The Fighting Pattons - Tapa dura

"Brian Sobel, as author of The Fighting Pattons, has done a fine piece of work, putting into perspective the life experiences of a father and son who shared a love of the Army career, though they served in very different times and circumstances....In his book, Brian Sobel has let me travel the old roads, enjoying the recollections of past comrades, many now in retirement or gone to their rewards....I consider that he has done an excellent job of interpreting my experiences of command, with special attention paid to both the Vietnam conflict and the Korean War. I believe that he has done his utmost to be accurate, candid, and fair without being boring or prejudicial....(He) has taken our history and spun an excellent yarn, gathering into it many of my own experiences in my Army assignments, weaving in some of the characters I had the privilege of meeting or knowing...He has included them appropriately and described them with caring skill."-from the foreword by George S. Patton Major General, US Army, retired Owner, Green Meadows Farm

This book presents a unique view of a military family, and, most importantly, displays the lives of a father and son: a father who would become an American hero and a son who excelled on his own terms, but who was profoundly influenced by a figure who had gained legendary status. The elder Patton gained widespread fame during World War II as a fearless commander and motivator of soldiers in war. He was brash, supremely self-confident, and greatly admired by the enemy; many German officers would later say Patton was the most important weapon in the American arsenal. A complex man driven by his knowledge of history and warfare, the elder Patton was compassionate and easily moved to tears. He was a professional soldier who loved the art of war and hated war itself.The younger Patton has also lived a most exciting life, having been acquainted with many of the famous names in political and military history. Together, father and son logged 79 years of continuous miltary service. They fought in every American conflict from the punitive action taken in Mexico in 1916 through Vietnam. This is the only book on the Patton family that includes commentary from both the son and daughter of General George S. Patton, concerning their father's life and times. Including a vast array of never before published information, this book is also a family story and a contemporary history of the wars that shaped the 20th century. There are interviews with the late Richard Nixon, General William Westmoreland, General James Dozier, Jimmy Doolittle, and many others.