Pastors Page
Robert M. Varner, Pastor
Patton Prayer
Which General Patton had drafted for the Third Army to say in December 1944
Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech thee, of thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon thee that armed with thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies, and establish thy justice among men and nations. Amen.
In early December General Patton's US Third Army was hindered in their advance by heavy rains, and soft ground and brought his armored advance to a standstill, while the weather prevented air strikes, General Patton, who was a devout churchman ( Protestant Episcopal ) and daily said Evening and Morning Prayer on his knees, was convinced that his
soldiers did not pray enough, and that only God's help would break the weather and facilitate the Army's advance.
He directed his chaplain to write a collect for the Army for his approval. His chaplain did so, and recommended also a
Christmas greeting on the reverse of the prayer, which Patton approved. General Patton called for his soldiers to pray at
all times, in their foxholes, when traveling, etc. - always with this imprecatory prayer. Beginning on about the 8th of
December, the Army began to distribute 250,000 copies of the prayer with a Training Directive to pray. On the 20th the
weather broke, a cold front moved in and froze the earth solid. Allied air attacks commenced in earnest combined with an
armored thrust to break the German Bulge in the Battle of Bastone. Patton's Army struck deep into the German lines in a
most remarkable victory to relieve the 101st Airborne Division that was encircled at Bastone, France. This was the last
major offensive that Hitler was able to mount, and the Allied forces continued their advance to end the war.
Past Articles from our Church Bulletin:
HOME WELCOME ANNOUNCEMENTS Salvation Message Pastors Book Info