Willie (dog)
 General Patton's dog Willie, travels with him everywhere he goes, August 28 1944 | |
| Species | Canis familiaris |
|---|---|
| Breed | Bull Terrier |
| Born | 1942 England |
| Died | 1955 United States |
| Known for | Dog of General Patton |
| Owner | George S. Patton |
William the Conqueror (1942 – 1955), also known as Willie, was General George Patton's dog.
Adoption and World War II
[edit]
The dog was originally named Punch and he was the pet of an RAF pilot who sometimes took the dog on bombing missions.[1][2] When the pilot didn't return from a mission, his wife sold the dog.[3] Patton's staff purchased the dog on March 4, 1944, in England. Patton named him Willie after a boy that he met during the Great Depression and not because of William the Conqueror as it is commonly believed.[4][5][better source needed]
During the Second World War, Patton was always accompanied by his loyal dog during his campaigns in Luxembourg, France and Belgium. This friendship was captured in various photos, with Willie always walking beside the General.[6][7]
Patton's accident and Willie's death
[edit]
On December 9, 1945, a limousine transporting Patton and his former chief of staff Hobart Gay to a hunting trip crashed into an American army truck near Speyer.[9][10][11] Patton died on December 21 of injuries he sustained, leaving Willie's future uncertain.[12][13][5]
Willie was sent to live with Patton's family as the beloved dog of a fallen warrior.[13] He died in 1955, outliving both Patton and his wife. He is buried in an unmarked grave by a stone wall on Patton's property, which is still owned by the Patton family.[14][4]
In 1970, Willie was portrayed in several scenes in Patton's biographical movie, Patton.[13]
A 12 feet (3.7 m) high bronze statue of Patton and Willie stands today at the General Patton Memorial Museum[15] thirty miles east of Indio, California.[5][3][16]
See also
[edit]- Bull terrier
- List of individual dogs
Media related to Willie (dog) at Wikimedia Commons
References
[edit]- ^ Joseph Stillman, Richard (2001). General Patton's Best Friend. R.J. Stillman Company.
- ^ "Download Dogs of War: The Stories of FDR's Fala, Patton's Willie, and Ike's Telek. book". Shalandattuis's blog. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
- ^ a b Day®, National Purebred Dog (May 23, 2022). "George and Willie". National Purebred Dog Day®.
- ^ a b General Patton's dog after his death, 1945
- ^ a b c William the Conqueror, General Patton’s famous dog, Willie
- ^ D'Este, Carlo (24 November 2015). Eisenhower: A Soldier's Life. Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 978-1-62779-961-4. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ Forty, George (19 April 2015). Patton's Third Army at War. Casemate. ISBN 978-1-61200-316-0. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ This photo shows Gen. Patton's dog Willie after the general's death
- ^ Axelrod, Alan (2006), Patton: A Biography, London: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 167, ISBN 978-1-4039-7139-5
- ^ Farago, Ladislas (1964), Patton: Ordeal and Triumph, New York City: Ivan Sergeyevich Obolensky, pp. 826–827, ISBN 978-1-59416-011-0
- ^ "H. L. Woodring Dies at 77; Was Driver in Patton Crash". The New York Times. 9 November 2003. Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
- ^ "George Patton | Facts, Biography, Quotes, World War II, & Death | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
- ^ a b c "Once Upon a Dog: General Patton and Willie". American Kennel Club.
- ^ "Patton Homestead: A Cultural and Event Center Serving Hamilton and the North Shore". Patton Homestead: A Cultural and Event Center Serving Hamilton and the North Shore.
- ^ "General George Patton Museum | U.S. Army Center of Military History". history.army.mil.
- ^ U-T, Carl H. Larsen Special to the (February 25, 2012). "Patton museum holds high ground in desert". San Diego Union-Tribune.