Dad Was Not Only a General, But a Patton

Grandson remembers his famous forebears
By Wesley Oliver,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 21, 2009 2:33 PM CDT
Dad Was Not Only a General, But a Patton
American General George S Patton (left, 1885 - 1945) with his son George Patton IV (1923 - 2004), a West Point Cadet, at a family reunion, circa 1945.   (Getty Images)

Living up to the legacy of one’s father can be hard, but it’s particularly trying for Benjamin Patton, the son of decorated Korean and Vietnam vet Maj. Gen. George Patton—himself the offspring of World War II titan Gen. George S. Patton. Immortalized by George C. Scott in Patton, the eldest Patton wasn’t all grit, NPR reports.

"There was an insecure, sensitive side,” says grandson Benjamin, adding that he also wasn’t the greatest family man. But Benjamin’s dad resolved to be a better father. “He made a very, very special effort to connect with us, even when he was far away. Not to criticize my grandfather, but in my eyes, my father was the titan.”
(More fathers stories.)

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