George S. Patton A Register of His Papers in the Library of Congress Prepared by Allen Kitchens and Esther Coles Additions arranged by various staff members of the Manuscript Division Expanded and revised by Connie L. Cartledge Manuscript Division, Library of Congress Washington, D.C. 1998 Contact information: http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/mss/address.html Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Manuscript Division, 2000 2004-11-10 converted from EAD 1.0 to EAD 2002 Collection Summary Title: Papers of George S. Patton Span Dates: 1807-1979 Bulk Dates: (bulk 1904-1945) ID No.: MSS35634 Creator: Patton, George S. (George Smith), 1885-1945 Extent: 26,100 items; 78 containers plus 23 oversize; 40 linear feet; 10 microfilm reels Language: Collection material in English Repository: Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Abstract: U.S. Army officer. Correspondence, memoranda, diaries, journals, writings, speeches and lectures, military papers, scrapbooks, military publications, maps, photographs, and other papers relating primarily to Patton's military career as a student at the U.S. Military Academy (1904-1909), member of John J. Pershing's Punitive Expedition into Mexico (1916), aide-de- camp to Pershing and later tank commander in Europe during World War I, and commander of forces in Europe and North Africa during World War II. Selected Search Terms The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein. Names: Patton, George S. (George Smith), 1885-1945 Alexander of Tunis, Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, Earl, 1891-1969--Correspondence Allen, Terry de la Mesa, 1888-1969--Correspondence Arnold, Henry Harley, 1886-1950--Correspondence Ayer, Charles Fanning, 1865-1956--Correspondence Ayer, Frederick, 1917?-1974--Correspondence Bradley, Omar Nelson, 1893-1981--Correspondence Brown, Arvin H.--Correspondence Clark, Mark W. (Mark Wayne), 1896-1984--Correspondence Clay, Lucius D. (Lucius DuBignon), 1897-1978--Correspondence Codman, Charles R.--Correspondence Crittenberger, Willis Dale, 1890-1980--Correspondence Devers, Jacob L. (Jacob Loucks), 1887-1979--Correspondence Dillingham, Walter Francis, 1875-1968--Correspondence Doolittle, James Harold, 1896- --Correspondence Eddy, Manton S. (Manton Sprague), 1892-1962--Correspondence Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969--Correspondence Ennis, Riley Finlay, 1897- --Correspondence Flint, Harry Albert, d. 1944--Correspondence Gay, Hobart R. (Hobart Raymond), 1894- --Correspondence George, Charles P., 1886-1946--Correspondence Gillem, Alvan Cullom, 1888-1973--Correspondence Grow, Robert W., 1895-1985--Correspondence Haislip, Wade H. (Wade Hampton), 1889-1971--Correspondence Handy, Thomas T. (Thomas Troy), 1892-1982--Correspondence Harbord, James G. (James Guthrie), 1866-1947--Correspondence Harmon, Ernest Nason, 1894-1979--Correspondence Henry, Guy Vernor, 1839-1899--Correspondence Hodges, Courtney H., 1887-1966--Correspondence Joyce, Kenyon Ashe, 1879-1960--Correspondence Juin, Alphonse, 1888-1967--Correspondence Keyes, Geoffrey, 1888-1967--Correspondence Papers of George S. Patton 2 Lee, John Clifford Hodges, 1887-1958--Correspondence Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1902- --Correspondence Lucas, John Porter, 1890-1949--Correspondence McNair, Lesley James, 1883-1944--Correspondence Marshall, George C. (George Catlett), 1880-1959--Correspondence Merrill, Keith, 1887-1959--Correspondence Middleton, Troy H. (Troy Houston), 1889-1976--Correspondence Miles, Sherman, 1882-1966--Correspondence Nogus, Charles, 1876-1971--Correspondence Oliphant, Elmer Q. (Elmer Quillen), 1893-1975--Correspondence Parks, Floyd Lavinius, 1896-1959--Correspondence Patton, Beatrice Banning Ayer, 1886-1953--Correspondence Patton, George S. (George Smith), 1885-1945--Correspondence Paul, Willard Stewart, 1894-1966--Correspondence Pershing, John J. (John Joseph), 1860-1948 Pershing, John J. (John Joseph), 1860-1948--Correspondence Scott, Charles L. (Charles Lewis), 1883-1954--Correspondence Simpson, William H. (William Hood), 1888-1982--Correspondence Smith, Walter Bedell, 1895-1961--Correspondence Somervell, Brehon Burke, 1892-1955--Correspondence Spaatz, Carl, 1891-1974--Correspondence Stimson, Henry Lewis, 1867-1950--Correspondence Summerall, Charles Pelot, 1867-1955--Correspondence Surles, Alexander D. (Alexander Day), 1886-1947--Correspondence Truscott, Lucian King, 1895-1965--Correspondence Ulio, James Alexander, 1882-1958--Correspondence Walker, Walton Harris, 1889-1950--Correspondence Wallace, Frederick C.