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General Patton in critical condition from an auto accident...
General Patton in critical condition from an auto accident...
Item # 717689
December 11, 1945
THE NEW YORK TIMES, Dec.11, 1945
* General George S. Patton near death
* Automobile accident in WWII Germany
* Third United States Army commander
Near the bottom of the front page is a two column heading: "Patton's Condition Now 'Critical'; He Is Paralyzed From Neck Down" Coverage continues on page 6 with photo of the doctor aiding Patton. (see images)
General Patton would die ten days later from injuries sustained in this automobile accident.
Complete in 44 pages, rag edition in nice condition.
AI notes: In December of 1945, General George S. Patton was seriously injured in a car accident near Mannheim, Germany. He was riding in a 1939 Cadillac staff car when it collided with a U.S. Army truck. Patton suffered a severe spinal cord injury, which left him paralyzed from the neck down.
At the time, Patton was commanding the U.S. 15th Army, primarily engaged in historical documentation of the war. After the accident, he was taken to a hospital in Heidelberg. Despite some initial hopes for recovery, his condition worsened, and he died 12 days later on December 21, 1945, from a pulmonary embolism.
The incident marked a tragic and sudden end to the life of one of America's most famous and controversial World War II generals.
Category: The 20th Century