Alexander Patch
General Alexander McCarrell Patch (November 23, 1889 – November 21, 1945) was a senior United States Army officer who fought in both world wars, rising to rank of general. During World War II, he commanded U.S. Army and Marine Corps forces during the Guadalcanal Campaign in the Pacific, and the Seventh Army on the Western Front in Europe.
Alexander Patch | |
|---|---|
Alexander "Sandy" Patch, pictured here as a lieutenant general, in August 1945 | |
| Birth name | Alexander McCarrell Patch |
| Nickname(s) | "Sandy" |
| Born | November 23, 1889 Fort Huachuca, Arizona Territory, United States |
| Died | November 21, 1945 (aged 55) Fort Sam Houston, Texas, United States |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1913–1945 |
| Rank | General |
| Service number | 0-3589 |
| Unit | Infantry Branch |
| Commands held | 3rd Machine Gun Battalion 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment 47th Infantry Regiment Americal Division XIV Corps IV Corps Seventh Army Fourth Army 106th Cavalry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Pancho Villa Expedition World War I World War II |
| Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal (3) Navy Distinguished Service Medal Bronze Star |
With an invasion of Japan still an apparent likelihood, Patch returned to the U.S. in August 1945 to take charge of the Fourth Army headquartered at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He died three months later in November at age 55, his health having been ravaged during his time in the Pacific early in the war. "Sandy" Patch and Lucian Truscott were the only two U.S. Army officers on active service during World War II to command a division, corps, and field army.
A lieutenant general at the time of his passing, he was posthumously promoted to four-star general in July 1954.