ARMY & NAVY: The General Takes a Swim

ARMY & NAVY

Like Israel Putnam, George Custer and Teddy Roosevelt of the Rough Riders, loud, swashbuckling, profane Lieut. General George Smith Patton Jr. is the kind of soldier who makes legend as spontaneously as he inspires the fierce and prideful affection of his men. Last week another chapter, possibly apocryphal, was added to the Patton legend.

A returned soldier in Baltimore told the tale:

In January the 4th Infantry Division had knifed its way to the Sauer River. Across the stream lay Bettendorf. Georgie Patton wanted Bettendorf taken, but the doughfoots of the 4th had stopped at the bank of the 50-yard stream.

General Patton was there when the doughs started across in boats just before dawn. They met heavy fire and he called them back. Then Patton, onetime (1912) Olympic athlete, told his men to take their rifles, bazookas and everything else they could carry, and swim. They looked at the ice-flecked waters, hesitated.

The General didn’t. He walked in, began to swim, crossed to the other side, swam back. That was all the doughs needed. They piled in and swam across. A day and a half later Bettendorf was theirs.