Patton, George S.

Patton, George S. (1885–1945) military officer, born in San Gabriel, California. Patton was an aide to Gen. John J. Pershing during the army's attempt to capture the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa (1916–17). Patton accompanied Pershing to France in 1917 and became an expert in tank warfare. He commanded the Western Task Forces whose invasion of North Africa in 1942 led to the French surrender there in only three days. Patton led the Allied invasion of Sicily (1943), another quick victory. He trained the U.S. 3rd Army to follow the Allies into France after D-Day (1944) and won praise for his boldness and surefootedness. Patton's quick action in the Battle of the Bulge (1944–45) was instrumental in stopping the Nazi offensive and led to his becoming a four-star general. However, his concerns about future Soviet aggression led him to oppose rapid denazification of postwar Germany, a controversial position that cost him his command. He died from a broken neck suffered in an automobile accident.