Ike's Son Remembers George S. Patton Jr.

American Heritage Magazine ^ | Summer 2012 | John D. Eisenhower

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

On the morning of December 19, 1944, General Dwight D. Eisenhower strode into the gloomy school building in Verdun that housed the main headquarters of General Omar Bradley

[fso301]

He is is probably also credited with casualties caused by Air Force units

Some of his own casualties were also caused by Air Force units.

[Riley]

Metz was a key location that had to be taken. The extensive forts there,[...]

I was in high school in California in the mid-Seventies. I remember one sitting in my driver's ed class one day. The instructor was an older guy who'd doubtless delivered this same lecturer a million times- I got the impression that he was just counting the days to retirement.

Suddenly he stopped in mid-sentence and went quiet. He said that he'd been in the Army in the ETO during the war. They sent him to 'the Metz'. He told us that there were German soldiers down there in tunnels. He said that he'd been sent down to get them out- with flamethrowers.

His composure broke and he started sobbing in front of the class. First experience that I had with someone carrying that much war damage around in his head. I can't see the name 'Metz' and not think of him.

[zot]

Thanks for the ping to an excellent article and for your comments.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you for sharing your insights, dear GreyFriar!