Patton on Parade in Los Angeles, 9 June 1945

It is little known that General George S. Patton, Jr. returned to the United States in June of 1945, after the war ended in Europe. He was expecting to be transferred to the Pacific Theatre but that was not going to happen. It turned out to be Patton's last visit to the US since he was killed in a traffic accident in Germany later in 1945.

On 9 June 1945 he participated in a "Buy War Bonds" parade and rally in Los Angeles, near his home town of Pasadena, CA. Gen. James Doolittle was also starring in the parade. The next day, the Los Angeles Examiner headline was "1,500,000 THUNDER ACLAIM TO PATTON, DOOLITTLE HERE"

In this photo, you can see Patton standing in a Dodge 3/4 ton 4x4 WC-56 Command Car (hood registration number 20183974S) waving to a happy, cheering crowd on downtown LA sidewalks. Confetti is dropping on them from the office buildings and the flag is flying from a huge "Buy Bonds Here" sign that features the Iwo Jima flag raising picture.

Today in WW II: 8 Feb 1940 Germans establish the first large Jewish ghetto in Poland in the city of Lodz. More ↓

8 Feb 1941 US House of Representatives passes the Lend-Lease Act [265 to 165].
8 Feb 1942 Battle of Sarimbun Beach begins, the first stage of the Japanese assault on Singapore.
8 Feb 1942 Japanese Offensive in Burma begins [8 Feb-2 May].
8 Feb 1945 Battle of the Reichswald: British and Canadian forces under Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery begin Operation Veritable [8 Feb-11 Mar].
Visit the Olive-Drab.com World War II Timeline for day-by-day events 1939-1945! See also WW2 Books.