How Much Do You Remember About General Patton?

By: Gavin Thagard
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
How Much Do You Remember About General Patton?
Image: Wiki Commons by Joseph Christian Leyendecker

About This Quiz

Despite his controversial career, the Allied powers knew they could rely on George Patton when World War II erupted and the United States was dragged into the conflict. After all, an opportunity like that was something for which Patton had waited his entire life, as he hoped to display the talents he crafted between WWI when he got his first major battle experience and WWII when years of hard work put him in position to lead troops through some of the most critical battles in world history.

Despite the legacy he left behind, Patton wasn't viewed as a prodigy from an early age, especially considering he was never an academic in his youth. That, of course, didn't stop him from becoming one of the most recognized generals of the 20th century, both at home and abroad. The legacy he built was one based on pure determination and admiration for the military life, a topic from which he rarely took his mind off.

Here's your chance to see if you know how General Patton's life shaped out. From his earliest years to his ranking as a general in the U.S. Army, Patton achieved and overcame tasks to which most other people would succumb. Get started with this quiz and show everyone that you're not one to succumb either.

1-California
Antonio Busiello / Moment / Getty Images
General Patton was born near the end of the 19th century in which state?
Virginia
Georgia
New York
California
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

George Patton shares the name of his father, who was a prominent figure in California. The elder Patton was an attorney before he turned to politics, where he was elected as the first mayor of San Marino.

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2-WWII
Sandra Leidholdt / Moment / Getty Images
Patton was part of an invasion in the North African campaign known by which name?
Operation Neptune
Operation Bodyguard
Operation Sledgehammer
Operation Torch
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

General Patton was given control of the Western Task Force when the invasion of North Africa was planned under Operation Torch. His force, which consisted of 35,000 troops, landed near Casablanca, Morocco, on November 8, 1942. Two days later, they captured Casablanca.

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3-College
Wiki Commons by Library of Congress
Education is the key to becoming a good general. Do you know the first college Patton attended?
Norwich University
Virginia Military Institute
Harvard University
Washington and Lee University
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Throughout his youth, George Patton struggled with reading, which followed him to college at the Virginia Military Institute. He only attended the college for a year before he was selected to attend West Point.

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4-Patton
Wiki Commons by Life Magazine
In 1941, General Patton appeared on the cover of which magazine?
Life
Time
The New Yorker
Harper's Bazaar
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An issue of Life magazine released on July 7, 1941 shows Patton riding atop his signature tank. The issue was released a few months after Patton had been promoted to major general, a rank he held for the next two years.

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5-Fencing
Wiki Commons by The Official Report of the 1912 Summer Olympics
A young soldier looking to prove himself, select the event that Patton took part in at the 1912 Summer Olympics?
Rowing
Tennis
Pentathlon
Cycling
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1912 Summer Olympics was the first time that the pentathlon was added as an event. Patton competed well and ended up placing fifth overall behind four Swedish competitors.

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6-Patton
Wiki Commons by US Army
Patton was commissioned in the 15th Cavalry Regiment after leaving college at what rank?
Second lieutenant
Lieutenant
Captain
Major
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1909, Patton graduated in the top 50 of his class at West Point, which earned him a commission as a second lieutenant. As part of the commission, he joined the United States Cavalry, where he shaped his early military career.

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7-Patton
Wiki Commons by War History Online
In an attempt to develop his skills, where did Patton travel to study fencing?
Germany
Britain
France
Spain
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

With the knowledge he gained in France, Patton designed his own saber called the Cavalry Sword Model 1913. This saber, sometimes called the Patton Saber, was the last saber used by the U.S. Cavalry.

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8-Patton
Wiki Commons by Hoodinski
Can you identify the type of pistol handle that became famously associated with Patton?
Chestnut
Ivory
Walnut
Pearl
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

George Patton could be seen regularly carrying around pistols with ivory handles. A .45 Long Colt Single Action revolver was the most common pistol he carried, but he also favored a .357 Magnum Smith & Wesson revolver if the situation ever called for it.

