General George Patton – Remembering a Hero

Remembering the World War II hero, General George Patton

On this Veterans Day, I thought it appropriate to pay homage to one of our greatest generals—George S. Patton. Last summer while visiting Luxembourg, I took the opportunity to visit the cemetery where he was buried. Luxembourg is a small country in central Europe, surrounded by Belgium, Germany and France. The Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial is located about 6 km outside Luxembourg City, the country’s capital.

 

Upon coming to the cemetery, the first thing you notice are the impressive gates. Then to the left is a beautiful building where you can learn more about some of the soldiers buried here. Along with General Patton, there are soldiers who were awarded the Medal of Honor for heroic deeds during the Battle of Ardennes, also know as the Battle of the Bulge. This battle took place in the forested regions of France, Belgium and Luxembourg and was the turning point of World War II.

As you stroll through the grounds, you’ll come upon a small chapel which is about 60’ high. Over the door is an impressive angle. Inside is an altar, flanked by American flags. The ceiling is a beautiful fresco depicting the Holy Spirit in the center, surrounded by four angels.

 

A walk through the cemetery displayed the tombstones of young soldiers most who had fallen during the Battle of the Bulge or after the invasion of Normandy, France during World War II.

 

If you haven’t been to Europe to see the cemeteries, you may be surprised at the number of soldiers and locations commemorating their ultimate sacrifice. In Luxembourg, as in other countries, the cemetery was donated to the United States in perpetuity as a final resting place of those who so bravely gave the ultimate sacrifice. There are also cemeteries of allies and those of Germans, too.

 

Visiting this cemetery, where General George Patton was buried, honored him and the other soldiers. If you don’t know Patton’s story, you might find his history quite fascinating. I know I did. The movie Patton, with George C. Scott playing the lead role, traces his life and deeds. Patton’s own daughter said that Mr. Scott did an amazing job of truly portraying her father.

Patton himself was a military genius who studied the famous battles of the past. His understanding of battle strategy helped him to defeat the best of opponents. During the Battle of the Bulge, he commanded the Third Army. Against all odds, he moved his men with amazing speed to rescue the 101^st Airborne division who had been surrounded by the Germans. A fete no other general thought possible.

 

One of my favorite stories about him involved the saving of the Lipizzan (or Lipizzaner) stallions from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria. Upon hearing of the advancing German army, Patton moved the stallions out of harm’s way. Thus, saving these beautiful “dancing” horses who move like no other stallions.

Patton was also quite opinionated and often drew criticism by expressing his thoughts and beliefs. The press often saw him as a brute and he fell out-of-favor with his higher-ups. While he certainly led a controversial life, his military genius helped save a world from Nazi domination. That’s why on November 11^th, the anniversary of Patton’s birth, it’s fitting to pay homage to him and the many other military personnel who have served our country in the past and those who serve today.