Service summary of George S. Patton

George S. Patton served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for 36 years. He served in three major conflicts (Mexican Punitive Expedition, World War I and World War II) during his military career.

Main article: George S. Patton

Chronology of assignments
  • Cadet, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York - June 16, 1904 to June 11, 1909
  • Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant, 15th Cavalry - June 11, 1909
  • 15th Cavalry, Fort Sheridan, Illinois – September 11, 1909 to December 19, 1911
  • 15th Cavalry, Fort Myer, Virginia – December 1911 to April 1912
  • Member, United States Olympic Team, Stockholm, Sweden – May to July 1912 (4th place in Modern Pentathlon.)
  • 15th Cavalary, Fort Myer, Virginia - September 20, 1912, to July 6, 1913
  • Detail to Saumer, France - July 6, 1913 to September 15, 1913 (Studied French saber methods.)
  • Master of the Sword, Mounted Service School, Fort Riley, Kansas – September 20, 1913 to September 15, 1915
  • Troop A, 8th Cavalry, Fort Bliss, Texas – September 26, 1915 to March 13, 1916
  • Served as aide to commander of Mexican Punitive Expedition - March 14, 1916 to February 7, 1917
  • Promoted to 1st lieutenant 10th Cavalry - May 23, 1916 (Did not serve with regiment.)
  • Promoted to Captain - May 15, 1917
  • Aide to Commanding General, AEF Headquarters, Paris, France – May 15, 1917 to September 1917
  • Commanding Officer, Headquarters Company, AEF, Chaumont, France – September 1, 1917 to November 10, 1917
  • Commanding Officer, AEF Light Tank School, Langres, France – December 17, 1917 to February 14, 1918
  • Commanding Officer, 1st Light Tank Center, Langres, France – February 14, 1918 to August 1918
  • Promoted to Major - January 26, 1918
  • Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel - April 3, 1918
  • Commanding Officer, 1st Provisional Tank Brigade – August 1918 to November 6, 1918
  • Promoted to Colonel - October 17, 1918
  • Commanding Officer, 304th Tank Brigade – November 6, 1918 to September 19, 1920
  • Reduced in rank to Major due to post war reduction of the US Army - July 1, 1920
  • Commanding Officer, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Cavalry – September 21, 1920 to November 20, 1922
  • Student officer, Advanced Class, Cavalry School, January 1, 1922, to June 6, 1923
  • Student officer, General Service Schools, Sept. 12, 1923, to June 12, 1924 (Honor Graduate)
  • Assistant Chief of Staff, G‑1, 1st Corps Area, Boston, Massachusetts - July, 1924, to March 4, 1925
  • Assistant Chief of Staff, G‑1‑2‑3, Hawaiian Division and Hawaiian Dept., April, 1925, to April, 1928
  • Office, Chief of Cavalry, Plans and Training, Apr. 14, 1928, to August 17, 1931
  • Student officer, Army War College, August 18, 1931, to June 25, 1932
  • Executive Officer, 3d Cavalry, June 25, 1932 to April 15, 1935
  • Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel - March 1, 1934
  • Assistant Chief of Staff, G‑2, Hawaiian Department, Honolulu, Hawaii - May 21, 1935 to July 12, 1937
  • Director of Instruction, Cavalry School, Fort Riley, Kansas, August, 1937 to July, 1938
  • Promoted to Colonel - July 24, 1938
  • Commanding Officer, 5th Cavalry Regiment, July 24, 1938 to December 1938
  • Commanding Officer, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Fort Myer, Virginia December 1938 to July 16, 1940
  • Commanding Officer, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Armored Division, Fort Benning, Georgia July 16, 1940 to April 4, 1941
  • Promoted to Brigadier General - October 2, 1940
  • Commanding Officer (acting), 2nd Armored Division, November, 1940 to April 4, 1941
  • Promoted to Major General - April 4, 1941
  • Commanding Officer, 2nd Armored Division, April 4, 1941 (acting since November 1940) to January 15, 1942
  • Commanding Officer, I Armored Corps, January 15, 1942 – March 5, 1943
  • Commanding Officer (temporary), II Corps – March 5, 1943 to April 16, 1943
  • Promoted to Lieutenant General - March 12, 1943
  • Commanding Officer, I Armored Corps, April 16, 1943 to July 9, 1943
  • Commanding Officer, 7th Army, July 9, 1943 – January 26, 1944
  • Commanding Officer, 1st U.S. Army Group (fictitious), January 26, 1944 to June 6, 1944
  • Commanding Officer, 3rd Army, January 26, 1944 to October 7, 1945
  • Promoted to General, April 14, 1945
  • Military Governor of Bavaria, July 1945 to October 7, 1945
  • Commanding Officer, 15th Army, October 7, 1945 to December 21, 1945
  • Commanding Officer, U.S. Army Europe (interim), November 11, 1945 to November 26, 1945


