The Remarkable Life And Mysterious Death of General Patton

Gen. George S. Patton was one of the most fascinating military figures to dominate the last century. Quite simply, he was a genius for war.

But at 11:45 on the morning of December 9, 1945, Gen. Patton was en route to a pheasant hunt near Mannheim, Germany, when his Cadillac staff car suddenly collided with a two-and-a-half ton U.S. Army truck. Twelve days later, the four-star general — who had triumphed against Hitler’s best from North Africa to Europe — was dead. The Army concluded it was merely a traffic accident, but others believe it was an assassination attempt.

On VE Day May 8, 1945, American GIs were ready to return home. But George Patton wanted to keep fighting. The always-outspoken general was vocal about who his new enemy was: the Russians. Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower disagreed, and so did many others in Washington.

In this episode of “War Stories Investigates with Oliver North,” we’ll explore the rumors, myths and conspiracy theories surrounding Patton’s mysterious accident and death. We will also explore the highlights of his military career with members of his family.

Patton had planned to leave Germany and return home and retire. Strangely, he was the only one injured in the crash. The official Army accident report is still missing. You’ll hear a firsthand account from Patton’s driver that day, PFC Horace Woodring. You’ll also hear from military author Robert Wilcox, who claims that the accident was staged by American and Russian intelligence and says he knows who killed Patton. And meet nurse Lt. Bertha Hole who cared for him during his final days. Finally, Patton’s grandchildren speak out and share intimate details about their grandfather’s life and death.