Converted to EAD3 : Encoded Archival Description (EAD), Version 3 : Release: 1.1.1 : Release Date: 2019-12-16. Validating against latest version of schema.
Contact information: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/mss.contact
Catalog Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/mm83035634
Collection material in English
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
The papers of George S. Patton, army officer and author, were given to the Library of Congress in 1955 by Mrs. Samuel J. Graham and in 1964 by George S. Patton IV, Mrs. James W. Totten, John Knight Waters, Jr., and George Patton Waters. Additional material was received from the Patton family, some via Martin Blumenson, and from Culbreth Sudler, Jr., from 1970 to 1986.
The papers of George S. Patton were arranged and described in 1964. Additional material was incorporated into the collection in 1979 and 1995. The collection description was expanded and revised in 1998.
Duplicate maps have been transferred to the Library's Geography and Map Division where they are identified as part of these papers.
Copyright in the unpublished writings of George S. Patton in these papers and in other collections of papers in the custody of the Library of Congress has been dedicated to the public.
The papers of George S. Patton are open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.
A microfilm edition of a portion of these papers is available from the Library's Photoduplication Service for purchase subject to the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.). A microfilm copy of one volume of Patton's diary on one reel may be requested on interlibrary loan through the Library's Loan Division. The United States Department of the Army's two reels of microfilm containing Patton's personnel file and the microfilm of the scrapbooks on seven reels are not available for interlibrary loan. To promote preservation of the originals, researchers are required to consult the microfilm edition as available.
Diaries in the papers of George S. Patton are available on the Library of Congress Web site at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/collmss.ms000047.
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Container or reel number, George S. Patton Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
The papers of
The
Diaries,
1910-1945, illustrate Patton's activities during the
The Chronological File, 1901-1977, provides an overview of Patton's life, serving as a combination diary-scrapbook consisting mainly of diary entries, correspondence, memoranda, and reports. Approximately one half of the series is in transcript form. The originals of these transcripts are located in other series. This series also contains original items, primarily correspondence, that do not appear in any other series.
The
Family
Papers, 1857-1979, consist mainly of Patton's letters to his wife,
Papers in the
Correspondence series, 1903-1945, include incoming
and outgoing correspondence between Patton and his staff, commanders,
government officials, friends, and the general public. Because many of Patton's
friends and colleagues were in the military, there is a significant amount of
material in the chronological correspondence that relates to military matters.
The official correspondence documents the planning of various combat
operations, particularly for the
The
Military
Papers, 1903-1976, consist of administrative files, Patton's personnel
file, and a subject file. The bulk of the series illustrates Patton's duties
while a combat commander from 1942 to 1945. The files include orders,
citations, memoranda, speeches, training instructions, policy and procedural
material, and reports concerning units Patton commanded. Speeches made by
Patton to his troops during World War II were originally filed in the Military
Papers, and this order has been retained. Duplicates of some of these speeches
are filed in the
Speeches and Writings File. Documents
relating to Patton's personnel file include both personal and official papers.
The official papers are included in a microfilm copy of Patton's file in the
records of the
The
Military
Library series, 1907-1947, includes class publications from
Items in the
Maps
series, 1906-1945, reflect Patton's interest in cartography. Most of the items
are situation maps of the European theater and commemorative maps of the
The
Photographs series, 1864-1958, consist primarily of
items relating to Patton's military career, although there are a few family
photographs in the "Miscellaneous" folders. Locations featured in the World War
II pictures include
Papers in the
Speeches and
Writings File, 1900-1947, consist chiefly of articles, speeches, reports,
lectures, book reviews, memoranda, poetry, and memoirs. A few writings of
others interfiled in this series with Patton's texts are listed in a partial
index compiled by Patton. Prominent topics featured in Patton's writings
include the saber, the cavalry, mechanization, tanks, and tank tactics.
Patton's writings illustrate his early interest in armored warfare and indicate
his belief in the tank as an important combat weapon long before its success in
World War II. A 1937 paper entitled "Surprise" includes Patton's prediction of
an attack by
The
Miscellany
series, 1911-1966, includes biographical information, certificates and
citations, reports, and printed matter relating chiefly to Patton's
participation in the pentathlon in the
Prominent among Patton's correspondents are
Throughout his papers, Patton used nicknames, abbreviations, and code words to denote certain persons and operations. The following names and words are found primarily in his World War II diaries and correspondence and the chronological file for those years:
The collection is arranged in twelve series:
Holograph and typewritten diaries, bound and unbound.
Arranged in two groups, original and annotated transcripts, and therein chronologically.
The diary for Sept. 24-Mar. 5, 1943, is available on microfilm. Shelf no. 20,613.
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A collection of diary entries, correspondence, school papers, memoranda, reports, photographs, articles, speeches, lectures, maps, notebooks, orders, citations, newspaper clippings, printed matter, and other material.
Arranged chronologically.
Correspondence between Patton and family members with attachments and enclosures, genealogical material, printed matter, and miscellaneous papers relating to the family.
Arranged alphabetically by type of material and therein by name of family member.
Chronological, official, and topical correspondence, with attached and appended material, between Patton and his staff, army officials, friends, acquaintances, and the general public.
Arranged alphabetically by type of correspondence and therein chronologically, although the topical correspondence is arranged alphabetically by topic and therein chronologically.
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, orders, citations, speeches, photographs, training instructions, policy and procedural material, Patton's personnel file, and printed matter.
Arranged alphabetically into three categories: administrative file, personnel "201" file, and subject file. The files within the categories are further arranged alphabetically by name of person, topic, or type of material, with the exception of the administrative file which is arranged chronologically.
Includes two reels of microfilm of Patton's official personnel file, the originals of which are not in the collection. Shelf no. 17,250.
Reports, printed matter, near-print material, and typed notes.
Arranged chronologically.
Maps from various phases of Patton's military career.
Arranged alphabetically by topic and therein chronologically.
Bound and unbound photographs.
Arranged alphabetically by topic or type of material and therein chronologically.
Holograph, typescript, near-print, and published copies of articles, speeches, lectures, book reviews, memoranda, reports, field manuals, instructional material, poetry, and memoirs.
Arranged alphabetically by type of material and therein chronologically.
Memoranda, reports, biographical information, citations, certificates, photographs, near-print and printed matter, notes and notebooks, postcards, and newspaper clippings.
Arranged by name of person or organization, topic, or type of material and therein chronologically.
Correspondence, photographs, certificates, calling cards, and other material retained after microfilming. Once the scrapbooks were microfilmed, the volumes, OV 23-OV 49, were destroyed.
Oversize material consisting of maps, diagrams and blueprints, overlays, photographs, charts, posters, a report, and scrapbooks.
Organized and described according to the series from which the items were removed. Scrapbooks constitute a separate grouping within the oversize series.
Scrapbooks OV 23-OV 49 are available only on microfilm. Shelf no. 21,850.