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9-Patton
Wiki Commons by Fred Mercer
Patton led an expedition into Mexico where he chased after which Mexican revolutionary general?
Pancho Villa
Emiliano Zapata
Francisco I. Madero
Porfirio Diaz
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pancho Villa rose to fame as part of Francisco Madero's uprising in opposition of Mexican President Porfirio Diaz. He would later form his own military group to fight Victoriano Huerta, at which time he combated U.S. forces. Eventually, internal division forced him to retire.

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10-Patton
Wiki Commons by US Army
The world was developing at an exceptionally fast rate at the beginning of the 20th century. What new development did Patton use during his expeditions into Mexico?
Machine guns
Hand grenades
Radios
Motorized vehicles
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When George Patton led the expedition into Mexico, his forces used the 1915 Dodge Model 30. The car was known for having more horsepower than its competitors at the time and helped Dodge establish itself as a competitor in the car industry.

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11-John Pershing-Edit
Wiki Commons by Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs Division
Having already earned his respect, who did Patton serve as an aide to at the start of WWI?
John Pershing
Edwin Babbitt
William Kenly
William Campbell Langfitt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Pershing was a significant U.S. general who led the American Expeditionary Forces into WWI. After his achievements in the war, Pershing was named General of the Armies, the only American general to ever receive the rank during his lifetime.

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12-Tanks
Wiki Commons by Signal Corps
Are you familiar with the type of corps Patton became the first U.S. member of during WWI?
Planes
Machine gun
Tanks
Artillery
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1917, Patton traveled to Paris, where he was trained by the French army in tank warfare. He went on to train soldiers to use the tanks in support of infantry before becoming the commander of the 1st Tank Corps.

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13-Patton
Wiki Commons by Radio Patriot
Never one to shy away from the front lines, where was General Patton shot during the Meuse-Argonne Operation in 1918?
The shoulder
The leg
The foot
The hip
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Earning him recognition among his soldiers and peers, Patton continued to command his troops from a shell hole while he was waiting to be evacuated after being shot in the leg. With the injury, his role in WWI came to an end, since he didn't return to action.

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14-Patton
Wiki Commons by War History Online
Passionate about the future of tank warfare, Patton continued to study tanks when he was assigned to which base following WWI?
Camp Lee
Camp Jackson
Camp Lewis
Camp Meade
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Camp Meade was named after Major General George G. Meade, who had served in both the Mexican-American War and the Civil War. The camp was built during WWI as a training ground for the 79th Division before becoming a demobilization center after the war.

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15-Eisenhower
Wiki Commons by T4c. Messerlin
Can you identify the future general that Patton influenced substantially in the immediate years following World War I?
Douglas MacArthur
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Omar Bradley
Gerald Ford
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dwight D. Eisenhower and George Patton bonded over their enthusiasm for the future of tank warfare. When they met in 1919, Patton had already been influenced by his time working with tanks in Europe while Eisenhower ran a tank training center in the United States.

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16-Patton
Wiki Commons by U.S. Army
Evidence of his controversial leadership, do you know what General Patton did with the bodies of three Mexican revolutionaries he killed?
Burned them
Hung them
Strapped them to his car
Sent them to the Mexican president
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patton and his troops never found Pancho Villa during their pursuit into Mexico, but they found and killed Julio Cardenas, who was one of Villa's captains, and two of his soldiers. Feeling accomplished, Patton carried the men's bodies back on top of his vehicles like trophy animals.

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17-Purple Heart
Wiki Commons by US Army
What honor, reinstituted in 1932, did Patton receive for his service in WWI?
Purple Heart
Medal of Honor
Distinguished Service Cross
Silver Star
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Purple Heart was created as a successor to the Badge of Military Merit, the oldest military merit in American history. Including Patton, over 300,000 soldiers from WWI received the medal due to injuries they received.