--Correspondence Williams, J. J. Bethurun--Correspondence Wood, John Shirley, 1888-1966--Correspondence United States. Army--History--Punitive Expedition into Mexico, 1916 United States Military Academy Subjects: Cavalry Denazification Refugees Sabers Tank warfare War casualties World War, 1914-1918--Europe--Tank warfare World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Africa, North World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--France--Normandy World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Germany World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Italy--Sicily World War, 1939-1945--Africa, North World War, 1939-1945--Europe Occupation: Army officers Papers of George S. Patton 3 Administrative Information Provenance: The papers of George S. Patton, army officer and author, were given to the Library of Congress in 1955 by Mrs. Samuel J. Graham and in 1964 by George S. Patton III, Mrs. James W. Totten, John Knight Waters, Jr., and George Patton Waters. Additional material was received from the Patton family, some via Martin Blumenson, and from Culbreth Sudler, Jr., from 1970 to 1986. Processing History: The papers of George S. Patton were arranged and described in 1964. Additional material was incorporated into the collection in 1979 and 1995. The collection description was expanded and revised in 1998. Transfers: Duplicate maps have been transferred to the Library's Geography and Map Division where they are identified as part of these papers. Copyright Status: Copyright in the unpublished writings of George S. Patton in these papers and in other collections of papers in the custody of the Library of Congress has been dedicated to the public. Microfilm: A microfilm edition of a portion of these papers is available from the Library's Photoduplication Service for purchase subject to the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.). A microfilm copy of one volume of Patton's diary on one reel may be requested on interlibrary loan through the Library's Loan Division. The United States Department of the Army's two reels of microfilm containing Patton's personnel file and the microfilm of the scrapbooks on seven reels are not available for interlibrary loan. Preferred Citation: Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Container or reel number, George S. Patton Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Biographical Note Date Event 1885, Nov. 11 Born, San Gabriel, Calif. 1903-1904 Attended Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Va. 1909 Graduated, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. Assigned to Fifteenth United States Cavalry, Fort Sheridan, Ill., and Fort Myer, Va. 1910 Married Beatrice Banning Ayer 1912 Member, American team, XII Olympiad, Stockholm, Sweden, finishing fifth in modern pentathlon 1912-1913 Attended French cavalry school, Saumur, France 1913 Graduated, United States Cavalry School, Fort Riley, Kans. 1913-1915 Instructor in weapons, United States Cavalry School, Fort Riley, Kans. Papers of George S. Patton 4 1915-1916 Assigned to Eighth United States Cavalry, Fort Bliss, Tex. 1916-1917 Aide-de-camp to General John J. Pershing, Mexican Punitive Expedition 1917 Aide-de-camp to General John J. Pershing, Commander-in-Chief, American Expeditionary Forces Commanded Headquarters Troop, American Expeditionary Forces 1917-1918 Detailed as first member of American Tank Corps and attended French Tank School, Camplieu, France Organized American Tank School, Langres, France 1918 Promoted to temporary rank of lieutenant colonel 1918-1921 Commander, 304th Tank Brigade 1919-1921 Invented a coaxial gun mount 1921-1922 Commander, First Squadron, Third United States Cavalry, Fort Myer, Va. 1923-1928 United States Army General Staff, Boston, Mass., 1923-1924; Hawaii, 1924-1928 1928-1931 Served in Office of the Chief of Cavalry, United States Army 1932 Graduated, United States Army War College 1932-1935 Executive officer, Third United States Cavalry, Fort Myer, Va. 1934 Promoted to lieutenant colonel 1935-1937 G-2, United States Army General Staff, Hawaiian Department 1938 Promoted to colonel Commander, Fifth United States Cavalry, Fort Clark, Tex. 1938-1940 Commander, Third United States Cavalry, Fort Myer, Va. 1940 Promoted to brigadier general 1940-1941 Commander, Second Armored Brigade, Second Armored Division, Fort Benning, Ga. 1941 Promoted to major general 1941-1942 Commander, Second Armored Division, Fort Benning, Ga. 1942 Commander, I Armored Corps, First and Second Armored Divisions 1942-1943 Commanded Western Task Force during Allied landings and subsequent campaign in North Africa Transferred to command of United States II Corps Papers of George S. Patton 5 1943 Promoted to lieutenant general Relinquished command of II Corps to Omar Nelson Bradley Resumed command of I Armored Corps in preparation for invasion of Sicily 1943-1944 Commanded Seventh United States Army in Sicilian