25 Facts About Alexander Patch

Alexander McCarrell Patch was a senior United States Army officer who fought in both world wars, rising to rank of general.

Alexander Patch was born at Fort Huachuca, Arizona Territory and raised in Pennsylvania.

Alexander Patch's father, Captain Alexander M Patch, was a former cavalryman in the United States Army and a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, and his mother was Annie Moore Patch, the daughter of Congressman William S Moore of Pennsylvania.

Originally interested in joining the cavalry, but realizing that it was becoming obsolete, Alexander Patch chose the Infantry Branch of the United States Army and was commissioned in 1913 on 12 June that year, ranked 75th in a graduating class of 93.

Alexander Patch later saw action in the Pancho Villa Expedition into Mexico in 1916, and was later promoted to first lieutenant.

In June 1917, two months after the American entry into World War I, Alexander Patch was promoted to the rank of captain and was, along with his brother Dorst, sent overseas with his regiment, which became part of the 1st Division, to join the American Expeditionary Forces on the Western Front where he remained until November.

Alexander Patch then attended the British Army's Machine Gun School in England and commanded the 3rd Machine Gun Battalion of the 1st Division until April 1918, when he then went on to direct the US Army's Machine Gun School until October.

Alexander Patch's leadership came to the attention of Colonel George C Marshall, then a member of General John J Pershing's staff.

The war came to an end on 11 November 1918, at 11:00 am, by which time Alexander Patch was a lieutenant colonel, having been promoted to the rank a month before, and major the previous January.

Alexander Patch then entered the US Army War College in 1931 and graduated the following year.

Alexander Patch promoted Patch to the one-star general officer rank of brigadier general in August 1941, and sent him to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to supervise the training of new soldiers there.

Alexander Patch was promoted to major general in November 1941 and was assigned to command Task Force 6814, a hastily assembled force of divisional size, composed of two Army National Guard infantry regiments.

Alexander Patch was sent to the Pacific Theater of Operations in Noumea to organize the reinforcement and defense of New Caledonia, arriving there in March 1942.

The Americal Division and the 1st Marine Division were both relieved by the 25th Infantry and 2nd Marine Divisions, respectively and, in early January 1943, Alexander Patch moved up to command of the XIV Corps, and was given charge of the entire offensive on Guadalcanal.

Alexander Patch personally led troops under his command on a dangerous offensive in the Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse to capture several fortified hills and ridges from the Japanese forces.

In March 1944, after handing over command of IV Corps to Major General Willis D Crittenberger, a fellow 1913 West Point classmate, Patch took over command of the Seventh Army from Lieutenant General Mark W Clark, who was then commanding the Fifth Army during the fighting on the Italian Front.

Alexander Patch turned down the fleet twin-engined bomber because he wished to remain in touch with his subordinate commanders during fast-moving operations and preferred a smaller plane that could land on unimproved fields and pastures.

Alexander Patch narrowly escaped injury or death on 18 April 1945, while flying from Kitzingen to Ohringen in Germany during the Battle of Nuremberg.

Alexander Patch stayed in command of the Seventh Army through the end of the war in Europe in May 1945, leading the Seventh Army in Operation Undertone through the Siegfried Line, over the Rhine, and then the Western Allied invasion of Germany into southern Germany.

Captain Alexander Patch was a posthumous recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star and Purple Heart.

Alexander Patch is interred in the Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, Lorraine, France.

Alexander Patch died of pneumonia on 21 November 1945, two days short of his 56th birthday, at Brooke General Hospital at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Alexander Patch Barracks is the home of Headquarters, United States European Command, the supreme American military command in Europe.

Alexander Patch Barracks has a middle school named after him, as well as the former high school.

Alexander Patch was promoted posthumously to full general on 19 July 1954 under Pub.