THE ARMIES OF GEORGE S. PATTON G E O R GE F O R TY THE ARMIES OF GEORGE S. PATTON George Forty ARMS AND ARMOUR THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE PATTON MUSEUM OF CAVALRY AND ARMOR, FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY Arms and Armour Press A Cassell Imprint Wellington House, 125 Strand, London WC2R OBB. Distributed in the USA by Sterling Publishing Co. Inc., 387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810. First published in paperback 1998 © George Forty, 1996 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying recording or any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the Publisher. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data: a catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 1-85409-484-X Maps by Adam Forty. Designed and edited by DAG Publications Ltd. Designed by David Gibbons; edited by Michael Boxall; Printed and bound in Great Britain by MPG Books Ltd. Bodmin, Cornwall Jacket illustrations Front: Major General George S. Patton, Jr, Commandng General US 2nd Armored Division, photographed in front of his tank during the Louisiana manoeuvres of autumn 1941; inset, portrait of Patton painted by Boguslav Czedekowski in September 1945; US Army Photo courtesy of the Patton Museum, Fort Knox, Kentucky. Back, from top: sets of commemorative stamps featuring Patton (courtesy of Mike Province); one of the last photographs of Patton, taken in the summer of 1945 and showing him wearing most of his decorations; and the 'Pyramid of Power' - the symbol of American Armor (see page 74). All photographs in this book are US Army Photographs which have mainly been supplied courtesy of the Patton Museum, Fort Knox, Kentucky, USA, except where indicated otherwise. Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 9 3. HIGHER COMMAND, 39 INTRODUCTION, 10 Section 1: Operation 'Torch' and II Corps, 39 The Landings, 39 PART I. THE MAKING OF AN Western Task Force, 39 ARMOUR COMMANDER, 13 'I Wish I Could Get Out and Kill Someone', 41 1. THE MAKING OF AN ARMOUR II (US) Corps, 43 COMMANDER (PART ONE), 15 Infantry Divisions, 44 Section 1: The Early Years Dress and equipment, 44 (1885-1917), 15 1st Armored Division, 45 West Point, 16 Dress and equipment, 46 Joining the Cavalry, 16 Just 43 Days in Command, 47 The Olympics, 17 Back to Morocco, 47 Saumur, 18 Section 2: Operation 'Husky' and Mexico, 18 US Seventh Army, 47 Section 2: 'Treat 'em Rough!', 19 Background Planning, 47 The Move to Tanks, 19 Organisation, 49 Esprit de Corps, 20 Special Units and Equipment, 50 Organising the Tanks, 21 The Landings, 50 The 'Treat-'em Rough Boys', 23 A Clash of Personalities, 51 First Blood, 24 The End in Sicily, 52 Annex 'A' to Chapter 3: Operation 2. THE MAKING OF AN ARMOUR 'Torch', Composition of Western COMMANDER (PART TWO), 26 Task Force, 52 Section 1: Back to the Cavalry Annex 'B' to Chapter 3: Sicily - (1920-1940), 26 Composition of US Forces on D- Peacetime Reductions, 26 Day, 10 July 1943, 53 Section 2: Goodbye to Boots and Saddles! (1940-1942), 29 Organisation, 29 PART II. PATTON'S THIRD Equipment, 30 ARMY, 55 Uniform, 30 Expansion Brings Promotion, 4. US THIRD ARMY, THE BASICS, 57 Corps Command and the Desert 'Well, I have an Army and it is up Training Center, 33 to me', 57 Mission of the Desert Training Third Army's Early Years, 57 Center, 35 A New Commander, 59 Armoured Division Organisation, 35 Patton's Address to His Troops, 60 On the Move Again, 36 Operation 'Fortitude', 61 CONTENTS The Knutsford Incident, 62 Major General Gilbert R. Cook, 90 The 'Hub', 62 Major General Manton S. Eddy, Third Army, Initial Organisation of 90 Corps and Divisions, 63 Major General S. LeRoy Irwin, 92 Organic Components of Activated Lieutenant General Wade H. US Divisions initially in Third Haislip, 92 Army, 64 Lieutenant General Walton H. The Basic Divisions, 64 Walker, 93 The Infantry Division, 65 Armour Commanders, 94 The Armoured Division, 69 4th Armored Division, 94 The Airborne Division, 71 5th Armored Division, 94 A Divisional Headquarters in 6th Armored Division, 95 Action, 71 7th Armored Division, 96 Preparing for Battle, 72 8th Armored Division, 96 Annex 'A' to Chapter 4: Shoulder 9th Armored Division, 97 Patches; Nicknames and Shoulder 10th Armored Division, 97 Patches of the Initial Divisions in 11th Armored Division, 98 Third Army, 73 12th Armored Division, 98 Annex 'B' to Chapter 4: Strengths 13th Armored Division, 98 and Principal Weapons of the US 14th Armored Division, 99 Infantry Division, circa 1944, 74 16th Armored Division, 99 Annex 'C' to Chapter 4: Strengths 20th Armored Division, 99 and Principal Weapons of the US Infantry Commanders, 100 Armoured Division, circa 1944, 1st Infantry Division, 100 75 2nd Infantry Division, 100 4th Infantry Division, 100 5th