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18-Patton
Wiki Commons by US Army
Art can often be an escape for a war hero. How did Patton express himself through art?
Painting
Writing short stories
Writing novels
Writing poetry
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

As a lifetime member of the military, Patton's poetry often reflected his time at war. Evidence of how he struggled to return to civilian life, Patton occasionally wrote about his desire for a war, where he felt the most comfortable.

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19-Patton
Wiki Commons by Office of War Information
Select the year that General Patton reluctantly combated WWI veterans who marched on Washington, D.C. demanding pensions?
1929
1932
1935
1940
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Great Depression weighed heavily on the United States in 1932, and former soldiers felt the effects of the economic woes. Demanding early pensions, they marched on Washington D.C., but it was one of their own, George Patton, who stood against them, demanding that they return home.

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20-Patton
Wiki Commons by wargodpatton
Providing Patton with the opportunity to train soldiers, a role he desired, where was he sent in March of 1925?
Washington D.C.
California
Texas
Hawaii
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Still struggling to adjust to peacetime in America, George Patton viewed Hawaii as a chance to utilize the best of his talents by preparing soldiers for future warfare. He eventually was assigned as a G-3, an operations officer, where he spoke out against commanding officers, earning him a bad reputation.

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21-Horse
Wiki Commons by War History Online
A life threatening condition at the time, how did Patton develop phlebitis in 1937?
He fell off a house.
A car hit him.
A horse kicked him.
He fell while hiking.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

George Patton was on leave in 1937 when he decided to go horseback riding with his wife, Beatrice. During this trip, Beatrice's horse kicked him in the leg when he was riding too close, knocking Patton to the ground where he passed out.

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22-Patton
Wiki Commons by United States of America
As part of a military exercise, how many tanks did Patton lead in his first trip from Columbus, Georgia, to Panama City, Florida?
300
500
1,000
2,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The trip from Columbus, Georgia, to Panama City, Florida and back was a 400-mile stretch that Patton personally led. Part of Patton's reasoning for undertaking the venture was that he wanted to gain positive publicity for the Army and its use of tanks in warfare.

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23-Patton
Wiki Commons by United States of America
Do you know the name of Patton's famous speech he started giving troops at the beginning of WWII?
Blood and Guts
Infamy
Four Freedoms
Arsenal of Democracy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

George Patton, after having been promoted to major general, started giving his "Blood and Guts" speeches at Fort Benning in 1941 as a way of inspiring his soldiers. To accomplish this, Patton went as far as building an amphitheater that would hold his entire devision.

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24-Patton
Wiki Commons by United States of America
Not every heroic act of a soldier comes during times of war. How did Patton save several children in 1923?
A fire broke out.
They were drowning.
Horse's almost trampled them.
A car crashed.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While on a trip to Salem, Massachusetts, several children fell off a yacht and into the water. Patton, always looking for an opportunity to show his heroics, dived in and saved the children, earning the Silver Lifesaving Medal for the act.

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25-Patton
Wiki Commons by United States of America
Are you familiar with the corps that General Patton led into North Africa during the Allied campaign in the region?
U.S. I Corps
U.S. II Corps
U.S. III Corps
U.S. IV Corps
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When Patton was given command of the U.S. II Corps, replacing Major General Lloyd Fredendall, it had just been defeated by the German Afrika Korps. With the change of command, Patton was promoted to lieutenant general.

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26-German Tank
Wiki Commons by National Museum of the U.S. Navy
Under Patton, U.S. forces finally defeated the dominant German tank units during which battle in the Tunisia Campaign?
Battle of Sidi Bou Zid
Battle of Medenine
Battle of the Mareth Line
Battle of El Guettar
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When the Allied forces under General Patton first arrived at El Guettar, Tunisia, they faced little resistance because the Italian troops who occupied the town retreated into the surrounding mountains. However, once the Italians held this position, they launched several attacks against the Americans with the help of German tank units, though these attacks were unsuccessful.

