distasteful", he also felt that putting the marchers down prevented an insurrection and saved lives and property. He personally led the 3rd Cavalry down Pennsylvania Avenue , dispersing the protesters. Patton also encountered his former orderly, Joe Angelo , as one of the marchers and forcibly ordered him away, fearing such
6650-403: The organization of railroads as a viable and efficient means of military transportation. The US Army centralized the management of rail into the United States Military Railroad (USMRR). The Army Quartermaster purchased eight City-class ironclads on the Mississippi River in February 1862, a full month before the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia set sail. City Point, Virginia in 1864 would become
6745-464: The original Southern California settler families by marrying Ramona Yorba, who was the daughter of prominent Californio (Spanish and Mexican settlers in California) Bernardo Yorba , after whom the city of Yorba Linda is named. Patton is also a descendant of French Huguenot Louis DuBois . Personality George S. Patton is believed to have had Narcissistic Personality Disorder by many modern psychologists and historians. Patton's first posting
6840-488: The port and supported the push to Baghdad in March 2003. After Baghdad fell in April, the maneuver operation matured into a sustainment operation with a hub and spoke supply line. Once the enemy began attacking convoys, the truck drivers responded with an age old solution of hardening trucks with steel and adding machine guns thus making gun trucks and convoy security a permanent part of Transportation doctrine. No matter how great
6935-527: The process, and avoid delays caused by French channel ports and docks destroyed by the retreating Germans, the Transportation Corps brought the heavy railroad stock across the channel and across the beaches in specially built LSTs . As allied forces rapidly advanced across France in the summer of 1944, a special transportation operation nicknamed the Red Ball Express was carried out from 25 August to 16 November. The Red Ball Express provided around
7030-613: The results of this attack by the chief of staff of the British Tank Corps , Colonel J. F. C. Fuller . On the way back to Paris, he visited the Renault factory to observe French tanks being manufactured. Patton was promoted to major on January 26, 1918. He received the first ten tanks on March 23, 1918, at the tank school at Bourg , a small village close to Langres , Haute-Marne département. The only US soldier with tank-driving experience, Patton personally backed seven of
7125-495: The school from 1903 to 1904, and though he struggled with reading and writing, performed exceptionally in uniform and appearance inspection, as well as military drill. While he was at VMI, Senator Thomas R. Bard nominated him for West Point. He was an initiate of the Beta Commission of Kappa Alpha Order . In his plebe (first) year at West Point, Patton adjusted easily to the routine. However, his academic performance
7220-514: The tanks off the train. In the post, Patton trained tank crews to operate in support of infantry, and promoted its acceptance among reluctant infantry officers. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on April 3, 1918, and attended the Command and General Staff College in Langres. In August 1918, he was placed in charge of the U.S. 1st Provisional Tank Brigade (redesignated the 304th Tank Brigade on November 6, 1918). Patton's Light Tank Brigade
7315-543: The threat, the Transportation Corps delivered the goods. During Operation New Dawn, the Transportation Corps was responsible for retrograding all the equipment out of Iraq by the December 2012 deadline. When it was established in 1942, it was based at Fort Eustis , Virginia. Headquarters were moved to Fort Lee starting in 2010. On April 27, 2023, Fort Lee was renamed Fort Gregg-Adams. At the time, only seven Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) courses were being taught at
7410-539: The training of American troops in Paris until September, then moved to Chaumont and was assigned as a post adjutant, commanding the headquarters company overseeing the base. Patton was dissatisfied with the post and began to take an interest in tanks , as Pershing sought to give him command of an infantry battalion. While in a hospital for jaundice , Patton met Colonel Fox Conner , who encouraged him to work with tanks instead of infantry. On November 10, 1917, Patton
7505-429: The trenches dig a passage. I think I killed one man here. He would not work so I hit him over the head with a shovel." Patton stopped at a rear command post to submit his report before heading to a hospital. Sereno E. Brett , commander of the U.S. 326th Tank Battalion, took command of the brigade in Patton's absence. Patton wrote in a letter to his wife: "The bullet went into the front of my left leg and came out just at
7600-578: The water tank to improve visibility when running backwards. 800 locomotives were constructed in 1942/3 in thirteen batches, split between ALCO , Baldwin and Lima Locomotive Works . Shipped to South Wales and dispatched from the Great Western Railway locomotive depot at Ebbw Junction, Newport , the first 43 locomotives were transferred to the London & North Eastern Railway 's Doncaster Works for completion, and later running in over
7695-440: The zeal with which all strove for success. Following the 1912 Olympics, Patton traveled to Saumur , France, where he learned fencing techniques from Adjutant Charles Cléry, a French "master of arms" and instructor of fencing at the cavalry school there. Bringing these lessons back to Fort Myer, Patton redesigned saber combat doctrine for the U.S. cavalry, favoring thrusting attacks over the standard slashing maneuver and designing
7790-634: Was George Smith Patton , who commanded the 22nd Virginia Infantry under Jubal Early in the Civil War and was killed in the Third Battle of Winchester , while his great-uncle Waller T. Patton was killed in Pickett's Charge leading the 7th Virginia Infantry regiment during the Battle of Gettysburg . Patton also descended from Hugh Mercer , who had been killed in the Battle of Princeton during