Infantry Division, 101 5. PATTON, HIS IMMEDIATE STAFF AND 8th Infantry Division, 101 HIS THIRD ARMY COMMANDERS, 83 'I am a genius. I think I am', 83 26th Infantry Division, 101 Patton's Aides, 83 28th Infantry Division, 101 Charles Codman, 84 29th Infantry Division, 102 Alexander 'Al' C. Stiller, 84 35th Infantry Division, 102 Francis P. Graves, Jr, 85 42nd Infantry Division, 102 A Personal Physician, 85 65th Infantry Division, 103 GSP's Orderly, 85 69th Infantry Division, 103 Personal Driver, 86 70th Infantry Division, 103 Best Damn Cook in the US 71st Infantry Division, 103 76th Infantry Division, 104 Army!, 86 79th Infantry Division, 104 Willie, 86 80th Infantry Division, 104 Personal Accommodation, 87 83rd Infantry Division, 105 Corps Commanders, 87 86th Infantry Division, 105 Pen Portraits of the Corps 87th Infantry Division, 105 Commanders, 87 89th Infantry Division, 105 Major General John Millikin, 87 90th Infantry Division, 106 General James A. Van Fleet, 88 94th Infantry Division, 106 Major General (later General) 95th Infantry Division, 106 Clarence R. Huebner, 89 97th Infantry Division, 107 Major General Troy H. 99th Infantry Division, 107 Middleton, 89 6 CONTENTS Airborne commanders, 108 XIX Tactical Air Command, 142 Foreign commanders, 109 Annex 'A' to Chapter 6: Locations Up and coming officers, 109 of Lucky Forward between 5 July Clarke of St-Vith, 109 44 and 3 May 1945, 143 CO 37th Tank Battalion, 110 Annex 'A' to Chapter 5: Division 7. GEORGIE'S BOYS, 145 Commanders and Assistant Mobilisation and Training, 145 Division Commanders who 'A Prodigy of Organisation', 145 served with Third (US) Army The Selective Service Act, 146 between 1 August 44 and 9 May Training, 147 1945, 111 Basic training, 148 Service schools, 149 Officer training, 149 6. PATTON'S STAFF, 113 'Lucky Forward', 113 Personal reactions to induction, Principal Staff Officers in HQ Third 149 Army, 113 Tactical training, 151 The Chief of Staff, 117 Overseas training, 152 Chiefs of Staff: Biographies, 118 The Move Overseas, 153 Hobart R. Gay, 118 Embarkation, 154 Hugh Joseph Gaffey, 120 Uniforms, 156 Composition and Duties of Third Non-Combat Dress, 156 Army HQ Staff, 121 Combat Dress, 156 G-l Section (Personnel), 121 Specialised Clothing, 157 G-2 Section (Intelligence), 121 Personal Equipment, 158 G-3 Section (Operations and Webbing, 158 Training), 124 Personal Weapons, 160 G-4 Section (Supply), 125 Rations, 161 G-5 Section (Civil Affairs), 126 Living Conditions, 162 Special Staff Sections and Morale, 163 Duties, 127 Cocky Bastards, 164 Adjutant General Section, 127 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Section, 128 8. THE COMBAT ARMS, WEAPONS, Artillery Section, 128 VEHICLES, EQUIPMENT AND TACTICS, Chaplain Section, 129 165 Chemical Warfare Section, 130 Combat Arms and the Technical Engineer Section, 131 Services, 165 Finance Section, 133 The All Arms Team, 165 Headquarters Commandant Infantry Weapons, 166 Section, 134 Machine-Guns, 166 Inspector General Section, 134 Mortars, 167 Judge Advocate Section, 135 Flame-Throwers, 168 Medical Section, 135 Anti-Tank Weapons, 168 Ordnance Section, 137 Artillery, 169 Provost Marshal Section, 138 Armoured Fighting Vehicles, 170 Public Relations Section, 138 Light Tanks, 171 Quartermaster Section, 139 Medium Tanks - The M4 Sherman Signal Section, 139 Series, 173 Special Services Section, 141 Heavy Tanks, 174 Tank Destroyer, 142 Tank Destroyers, 174 7 CONTENTS Armoured Cars and Scout Cars, 176 Chaplains, 198 Patton's Household Cavalry, 177 Special Services, 198 Half-Tracks, 177 Post Exchange, 199 Field Artillery, 177 'Artillery Won the War', 177 Towed Field Artillery, 178 PART III. THE BATTLE HISTORY Heavy Towed Artillery, 178 OF THIRD ARMY, 201 Self-Propelled Artillery, 179 A German view, 180 10. CHRONOLOGY, THIRD ARMY'S Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA), 180 BATTLE RECORD: 1 AUGUST 1944 TO 8 Battle record, 181 MAY 1945, 203 Engineer Equipment, 181 Moving to Fiance, 203 Engineers at work, 182 Patton Arrives, 205 Signals, 183 Breakout from the Bridgehead, 205 Shortages in 1939, 183 Third Army Goes Operational, 205 Radios, 183 Weekly Chronology, 207-233 Wire Communications, 184 Linemen for the Army, 184 11. OPERATIONAL SUMMARY, 236 From the Channel to the Alps, 236 9. THE SERVICES, SPECIALIST Decorations, 236 WEAPONS, VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT, Records of the Supporting Arms 186 and Services, 237 Chemical Warfare Service Annex 'A' to Chapter 11: Corps (CWS), 186 And Divisions that Served with Protection and neutralisation, 186 US Third Army in Combat, 241 Smoke Generators, 186 Chemical Mortars, 186 PART IV. END OF AN OLD Other Tasks, 187 CAMPAIGNER, BIRTH OF A Quartermaster Corps (QMC), 187 LEGEND, 243 A determination to succeed, 187 QMC responsibility, 