August 1 – Lieutenant General George S. Patton Takes Command of Third Army

August 1, 1944

On August 1 of the year 1944, Lieutenant General George Patton took control of the United States’ Third Army in France — leading them through the famous liberty road march toward Germany. To this day, Patton is remembered as an exceptional General. He saved hundreds of lives during World War II and was well known for his genius leadership during wartime. Under his command, the Third Army rapidly advanced across France in the days following August 1 — eventually playing a huge role in the Battle of the Bulge in December of 1944.

The Third Army consisted of the 8th, 12th, 15th, and 20th Army Corps. The 20th Corps remained under Patton throughout his march. After the town of Avranches was taken on July 31, his army blasted forward with immense speed until September 24 — when the Third Army had to stop near Moselle due to a lack of supplies. In the end, the Third Army captured 94,199 prisoners total. The entire liberation process was a huge feat that took a great deal of planning and dedication from everyone involved.