How did Patton die? The long story
On December 9, 1945, Patton was returning from a pheasant hunt with his chief of staff, Major General Hobart โHapโ Gay. Sergeant Mims, his regular driver, was in the hospital, and a substitute was at the wheel. They were traveling at about thirty-five miles per hour when an army truck turned from a side road into their path. In the glancing collision, Patton was thrown against the roof and fell forward into the glass partition behind the driverโs seat. His neck was broken.
Paralyzed from the neck down, he was taken to a hospital in Heidelberg. โThis is a helluva way to die,โ Patton told Gay. In the hospital, Pattonโs mood alternated between profanity-laced anger and black humor. โIf thereโs any doubt in any of your Goddamn minds that Iโm going to be paralyzed for the rest of my life, letโs cut out all this horse-shit right now and let me die,โ Patton lashed out.
He just as quickly changed moods, joking, โRelax, gentlemen, Iโm in no condition to be a terror now.โ When he was informed that the hospital chaplain was there to pray by his side, Patton responded, โWell, let him get started. I guess I need it.โ The chaplain entered, said a few prayers and Patton thanked him.
Beatrice flew to her husbandโs side after ordering that her children remain at home. She seemed to want her husband to herself one final time. As they visited, Patton told his wife, โI guess I wasnโt good enough.โ She knew he was referring to his desire to die in battle, as his ancestors had done.