188 12. NEW CHALLENGES, 245 QMC Companies, 188 Section 1: The Traumas of Peace, The Red Ball Express, 188 245 Vehicles used, 188 Lucky's Last Operational Briefing, Always overstretched, 192 245 Ordnance, 193 Patton's General Order for VE-Day, Unit fitters, 193 246 Ordnance Maintenance Company, Occupation Problems for Patton, 247 194 All Good Things Must Come to an Medical, 195 End, 248 Two types of medics, 195 Fifteenth Army, 248 Ambulances, 196 Section 2: The Accident, 250 Types of hospital, 196 Section 3: Patton, the Man and General evacuation plan, 196 the Legend, 253 Air evacuation, 197 A change of heart, 253 Under the Red Cross, 197 'Not to be beaten', 254 Military Police, 197 Motorcycles, 197 BIBLIOGRAPHY, 257 MPs on traffic duty, 198 INDEX, 259 8 Acknowledgements As always I have many people to thank for their help with the preparation of this book, first and foremost Mrs Katie Talbot, the Librarian of the Pat- ton Museum of Cavalry and Armor, for her generous, unstinting and con- tinued support. She has provided me with a constant stream of information and advice, not to mention allowing me to borrow many of the Museum's photographs and, most importantly, a copy of the massive After Action Report in which all Third Army's wartime operations are recorded. I have dedicated this book to the Patton Museum, the living sym- bol of GSP's sparkling career, so as to record formally my thanks to her, to John Purdy the Museum Director and to all his staff. Next I must thank Mike Province, President and Founder of the George Smith Patton, Jr His- torical Society for his usual generous help. He is due to visit England this autumn, so I will be able to thank him in person. As well as all those who have allowed me to quote from their works on Third Army, both published and unpublished, I must also thank the Tank Museum, the Ministry of Defence Library, the US Army Center of Military History and the US Army Military History Institute for their invaluable assistance. Finally I must thank Colonel Owsley Costlow, Colonel Haynes Dugan and Colonel James Leach, DSC, all US Armor Retd, also Colonel David Higgins, US Armor, who is currently Deputy Commander of the RAC Gunnery School. Thank you all for your help and kindness. George Forty Bryantspuddle, Dorset August 1995 9 Introduction Some years ago I had the privilege of being asked to write an illustrated history of the exploits of the US Third Army in the Second World War. I found it a stimulating experience, not just because of their incredible war record - they went farther, faster than any other army had done in history; not just because of their great commander whom I had always rated as being one of the best armour commanders ever; but mainly because of the large number of ex-Third Army GIs with whom I had the pleasure of corresponding - and still do in a number of cases. From them I believe I was able to get a far truer picture of GSP and all he achieved, than from the myriad of books that have been written about him since the war ended. Everyone nowadays seems to delight in try- ing to prove that our war heroes had feet of clay, so someone as flam- boyant as Patton is a perfect target. He was no politician, that is for certain, but he was a highly successful soldier, and it is on his undoubted success in his chosen field of endeavour, namely as a mili- tary commander, that we should judge him. Patton was the only senior armour commander of the Second World War who had fought in tanks during the Great War at a suffi- ciently high level as to be able fully to appreciate their true worth, yet had not become hidebound by the semi-static tactics of that battlefield. GSP handled tanks the way they should be handled - with elan, but at the same time with common sense and expertise. One can criticise him for his use of colourful bad language - but his soldiers loved it; for his lack of tact off the battlefield - but as he once said, he wasn't trying to be the 'Shah of Persia'; for his flamboyant dress - but his soldiers were smarter than any other GIs; or even for his penchant for carrying two pistols - although he was an expert shot and did kill at least two men with them; but one cannot fault him for his generalship of armour. However, this book is not meant to be just another biography of Patton, but rather a 'nuts and bolts' primer on the armies he com- manded - and what a fascinating collection they were! In 1918 he led the first US tank brigade in its first tank action, having formed and trained it virtually from scratch. At the beginning of the Second World War he was in command of the 2nd Armored Division, training it to perfection and ensuring that it would live up to its reputation and never lose the fighting spirit which he had so imbued into all his 'Hell on Wheelers'. 10