"Patton": A Salute to a Rebel - Part One Quiz

Answer: To the Color

Typically, "To the Color" is played whenever the flag is raised or lowered. In this case, it appears a little dramatic license was used to pay homage to the flag (and to show off Patton's decorations before his speech). A more appropriate bugle call might have been "Assembly", which calls troups to gather at a designated location, but it is much shorter than "To the Color". "First Call", which signals preparation for inspection/formation at the beginning of the day (It is sounded before "Reveille"), is commonly heard at horse races, to signal the horses entering the gates. "Call to Quarters" is the penultimate bugle call of the day; it signals troops to return to their quarters for the night, and that lights out ("Taps") will come within a few minutes. (Some information from bands.army.mil.)

Answer: a wedding ring

During the so-called a scavenger hunt, General Omar Bradley arrives to survey the battlefield. After one of his officers fires a few warning shots, the scavengers disperse.

Answer: Morocco

He is in Rabat, receiving a medal from the Minister of Morocco, for his "brilliant amphibious landing on the continent of Africa." Following the presentation of the medal, Patton observes a pass-and-review of Moroccan soldiers. He was so impressed by the procession, he makes a comment to his aides that he wishes American troops looked that good.

Answer: True

Oh, yes he does! Patton pulls up in front of headquarters over an hour early, standing in the passenger side of a half-track, with siren blaring!
Though it is likely that the movie takes a little dramatic license here, this scene is not out of the realm of possibility. The real General Patton had a penchant for drama, glory, and romance.

Answer: No

Not quite yet. When Bradley asked if he was being premature, Patton says he's been nominated for promotion by the President. Then Bradley counters by saying the Senate has to approve the promotion. Unphased, Patton replies that he and the Senate are on different schedules.

Answer: Knee-high black leather boots

Though the boots sound like they would fit in with the rest of uniform, Patton makes no mention of footware in his description. He went to say that the Army rejected the design (probably because they felt he had watched one too many "Flash Gordon" serials).

Answer: is going to be skinned!

When Patton enters the II Corps mess hall, he notices that it seems all the men, from the cooks to the officers, are out of uniform. So, after fining the head cook $20 for not wearing leggings, he makes this announcement so that the men know he means business when it comes to discipline.

Answer: Carthaginians

In this scene, we are given insight to Patton's belief in reincarnation (He says he was there at the Carthaginian city) and poetry, as he quotes a poem of his about being many different people through the years, but always himself.

Answer: True

Patton firmly believes in the philosophy that the best way to fight the enemy is to know and respect the enemy. The first example of Patton's respect comes after a strafing run by two German planes at II Corps HQ. When the attack was over, he says that he wished he could locate the crews of those planes, so he could give them a medal. Later, in preparation for the battle at El Guettar, Patton had read Erwin Rommel's book on tank warfare and strategy.

Answer: Yes

General Jodl reminds Rommel they have a meeting with Hitler in a few minutes, and that the Führer wants to hear what his strategy will be with Patton. He simply replies "I will attack and annihilate him! Before he does the same to me."

Answer: False

No, it was Lt. Richard "Dick" Jenson (Morgan Paull). When he was unable to raise General Bradley on the radio, Patton told him to relay a message to Bradley, pronto. But shortly after Jenson got to Bradley's position, a German plane came in for a strafing run, killing him.

The next scene shows Patton walking with a cart bearing Jenson's body, as his voice-over tells of a letter to the young man's mother.

Answer: Sardinia

Steiger counters by saying that Patton will invade Sicily at Syracuse, because he is a military historian who knows Sicily is where the Athenians attacked the Romans centuries before. Sure enough, Patton does indeed plan to invade Sicily.

Answer: In a restroom

After General Smith tells Monty that he is sure General Eisenhower will "give it serious consideration," Monty says "[It's] amusing ... that the final plans for the invasion of Sicily shall have been put forward in an Algerian lavatory."

Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower

"Ike" was the nickname of Dwight D. Eisenhower, commander of the Allied forces in Europe. By the end of 1944, he became General of the Army (Five-star General), a wartime rank only a select few men ever attained. When he ran for President in 1952, his campaign was promoted by the use of buttons that read "I Like Ike."

Answer: 10 July 1943

The date of the landing is evidenced on the clapboards of film captured by the Germans. General Jodl and his staff are watching this film at the bunker, assessing both Patton and Bradley.

Answer: True

Because of the heavy resistance, Bradley is ordered to let Monty take Baucina Road north to Messina. As a result, all of Patton's 7th Army (except Bradley's II Corps) have nothing to do, providing an opportunity for Patton to move north to Palermo. When General Carver (Michael Strong) comes in with orders from General Alexandar to stop at Agrigento, Patton tells Carver that the orders were "garbled in transmission." He then says to have the message re-sent, and to have them take their time doing so.

This allows Patton enough time to go into Palermo.

Answer: you love it

After Patton orders Major General Lucian Truscott (John Doucette) to perform a nearly-impossible amphibious assault in the time allowed, Bradley tells Patton he is taking a great risk with the men under his command, just so he could get to Messina before Montgomery.

Answer: Purple Heart

In my opinion, this scene was definitive in showing Patton's passion for battle and respect for the wounded, as well as his strong conviction against "battle fatigue" (now known as "post-traumatic stress disorder").
First, he meets a soldier named Gomez, who is recovering from a chest wound. Next, he stops at the bed of a badly wounded soldier. His chest and eyes are covered in bandages, and he is on oxygen. Patton kneels at his bedside, reaches for a Purple Heart (which is given to service members who are wounded in battle), whispers something in his ear (presumably a citation and/or "get well" message), then quietly gets up to continue his visit.
Then comes the "Soldier Who Gets Slapped" (That's the official movie credit). He tells Patton that his nerves are shot and he can't take the shelling anymore. Patton immediately calls him a coward, slaps him about the head, knocking his helmet off. Patton then orders him back to the front lines.
NOTE -- The "slap" shown in this movie is based on two separate incidents, in which the real General Patton slapped men because they had "battle fatigue," which Patton himself claimed was just another form of cowardice.

Answer: True

As Montgomery's men march into Messina to a boisterous and jubilant crowd, they stop suddenly because Patton is already there. Monty steps up to Patton and they exchange salutes:

Montgomery: "Don't smirk, Patton. I shan't kiss you."
Patton: "That's a pity, for I shaved very close this morning, in preparation for getting smacked by you."

PERSONAL NOTE - My father introduced me to this film a long time ago, and this was one of his favorite scenes, especially when the two bands (British and American) start playing different pieces of music simultaneously. My father used to say that there is nothing louder than a bunch of bagpipes, and (at least musically) he was correct!

Answer: True

After receiving a personal reprimand from Eisenhower, being forced to publicly apologize, and getting relieved of his command of 7th Army, he tells Sgt. William George Meeks (James Edwards) that he wishes he had kissed him instead.

So ends the first half of the this quiz. See you for Part Two.