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]
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]
^"H. L. Woodring Dies at 77; Was Driver in Patton Crash". The New York Times. 9 November 2003. 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.
^ abc"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.
March 17, 2024
willie, william, conqueror, 1942, 1955, also, known, willie, general, george, patton, williegeneral, patton, willie, travels, with, everywhere, goes, august, 1944speciescanis, familiarisbreedbull, terrierborn1942englanddied1955united, statesknown, fordog, gene. William the Conqueror 1942 1955 also known as Willie was General George Patton s dog WillieGeneral Patton s dog Willie travels with him everywhere he goes August 28 1944SpeciesCanis familiarisBreedBull TerrierBorn1942EnglandDied1955United StatesKnown forDog of General PattonOwnerGeorge S Patton Contents 1 Adoption and World War II 2 Patton s accident and Willie s death 3 See also 4 ReferencesAdoption and World War II edit nbsp Patton playing with WillieThe 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 nbsp Willie mourning Patton s death December 1945 8 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 editBull terrier List of individual dogs nbsp Media related to Willie dog at Wikimedia CommonsReferences 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 amp 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 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Willie dog amp oldid 1212261134, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
