George Smith Patton, Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945)

Patton was U.S. Army General, best known for his controversial leadership while commanding armies during World War ll.  In 1944, Patton assumed command of
the U.S. Third Army, which under his leadership advanced farther, captured more
enemy prisoners, and liberated more territory in less time than any other army in
military history.

On December 9, 1945, Patton was severely injured in, what seemed to be at first,
a minor automobile accident while on a day trip to hunt pheasants in Germany. He received a severe cervical spinal cord injury and was paralyzed from the neck
down. He died of a pulmonary embolism on Friday December 21, 1945.