Who was General George S. Patton?

General George S. Patton was one of America's most famous and colorful generals. He is best remembered for leading the Seventh Army in the Mediterranean and France during World War II. Patton participated in the 1912 Olympics competing in the Modern Pentathlon. He saw his first combat against the infamous Mexican bandit Pancho Villa. He also saw action in World War I as a member of the U.S. Tank Corps of the American Expeditionary Force.

General Patton was born 11 NOV 1885 in San Gabriel, California to George Smith Patton, Sr. and Ruth Wilson. Although his father was a lawyer, George Patton, Jr. came from a long line of illustrious military men. His grandfather George Patton was a Colonel in the Confederate Army who was killed at the 3rd Battle of Winchester, Virginia. His grandfather's brother Lt. Col. Waller Patton was killed in Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg. He also was a direct descendant of Brigadier General Hugh Mercer who was killed at the Battle of Princeton during the American Revolution.

Famous Kin

Having achieved such legendary status during his own lifetime, it comes as no surprise that General George S. Patton has a rather extensive group of famous kin. He has a number of family connections to people who achieved much of their fame during wartime, including General George Washington, General Hugh Mercer, General Robert E. Lee, General Douglas MacArthur, and Sir Winston Churchill. He also counts a number of American presidents as kin such as Zachary Taylor, James Madison, Theodore Roosevelt and both George Bushes. There is also a couple of royal connections to Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana. Two of his more interesting connections are to Capt. William Lewis Herndon, of S.S. Central America fame, and Fletcher Christian, of Mutiny on the Bounty fame.