George S. Patton (US WWII General)

Biography: George S. Patton played a significant role in World War II. He is best known for his leadership of the United States' Third Army in 1944, during which he led a successful armored drive across France and into Nazi Germany. Patton's aggressive tactics and skill in mobile warfare contributed to the Allied victory.

Born in 1885, Patton graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1909. He competed in the modern pentathlon at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm. During World War I, Patton served in the newly formed Tank Corps, where he developed his expertise in armored warfare.

In World War II, Patton commanded the Western Task Force during Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa in 1942. He later led the U.S. Seventh Army during the invasion of Sicily in 1943. During this campaign, Patton was temporarily removed from command after slapping two soldiers suffering from combat stress, an incident that nearly ended his career.

Patton was reinstated in 1944 to lead the Third Army in France following the D-Day invasion. His forces advanced rapidly across France, relieving the besieged city of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. Patton's Third Army continued into Germany, covering more ground in less time than any other army in history.

After the war, Patton was involved in a car accident in Germany and died from his injuries in December 1945. His legacy as a military leader was later popularized by the 1970 film "Patton," starring George C. Scott.