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27-Patton
Wiki Commons by US Army
Why was Patton's reputation damaged when he went to visit a soldier in a hospital during his time in Italy?
He was supposed to be on the battlefield.
He cheated on his wife.
He slapped the soldier.
He refused to return to the United States.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The horrors of WWII affected thousands of soldiers, giving them what is now called PTSD. However, Patton, who thrived during times of war, refused to accept any excuses for soldiers to skip out on the action, leading to him slapping multiple soldiers suffering from PTSD.

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28-Patton
Wiki Commons by United States of America
As part of Operation Husky, where did Patton help the Allies secure a foothold into Europe?
Sicily
Spain
Greece
Switzerland
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patton was one of the most aggressive commanders during the Sicily Campaign, where he commanded the Seventh U.S. Army. At one point, Patton supposedly ignored a message for him to hold off on attacking Messina, claiming the message never reached his camp.

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29-Patton
Wiki Commons by United States of America
Identify the massacre that took place under General Patton's command while in Sicily?
Biscari Massacre
Jilava Massacre
Palawan Massacre
Piazza Tasso Massacre
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Initially, after hearing of the Biscari Massacre, Patton dismissed the claims, believing they were exaggerations, as he sought to focus on the war. However, his views were challenged, and he eventually decided the troops who committed the act should stand trial.

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30-Patton
Wiki Commons by US Army
As one of the most respected generals in the Ally army, Patton was used as a distraction on D-Day when Germans were told that he would lead an invasion where?
Dunkirk
Ostend
St. Malo
Pas de Calais
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Germans feared General Patton as much — if not more — than any other Allied forces general during WWII, knowing that he was willing to fight to the end. Even when it became clear that the invasion was being launched elsewhere, the Germans refused to move troops from Pas de Calais in case Patton came ashore there.

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31-PAtton
Wiki Commons by U.S. Federal Government
When Patton was finally let loose in Europe following D-Day, he was appointed commander of which army?
U.S. First Army
U.S. Second Army
U.S. Third Army
U.S. Fourth Army
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The U.S. Third Army was first activated in 1918 during WWI, though it was disbanded the following year as the war came to a close. The force was reactivated in 1932 when the U.S. Army was reorganized, though it served no major purpose until WWII.

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32-Patton
Wiki Commons by U.S. Army Signal Corps
The Germans launched an attack through the Ardennes forest to capture Antwerp, but they first had to lay siege to which town that was ultimately relieved by forces led by General Patton during the Battle of the Bulge?
Kursk
Bastogne
Aachen
Paris
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Several important roads through the Ardennes met at Bastogne, which meant the city had to be captured if the Germans wanted to capture Antwerp. Ally forces in Bastogne had to stem off the German siege for seven days before they were relieved by Patton and the Third Army.

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33-Buchenwald
Wiki Commons by United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
A horrific sight to all who witnessed it, which concentration camp did Patton tour when the fighting died down in Europe?
Auschwitz
Chelmno
Dachau
Buchenwald
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Buchenwald concentration camp was finally liberated in April of 1945, revealing the horrors of German antisemitism throughout the war. To show them what their leaders had done, German civilians were marched through the camp.

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34-Patton
Wiki Commons by United States of America
Patton finished his career in the military with which rank?
Five-star general
Three-star general
Four-star general
Five-star general
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Only five soldiers from WWII received the five-star ranking of General of the Army: George Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Henry Arnold and Omar Bradley. Patton, who often spoke out against other commanders, only received the four-star ranking, partly because he wasn't well-liked.

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35-Patton
Wiki Commons by United States of America
It was an odd ending for a decorated general. How did General Patton die as WWII came to a close?
Stray bullet
Fever
Car crash
Heart attack
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While still in Europe following WWII, General Patton was involved in a car crash where the car he was in collided with an Army truck. Patton hit his head in the crash, which paralyzed him from the neck down. He died a few weeks later in the hospital.

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You Got:
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Wiki Commons by Joseph Christian Leyendecker