Willie (dog) explained
| Willie |
| Species: | Canis familiaris |
| Breed: | Bull Terrier |
| Birth Date: | 1942 |
| Birth Place: | England |
| Known: | Dog of General Patton |
| Owner: | George S. Patton |
| Death Date: | 1955 |
| Death Place: | United States |
William the Conqueror (1942 – 1955), also known as Willie, was General George Patton's dog.
Adoption and World War II
The dog was originally named Punch and he was the pet of an RAF pilot who sometimes took the dog on bombing missions.[1] [2] When the pilot didn't return from a mission, his wife sold the dog.[3] Patton's staff purchased the dog on March 4, 1944, in England. Patton named him Willie after a boy that he met during the Great Depression and not because of William the Conqueror as it is commonly believed.[4] [5]
During the Second World War, Patton was always accompanied by his loyal dog during his campaigns in Luxembourg, France and Belgium. This friendship was captured in various photos, with Willie always walking beside the General.[6] [7]
Patton's accident and Willie's death
On December 9, 1945, a limousine transporting Patton and his former chief of staff Hobart Gay to a hunting trip crashed into an American army truck near Speyer.[8] Patton died on December 21 of injuries he sustained, leaving Willie's future uncertain.[9] [10] [5]
Willie was sent to live with Patton's family as the beloved dog of a fallen warrior.[10] He died in 1955, outliving both Patton and his wife. He is buried in an unmarked grave by a stone wall on Patton's property, which is still owned by the Patton family.[11] [4]
In 1970, Willie was portrayed in several scenes in Patton's biographical movie, Patton.[10]
A 12feet high bronze statue of Patton and Willie stands today at the General Patton Memorial Museum[12] thirty miles east of Indio, California.[5] [3] [13]
See also
Notes and References
- Book: Joseph Stillman, Richard . General Patton's Best Friend . R.J. Stillman Company . 2001.
- Web site: Download Dogs of War: The Stories of FDR's Fala, Patton's Willie, and Ike's Telek. book . 2023-07-19 . Shalandattuis's blog.
- Web site: George and Willie. National Purebred Dog. Day®. May 23, 2022. National Purebred Dog Day®.
- https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/general-patton-dog-willie-1945/ General Patton's dog after his death, 1945
- https://web.archive.org/web/20131219002740/http://thepoodleanddogblog.typepad.com/the_poodle_and_dog_blog/2010/04/william-the-conqueror-general-pattons-famous-dog-willie.html William the Conqueror, General Patton’s famous dog, Willie
- Book: D'Este . Carlo . Eisenhower: A Soldier's Life . 24 November 2015 . . 978-1-62779-961-4 . 13 August 2020 . en.
- Book: Forty . George . Patton's Third Army at War . 19 April 2015 . Casemate . 978-1-61200-316-0 . 13 August 2020 . en.
- Web site: H. L. Woodring Dies at 77; Was Driver in Patton Crash. The New York Times. 9 November 2003. 26 March 2022. March 26, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220326205635/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/09/us/h-l-woodring-dies-at-77-was-driver-in-patton-crash.html. live.
- Web site: George Patton Facts, Biography, Quotes, World War II, & Death Britannica . 2023-07-17 . www.britannica.com . en.
- Web site: Once Upon a Dog: General Patton and Willie. American Kennel Club.
- Web site: Patton Homestead: A Cultural and Event Center Serving Hamilton and the North Shore. Patton Homestead: A Cultural and Event Center Serving Hamilton and the North Shore.
- Web site: General George Patton Museum | U.S. Army Center of Military History. history.army.mil.
- Web site: Patton museum holds high ground in desert. Carl H. Larsen Special to the. U-T. February 25, 2012. San Diego Union-Tribune.
