“Patton is a problem child, but he is a great fighting leader in pursuit and exploration”, said General Dwight D. Eisenhower about his unconventional subordinate. That quote is in Alex Kershaw’s last book Patton’s Prayer: A True Story of Courage, Faith, and Victory in World War II (Dutton).

I have been a longtime fan of this author’s books. I have reviewed some here. I initially wanted to publish this review before Christmas in commemoration of the start of the iconic Battle of the Bulge, “the greatest ever fought, in terms of the number of US troops involved, in US military history” and “the deadliest for the US in World War II”. However, events dictated otherwise, and I told myself I had until the end of January, when the battle officially ended, to move forward with my intention.

But then came President Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier this week, and the words pronounced by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, blessing the incoming administration. The Catholic Archbishop of New York mentioned “General George Patton’s instructions to his soldiers as they began the Battle of the Bulge eight decades ago: “Pray! Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others. Pray by night. Pray by day.””

I then realized that George S. Patton has always been and will always be pertinent as an inspirational figure. He’s intemporal. After all, military history is inseparable from the American experiment, and the man who commanded the US Third Army into battle ranks among the main characters of that story. To any military history buff, General Patton is easily recognized for relishing war, never demanding of his men what he couldn’t do himself, and for his personal and sometimes controversial antics.

Even though it is a formidable battle story, Patton’s Prayer offers an unorthodox military narrative. It offers a unique opportunity to discover or reacquaint oneself with a leader who cared about his men. George S. Patton took pains to tell his men that his military prowess was theirs. They were the architect of his victories, and the Battle of the Bulge was no exception. As a man of faith, he also sought the Almighty’s protection for his legionaries.

Bastogne was a road junction, and the German forces sought to control it to fulfill what another author called Hitler’s last gamble. Patton’s forces were urgently thrown into the fray to rescue their comrades and secure the besieged town. The men of the legendary 82nd and 101st airborne divisions were also assigned to that sector. Before plunging into battle, the General directed “all chaplains to pray for dry weather” and to publish a prayer to that effect. Faith ran deep in the bones of the modern-day legate whose grandfather made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.

To his chief chaplain, James H. O’Neill, George S. Patton declared: “I am a strong believer in Prayer. There are three ways that men get what they want—by planning, by working, and by praying. Any great military operation takes careful planning, or thinking. Then you must have well-trained troops to carry it out: that’s working. But between the plan and the operation there is always an unknown. That unknown spells defeat or victory, success or failure.”

That quote illuminates the incomparable character at the heart of the story. It also testifies that Patton’s faith was not a grandstanding stunt. It was the bedrock on which he solidly stood. Non-believers will doubt and contest this assertion, but Alex Kershaw makes you feel God was on the side of the book’s main protagonist.

The Battle of the Bulge likely represents Patton’s most glorious hour, allowing the acclaimed author to showcase his personality vividly. From awarding the Silver Star to an amputated lieutenant he visited but who died the following day to driving countless hours in freezing weather to lead from the front and energize the troops, you can feel the unsurpassed leadership qualities of this 59-year-old soldier. Patton’s presence with his legionaries “was worth forty thousand men” – to borrow the Duke of Wellington’s observation about his archnemesis, Napoleon.

“Anyone in any walk of life who is content with mediocrity is untrue to himself and to American tradition”, wrote Old Blood and Guts shortly before he entered eternity in December 1945. Many things can be said about Patton, but he was anything but mediocre. Even though he was never elected to the presidency, Cardinal Dolan was perceptive in naming him with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. General Patton called upon their finest qualities. of his countrymen and mobilized them on the battlefield. Like its military, faith is indissociable to the history of the United States. Understanding how and why both marched together with Patton – and countless other figures – offers an excellent perspective on the American character.

Walking with Patton and his gallant man and taking inspiration from one of the greatest pages of American history is a great antidote to the cold snows of a world filled with animosity and hostility. It is also a powerful reminder of the greatness of a nation that has known how to become a beacon of hope and freedom despite its travails and shortcomings.

Patton’s Prayer is a riveting read. Another home run on Alex Kershaw’s scorecard.

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Alex Kershaw, Patton’s Prayer: A True Story of Courage, Faith, and Victory in World War II, New York, Dutton, 2024, 368 pages.