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Blood, Guts, and Grease: George S. Patton in World War I
by Jon B. Mikolashek
This work explores Patton’s beginnings as a driven and intrepid soldier and his battles leading up to the Great War—military experiences which would be influential in his development as a commander. Drawing upon Patton’s papers and archival documents in the National Archives, this is an early-career biography of the eminent military leader. It begins with his exploits as a relatively junior but ambitious Army officer who, due to his family’s wealth and influence, was able to join General John J. Pershing’s American Expeditionary Force (AEF). This assignment would ultimately change his life in two ways: it would make Pershing the mentor Patton would emulate for the rest of his life, and it would catapult his military career as the first tanker in the US Army.
About the Author
Jon Mikolashek is a professor of History at the United States Army Command and General Staff College and at American Military University. He is the author of Blood, Guts, and Grease: George S. Patton in World War I and General Mark Clark: Commander of the United States Fifth Army and Liberator of Rome and is a coauthor of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, 2002–2005.
Previously, Mikolashek worked as an historian in the Contemporary Studies Branch for the United States Army Center of Military History at Fort McNair in Washington, DC, and as a military/political analyst for the Terrorism Research Center in Arlington, Virginia. In addition, he has taught at Florida State University, James Madison University and at various community colleges.
He received his BA in History from Longwood College; an MA in United States History from James Madison University; and his PhD from Florida State University, where he studied modern United States History and the Islamic World.