Orders, decorations and medals
1st Row Army Distinguished Service Cross
with one bronze oak leaf cluster		 Army Distinguished Service Medal
with two oak leaf clusters		 Navy Distinguished Service Medal
2nd Row Silver Star
with one oak leaf cluster		 Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart
3rd Row Silver Lifesaving Medal[1] Mexican Service Medal World War I Victory Medal
with four bronze campaign stars		 American Defense Service Medal
4th Row European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
with one silver and two bronze campaign stars		 World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal
with "Germany" clasp (posthumous)		 Grand Cross of Ouissam Alaouite
(Morocco)
5th Row Military Order of the White Lion
(Czechoslavakia)		 Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
(Luxembourg)		 Honorary Knight Commander of the
Order of the British Empire (KBE)
(United Kingdom)		 Grand Officer
of the Legion of Honor
(France)
6th Row Grand Officer of the
Order of Leopold with palm
(Belgium)		 Order of Kutuzov
(1st class)
(Russia)		 Honorary Companion of the
Order of the Bath (CB)
(United Kingdom)		 Croix de Guerre
1914–1918
with bronze star
(France)
7th Row Croix de Guerre
1939–1945
with palm
(France)		 Croix de Guerre
(Luxembourg)		 Croix de Guerre
with palm (Belgium)		 Czechoslovak War Cross
1939–1945
  • Note: The rows 1–4 are American medals unless otherwise noted. Rows 5–7 are foreign medals and noted where required.

Distinguished Service Cross

1st award – 26 September 1918;

CITATION: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Colonel (Armor) George Smith Patton, Jr. (ASN: 0-2605), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Tank Corps, A.E.F., near Cheppy, France, 26 September 1918. Colonel Patton displayed conspicuous courage, coolness, energy, and intelligence in directing the advance of his brigade down the valley of the Aire. Later he rallied a force of disorganized infantry and led it forward, behind the tanks, under heavy machine-gun and artillery fire until he was wounded. Unable to advance further, Colonel Patton continued to direct the operations of his unit until all arrangements for turning over the command were completed.

General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 133 (1918)[2]

2nd award – 19 August 1943;

CITATION: For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Commanding General of the 7th Army, in action against enemy forces on 11 July 1943. Lieutenant General Patton's intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 7th Army, and the United States Army.

General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army-North African Theater of Operations, General Orders No. 80[2]

Distinguished Service Medal

1st award

CITATION: For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services. By his energy and sound judgment he rendered very valuable services in his organization and direction of the Tank Center at the Army schools in Langres. In the employment of Tank Corps troops in combat he displayed high military attainments, zeal, and marked adaptability in a form of warfare comparatively new to the American Army.

Dates of rank
InsigniaRankComponentDate
No insignia CadetUnited States Military AcademyJuly 1, 1905
No insignia in 1909 Second Lieutenant15th Cavalry, Regular ArmyJune 11, 1909
  First Lieutenant10th Cavalry, Regular ArmyMay 23, 1916
  CaptainCavalry, Regular ArmyMay 15, 1917
  MajorCavalry, TemporaryJanuary 26, 1918
  Lieutenant ColonelTank Corps, National ArmyApril 3, 1918 [3]
  ColonelTank Corps, Regular ArmyOctober 17, 1918
  CaptainCavalry, Regular ArmyJune 30, 1920
(Discharged and recommissioned.)
  MajorCavalry, Regular ArmyJuly 1, 1920
  Lieutenant ColonelCavalry, Regular ArmyMarch 1, 1934
  ColonelCavalry, Regular ArmyJuly 24, 1938
  Brigadier GeneralArmy of the United StatesOctober 1, 1940
(Accepted on October 2, 1940.)
  Major GeneralArmy of the United StatesApril 4, 1941
(Accepted on April 19, 1941.)
  Lieutenant GeneralArmy of the United StatesMarch 12, 1943
  Brigadier GeneralRegular Army (bypassed)August 16, 1944 [4]
(Retroactive to September 1, 1943.)
  Major GeneralRegular ArmyAugust 16, 1944 [5]
(Retroactive to September 2, 1943.)
  GeneralArmy of the United StatesApril 14, 1945

[6]

References
  1. "United States Coast Guard". Uscg.mil. Retrieved 2012-03-21.
  2. "George Smith Patton , Jr". valor.militarytimes.com. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  3. Official date of rank of March 20, 1918
  4. Official Date Of Rank of September 1, 1943
  5. Official Date Of Rank of September 2, 1943
  6. Official Register of Commissioned Officers of the United States Army, 1945. pg. 724.
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