7885-466: Was already one of the most highly decorated officers in the AEF, and with whom Patton would serve later in his career. Patton's brigade was then moved to support I Corps for the upcoming Meuse–Argonne offensive , which began on September 26. He personally led a troop of tanks through thick fog as they advanced 5 miles (8 km) into German lines. Around 09:00, Patton was wounded while leading six men and
7980-648: Was assigned to establish the AEF Light Tank School. He left Paris and reported to the French Army 's tank training school at Champlieu near Orrouy , where he drove a Renault FT light tank . On November 20, the British launched an offensive towards the important rail center of Cambrai , using an unprecedented number of tanks. At the conclusion of his tour on December 1, Patton went to Albert , 30 miles (48 km) from Cambrai, to be briefed on
8075-637: Was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal , the citation for which reads: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Colonel (Tank Corps) George Smith Patton, Jr. (ASN: 0-2605), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of
8170-468: Was cancelled due to World War I . In 1915, Lieutenant Patton was assigned to border patrol duty with A Troop of the 8th Cavalry, based in Sierra Blanca . During his time in the town, Patton took to wearing his M1911 Colt .45 in his belt rather than a holster. His firearm discharged accidentally one night in a saloon , so he swapped it for an ivory-handled Colt Single Action Army revolver,
8265-700: Was embroiled in controversy after he slapped two shell-shocked soldiers , and was temporarily removed from battlefield command. He was assigned a key role in Operation Fortitude , the Allies' military deception campaign for Operation Overlord . At the start of the Western Allied invasion of France , Patton was given command of the Third Army, which conducted a highly successful rapid armored drive across France . Under his decisive leadership,
8360-546: Was enrolled in Stephen Cutter Clark ' s Classical School for Boys, a private school in Pasadena, for six years. Patton was described as an intelligent boy and was widely read in classical military history , particularly the exploits of Hannibal , Scipio Africanus , Julius Caesar , Joan of Arc , and Napoleon Bonaparte , as well as those of family friend John Singleton Mosby , who frequently stopped by
8455-464: Was named his personal aide for the expedition. This meant that Patton would have some role in organizing the effort, and his eagerness and dedication to the task impressed Pershing. Patton modeled much of his leadership style after Pershing, who favored strong, decisive actions and commanding from the front. As an aide, Patton oversaw the logistics of Pershing's transportation and acted as his personal courier. In mid-April, Patton asked Pershing for
8550-430: Was ordered to Washington by Army Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur . Patton took command of the 600 troops of the 3rd Cavalry, and on July 28, MacArthur ordered Patton's troops to advance on protesting veterans known as the " Bonus Army " with tear gas and bayonets . Patton was dissatisfied with MacArthur's conduct, as he recognized the legitimacy of the veterans' complaints and had himself earlier refused to issue
8645-477: Was part of Colonel Samuel Rockenbach 's Tank Corps, part of the American First Army . Personally overseeing the logistics of the tanks in their first combat use by U.S. forces, and reconnoitering the target area for their first attack himself, Patton ordered that no U.S. tank be surrendered. Patton commanded American-crewed Renault FT tanks at the Battle of Saint-Mihiel , leading the tanks from
8740-410: Was poor by modern standards, with a Westinghouse steam brake used for the locomotive, which was woefully insufficient, due to the long distance from the driver's valve to the brake cylinder. A major fault of the S160 was use of a single water gauge of a Klinger design, unfamiliar to U.K. crews; it was necessary to open the top and bottom cocks slowly or the check valves would close, trapping water in
8835-833: Was promoted to major again the next day. Patton was given temporary duty in Washington D.C. that year to serve on a committee writing a manual on tank operations. During this time he developed a belief that tanks should be used not as infantry support, but rather as an independent fighting force. Patton supported the M1919 design created by J. Walter Christie , a project which was shelved due to financial considerations. While on duty in Washington, D.C., in 1919, Patton met Dwight D. Eisenhower , who would play an enormous role in Patton's future career. During and following Patton's assignment in Hawaii, he and Eisenhower corresponded frequently. Patton sent notes and assistance to help Eisenhower graduate from
8930-439: Was so poor that he was forced to repeat his first year after failing mathematics . He excelled at military drills, though his academic performance remained average. He was cadet sergeant major during his junior year, and the cadet adjutant his senior year. He also joined the football team, but he injured his arm and stopped playing on several occasions. Instead he tried out for the sword team and track and field and specialized in
9025-446: Was with the 15th Cavalry at Fort Sheridan, Illinois , where he established himself as a dilligent leader who impressed superiors with his dedication. In late 1911, Patton was transferred to Fort Myer , Virginia, where many of the Army's senior leaders were stationed. Befriending Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson , Patton served as his aide at social functions on top of his regular duties as quartermaster for his troop. Patton had
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