Profile of the Day: George S. Patton

It’s Veterans Day in the U.S. Today we honor all the men and women who have served in the armed forces. In honor of the holiday, we highlight General George S. Patton, who was also born on this day in 1885 in San Gabriel, California. Considered one of the most successful generals in history, Patton was instrumental in the liberation of Germany from the Nazis during World War II.

Image: George S. Patton / Library of Congress

Patton came from a long line of military veterans. His paternal grandfather, George Smith Patton, was a Confederate general and commanded the 22nd Virginia Infantry in the Civil War, and his great uncle, Waller T. Patton, was killed during the Battle of Gettysburg. His third great grandfather, Hugh Mercer, was a brigadier general in the Continental Army and a close friend to George Washington. After his death from wounds received at the Battle of Princeton, Mercer became a rallying symbol of the American Revolution.

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Explore General Patton’s tree on Geni and discover how you’re related to the American war hero.

View George S. Patton’s Geni Profile