Gen. George S. Patton, Jr. in a letter made public here today formally denied anti-Jewish remarks attributed to him by John O’Donnell, New York Daily News-Washington Times-Herald columnist.
In a letter to Joseph Wilner of Washington, D. C., father of four service men, two of whom died in service, Gen. Patton said: “I am glad to have the opportunity of categorically denying that I have ever made any statement contrary to the Jewish or any other religious faith. I am a sincere believer in the Supreme Being and have never interfered with or even examined into the religious or racial antecedence of the men I have the honor to command. My sole effort has been to provide victorious soldiers who can serve their country and defeat the enemy with the minimum loss to themselves.”
Wilner, one of whose sons Capt. John Wilner was killed while serving with the Third Army under Gen. Patton, had cabled the General that he was “deeply distressed at the injustice being done your reputation,” when the O’Donnell column appeared on Oct, 3, and pointed out that the “whole implication of article is that you are guilty of sentiments contrary to the fair-mindedness which my son’s correspondence described.” Wilner released the Patton correspondence while attending the annual meeting here of the executive committee of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, of which he is a member.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
