Description:

GEORGE S. PATTON (1885 - 1945) "Old Blood and Guts" was one of the finest tank commanders in history, rolling his forces through Tunesia, Sicily, France and Germany until halted at the Rhine. Brusque, candid content self-typed T.L.S. "G. S. Patton, Jr." at lieutenant colonel on his personal letterhead, Fort Shafter [Hawaii], Jan. 27, 1936 to his close friend, Edward Baldwin. Balwin, a member of a socially prominent family and one of Patton's fellow polo players, had been injured in an Inter Island Polo Championship match. Here, Patton exhibits the character he would use to great advantage in the field a few years hence. In part: "....I only heard of your accident yesterday or I would have written sooner to say how sorry I am that even a tough guy like you can get hurt...it would be too bad to have a HE MAN laid up while a lot of Waffel Assed people who never take a chance live for ever and only have bad breath to contend with...My ponies are so fat that they look pragnent and I fear they will go lame carrying their bellies around. Three half-assed cavalry polo players came over on the last boat and are bringing nine ponies with them if the horses are no better than the men it won't do much good..." File holes at top, folds, else fine condition. With mounted newspaper photographs showing Patton and his polo team astride their ponies, and two images of Baldwin.

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November 13, 2018 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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