Every so often...

[Bogie]

I have to cue up the first few minutes of Patton.

[RocketMan]

I have to cue up the first few minutes of Patton.

I watched Patton for the umpteenth time last week on Amazon Prime.  I am still not tired of it, considering I originally saw it during the first run in theaters in the '70s.

[Bogie]

He looked huge on a drive-in screen.

[230RN]

I named my first U.S. Carbine, cal .30 M1 "George."

I was amused to discover that since he was acknowledged as the most feared General in the U.S. Army by the Nazis, we "manufactured" an entire fake Army unit with fake tanks, arillery, jeeps, etc. based up the coast of England commanded by him. The intent was to fool the Nazis that the Invasion was to come at that point.

Therre were even fake radio communications from various points around the theatre referring to his movements in that part of England.

Apparently he rankled at heading up this "Command," but really, given his reputation, that was a pretty good use of his street cred.

Terry, 230RN

[JTHunter]

I named my first U.S. Carbine, cal .30 M1 "George."

I was amused to discover that since he was acknowledged as the most feared General in the U.S. Army by the Nazis, we "manufactured" an entire fake Army unit with fake tanks, arillery, jeeps, etc. based up the coast of England commanded by him. The intent was to fool the Nazis that the Invasion was to come at that point.

Therre were even fake radio communications from various points around the theatre referring to his movements in that part of England.

Apparently he rankled at heading up this "Command," but really, given his reputation, that was a pretty good use of his street cred.

Terry, 230RN

"In England"?  I thought that "plywood brigade" was set up in Egypt so the Germans fortified the Med coast, pulling resources from the Channel.  I would go back and look at my videotape copy of the movie but BOTH of my VCRs are down. 

[RocketMan]

Yep, Patton was in charge of a fake army group in England.  Operation Fortitude.

[Jim147]

Not sure where the picture went but my wife's late grandfather had a big one of Patton. He served with him in the calvery when they tested the Springfield and then went across Africa with him. If his memory was right.

[TommyGunn]

Yep, Patton was in charge of a fake army group in England.  Operation Fortitude.

Wasn't it called the "East Anglia Army" ??  ??

[TommyGunn]

Not sure where the picture went but my wife's late grandfather had a big one of Patton. He served with him in the calvery when they tested the Springfield and then went across Africa with him. If his memory was right.

"Calvery"   is where Jesus died. 

"CAVALRY"  is what this man commanded.

[MillCreek]

^^^That would be 'Calvary"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvary

[Jim147]

Not sure if it was auto carrot or whiskey but I am versed in the proper spellings.

[230RN]

My recollection from a long ago debate on that was that "calvary" and "calevry' were common mispronounciations of cavalry which sometimes engendered mutual combat.

No worse than "Febyooary" and joolery, however.

[K Frame]

Wasn't it called the "East Anglia Army" ??  ??

No. FUSAG. First US Army Group

It was all part of Operation Quicksilver

[French G.]

I was until recently unaware of Patton’s boat. Came across it this summer while wandering the Key West marina. The When and If, commissioned by the general in 1939.

 “When the war is over, and If I live through it, Bea and I are going to sail her around the world."

Missed it by that much. Pretty tragic.

[230RN]

For all those having interest, details of Patton's auto accident and death. 

Pretty long, but nobody's forcing you to read it.  You can PDF-search for "last ride" to skip to the gritty.

https://www.osssociety.org/pdfs/Patton.pdf

Pretty common accident, oncoming vehicle makes a left turn in front of you.  Same thing that killed James Dean and gave me a broken collarbone.