Patton Jr. George



George Patton, Jr. FF, PSA/DNA Certified & Encapsulated, a Few Days after Opening of Paris Peace Conference







Part of a free franked envelope inscribed overall and signed by future 4-star General George Patton, Jr. (1885-1945) as "Col. G.S. Patton Jr / Am. E.F. France." Patton also wrote "Officers Letter" in the postage section at upper right. Postmarked on January 20, 1919, and accompanied by a photocopy of the letter that the envelope originally contained. A minor tear running through Patton's name (a result of the original letter-opening) mentioned just for accuracy. Expected wear, else near fine. Graded EX-MT 6. The envelope fragment measures 5.625" x 1" while the slab measures 9.5" x 4.5".







The envelope free franked by Patton originally contained a letter dated January 19, 1919 and addressed to his mother, Ruth Wilson Patton (1861-1928). On "Headquarters Second Army / American Expeditionary Forces / Office of A.C. of S., G-5" letterhead, Patton wrote in part: "I am off on a trip giving Tank demonstrations to the Division of this army. I feel like a drummer selling a rather unpopular form of goods…"







The Armistice ended World War I two months earlier. On January 18, 1919, just two days prior to Patton's mailing this envelope, the Paris Peace Conference opened. The conference, assembled of delegates from over 30 countries and ethnic groups, would result in the passage of half a dozen peace treaties. Led by the victorious Allied Powers, conference members decided on war reparations, redrew territorial and national boundaries, and formed the League of Nations.







George Patton, Jr. was a career military officer dispatched to the Western Front as a personal aide to General John "Black Jack" Pershing (1860-1948), with whom he had served during the 1916 Pancho Villa Expedition. Patton's interest in military mounts had transitioned from the cavalry to motor cars, and finally to light armored tanks. In November 1917, Patton established the American Expeditionary Force Light Tank School. He oversaw the manufacture of tanks, led officer training, and personally deployed the tanks in offensives. Patton was seriously wounded during one such maneuver in September 1918. He was brevetted colonel in October 17, 1918, which explains his use of the rank on this envelope.







Patton returned to the United States two months later, in March 1919. He would return to Western Europe within two decades to participate in the Allied invasion of Normandy.







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