General Patton and the Silver Life Saving Medal

[Ken Jasper]

I just read that General George S. Patton was awarded the Silver Life Saving Medal. Does anyone know why he received it?

[Bill D.]

Ken...

Here is the account from the U.S. Coast Guard website:

On October 1925 then Major Patton received the Silver Lifesaving Medal. The inscription on the rear of the medal states:

"To George S. Patton, Jr. for bravely rescuing three boys from drowning on 3 February 1926."

At the time of the rescue Patton was on 3 months of leave in Salem, Massachusetts. He had just graduated from Advanced Cavalry School in FT Riley, Kansas. He was on leave prior to his reporting to the General Service School in FT Leavenworth.

The citation reads:

"Major Patton and his wife, sailing over the harbor of Salem, Massachusetts, August 21, 1923, when a squall blew up. Being unable to weather around and return home they continued on across the harbor, after which they heard cries of distress astern. Still being unable to go about, Major Patton maneuvered his boat so as to drift toward three boys observed clinging to a capsized dory from which the mast and sails had been unshipped and floating around making the approach very awkward. One boy called that his companion could not swim, whereupon Major Patton reached out an oar, taking the boys, one by one over the stern into his boat, which then had practically no freeboard. Nevertheless, he managed to reach the lee of the land and dropped the boys safely on a pier, about one and on-half miles distant."

As a further note:
I recall reading in a Patton biography that the nomination for the medal was made by Patton's wife! The biography actually quoted from a letter that she wrote to a friend after the event, describing what had happened, and then, referring to "Georgie's love of medals" or words to that effect, she noted that she had written up and submitted a nomination for the medal for him.

[Ken Jasper]

Bill, thanks, very interesting. That medal is not one you will see every day.

[Rick Research]

And certainly does not sound from that account that he put his own life at risk in dipping an oar over the side!

Massachusetts awarded its own life saving medals back then, but as in the usual way with those (and the U.S. version was no different, I believe), the usual requirement was that the recipient had to have been at some life-threatening risk himself-- which hardly seems the case here!

[Bill D.]

Wow, Rick, you are tough!

What if what of those young hooligans had simply been playing, and upon grabbing the benevolently offered oar puled it and yamked poor Goergie over the side of their dinghy? THEN where would he have been!

As a further aside, every July 4th the City of Philadelphia awards its own medal of freedom. I believe that last summer's recipient was General Colin Powell, while other recipients have included international notables such as Nelson Mandella.

I saw the medal on display last summer in the window of the jeweler Bailey, Banks and Biddle. I thought that it was interesting that the medal, which is on a neck ribbon, is suspended from the same large eagle-head suspension device as was used on the treasury lifesaving medals. Those were, as i recall, made by Bailey, Banks and Biddle. So it seems they still have the dies and are using them for the Philadelphia medal now.

[Ken Jasper]

Bill, I believe that your are correct in thinking that BB&B made the original life saving medals. There are modern re-strikes available now, but at absurdly high prices.

[Rick Research]

Salem Harbor is where my H.P. Lovecraft ancestors crawled ashore, glub glub glop!

I'm no sailor, but this sounds like competent boat handling in, basically, a safe harbor. Now maybe it was UNDERSTATED, the way so many British citations were. I've read some "official" VC writeups that were not exactly "Ripping Yarns" stuff-- until a less military-bureaucratic account of the deed was told.

This one still sounds... fishy about Patton's award.

[JensF.]

Maybe they were happy that Georgie hasn't killed or beaten someone

I have one of the nowadays Silver Lifesaving Medals. If someone is interested I can post scans of it.

[stogieman]

Ya know!

I'm surprised he didn't haul them in, chew them up one side and down the other, then throw them back in! Maybe THAT's why he received the medal. he saved their lives by not doing what he probably wanted to do. Can you picture old "eat the orange while watching the frog well on its' way to decay" George acting a bit differently, in the absence of his wife??
(Before any of you get your shorts in a knot, I do not intend to be disrespectful to General Patton. But reality and his reputation are indisputable!)