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A 1944 Christmas miracle for Gen. Patton
LA Times ^ | 12/26/2010 | Alison Bell

Posted on 12/26/2010 6:31:05 AM PST by Saije

In early December 1944, Gen. George S. Patton Jr., commander of the United States' 3rd Army, stood with his troops at Germany's doorstep. He'd pushed his men across France toward Germany with furious speed during summer and early fall, but in the last months, as he drove through France's Lorraine region toward the Saar River, progress stalled. Fuel and supplies were running short, and perhaps even more deviling, the weather wouldn't cooperate. Driving rains had mired his troops and grounded the fighter planes and bombers needed for air support.

On Dec. 8, Patton turned to a higher power to clear the skies. He asked Chaplain James H. O'Neill if he knew of a "good prayer for the weather," according to military historian and Patton expert Kevin M. Hymel. "We must do something about these rains," Patton said, "if we are to win the war."

After some thought and research, O'Neill came up with the following:

"Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies, and establish Thy justice among men and nations. Amen."

...Throughout history, soldiers have called upon their gods for protection and victory over their enemies. But Patton's now legendary prayer was extraordinary in its presumption and audacity, said Hymel. "There were four other American commanders in the European Theater during that time, and none of them were asking God to fix the weather."

The prayer also makes one question what led Patton to his conviction that he could control the weather?

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: History; Military/Veterans; Weather
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs; patton; prayer; weather; wwii
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I don't think Patton believed he could control the weather. I think he thought God could.
1 posted on 12/26/2010 6:31:09 AM PST by Saije
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To: Saije

Patton was a great General and man of God. The Holy Spirit worked well through him. May we always find open hearts and faithful people willing to serve and obey God.


2 posted on 12/26/2010 6:36:57 AM PST by Broker (Hell is a reality.)
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To: Broker

Amen to that.


3 posted on 12/26/2010 6:38:01 AM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: Saije

But the clearing skies and Patton’s progress were both answers to the 101st Airborne’s prayers, hayna? Or no?


4 posted on 12/26/2010 6:38:09 AM PST by flowerplough (Thomas Sowell: Those who look only at Obama's deeds tend to become Obama's critics.)
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To: flowerplough

We could use a few more Pattons in the new year...


5 posted on 12/26/2010 6:39:41 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks (Impeachment !)
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To: Saije

Didn’t Eisenhower pray for the weather to cooperate on D-Day?


6 posted on 12/26/2010 6:40:02 AM PST by Larry Lucido
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To: Saije

Amen, what a jerk for a reporter! We need a lot more Pattons and a lot fewer Al Gores today!


7 posted on 12/26/2010 7:05:10 AM PST by jennings2004 (Sarah Palin: "The bright light at the end of a very dark tunnel!")
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To: flowerplough
But the clearing skies and Patton’s progress were both answers to the 101st Airborne’s prayers, hayna? Or no?

No member of the 101st Airborne has ever agreed that their division needed to be rescued.
8 posted on 12/26/2010 7:08:16 AM PST by tanknetter
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To: Broker

............and a californian.


9 posted on 12/26/2010 7:09:53 AM PST by Walkingfeather
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To: Saije

Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


10 posted on 12/26/2010 7:10:32 AM PST by wita
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To: jennings2004

Well, Gore’s prayer to Gaia for a warmer climate didn’t work - costing him a few billion dollars. :)


11 posted on 12/26/2010 7:13:44 AM PST by Mr. Jeeves ( "The right to offend is far more important than any right not to be offended." - Rowan Atkinson)
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To: Mr. Jeeves

Another reason to be thankful during this Christmas season!


12 posted on 12/26/2010 7:18:34 AM PST by jennings2004 (Sarah Palin: "The bright light at the end of a very dark tunnel!")
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

In both the govt and military.


13 posted on 12/26/2010 7:25:58 AM PST by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
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To: jennings2004
Amen, what a jerk for a reporter!

I agree. She certainly is not a Patton fan. She probably also hates God and homeschooling, another twofer for a liberal.

14 posted on 12/26/2010 7:34:45 AM PST by Mind-numbed Robot (Not all that needs to be done needs to be done by the government.)
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To: Saije

A lefty’s take on it,Patton asked GOD for fair weather,True American Warrior RIP Sir.


15 posted on 12/26/2010 7:47:52 AM PST by Cheetahcat ( November 4 2008 ,A date which will live in Infamy.)
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To: Saije
The prayer also makes one question what led Patton to his conviction that he could control the weather?

Earth to reporter: Patton knew he couldn't control the weather which is why he asked for God's help.

16 posted on 12/26/2010 7:51:06 AM PST by libertylover (The problem with Obama is not that his skin is too black, it's that his ideas are too RED.)
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To: tanknetter
No member of the 101st Airborne has ever agreed that their division needed to be rescued.

"They have us surrounded, the poor bastards!"
"Sir, we're surrounded."..."We're paratroopers, son. We're supposed to be."

17 posted on 12/26/2010 8:03:35 AM PST by SERKIT (We need more of Barry's "Wet Diaper" news conferences. He gets smaller and smaller each time.....)
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To: Saije

In today’s military the US needs a lot more leaders like Patton. Instead the US has a bunch of pansiified military leaders that are ballless wonders and have no backbone to so to the president and Congress go to h - e- double hockey sticks and start knocking some doors down to deal with the problems in the world. A pansified military like the gay Thebes military and the gay Spartan military were all wiped out. Military leaders whom are strong pray to God. It is the weak military leader whom relys on himself to think he knows what God thinks that is the problem.

Patton prayed to God and asked if was in his will for the 3rd US Army to be able to have a battle against the forces of evil that Germany represented. Patton also wanted to keep going eastward and wipe out the SOBs in Russia, but Patton died shortly after the war was over in a military vehicle and horse drawn carriage accident (what an irony)


18 posted on 12/26/2010 8:05:48 AM PST by hondact200 (Candor dat viribos alas (sincerity gives wings to strength) and Nil desperandum (never despair))
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To: Saije

“The prayer also makes one question what led Patton to his conviction that he could control the weather?”

I think the writer doesn’t understand the whole prayer thing. Patton control the weather? No, he couldn’t, so he asked for divine help.


19 posted on 12/26/2010 8:11:12 AM PST by SuzyQue (Remember to think.)
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To: Saije
Patton: "I want you to remember...that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country...."
20 posted on 12/26/2010 8:17:15 AM PST by Conservative Tsunami
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