Apparently, General Henry Knox was a bit "rotound",  and in the lead up to the Crossing of the Delaware....Col. Glover "insulted" Gen. Knox...

 

"In an Army that hasn't had a good meal in three months, it should be considered Treasonous for the General to fat.."

 

"And, yes, General Knox, I am an uncouth, and profane man....however, you see that Private sitting over there, outside his tent?   Cold enough to freeze his balls off, and the man is shaving!    Now  THERE is a "civilized man" for you"  

 

Any other good quotes and sayings out there? 

 

There was a story, about General G. S. Patton, standing on the bank of the Rhine river.....taking a leak.     When he turned away, he had forgotten to close the "door"......Someone wanted  to get a picture of the General.....( Bill Maudlin???)

 

 

Edited August 12, 20169 yr by steven newman

I know lots of them but then this is a family site 

Although this one seems appropriate for the current times and world situations-

 

The printing press is the greatest weapon in the armoury of the modern commander.

T. E. Lawrence

There is a quote from General Patton I love, but I do not remember the quote but I can paraphrase it.

If a courageous man is one who knows not fear, than I have never met a courageous man, for a truly brave man achieves the objective with all the fear in his heart, yet is able to overcome that fear for the sake of the mission.

Or something like that, I remember it being over the desk of our C.O. at my last duty station in Panama. I love it.

Now, what was I doing standing in front of the C.O.'s desk you may ask? Well, we won't go into that! It was a frequent event.

19 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Now, what was I doing standing in front of the C.O.'s desk you may ask? Well, we won't go into that! It was a frequent event

Now, what was I doing standing in front of the C.O.'s desk you may ask? Well, we won't go into that! It was a frequent event.

 

No....surely not.

11 hours ago, John Morris said:

 Now, what was I doing standing in front of the C.O.'s desk you may ask? Well, we won't go into that! It was a frequent event.

 

The question that begs to be asked is, "Were you standing at attention?"

2 minutes ago, Ron Dudelston said:

 

The question that begs to be asked is, "Were you standing at attention?"

Oh brother was I ever, locked up and chin braced, let's just say my weekends were spent painting the barracks and cutting the grass!

15 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Oh brother was I ever, locked up and chin braced, let's just say my weekends were spent painting the barracks and cutting the grass!

I was only there once.  Let's just say I was single cheeked for awhile.

Just now, Ron Dudelston said:

I was only there once.  Let's just say I was single cheeked for awhile.

 

I seem to remember a quote, I think from General John Pershing, something to the effect that "In relationships between superiors and subordinates, the superior, if he is a gentleman, never remembers that the subordinate is a subordinate, and the subordinate, if he is a gentleman, never forgets it."

51 minutes ago, PostalTom said:

I seem to remember a quote, I think from General John Pershing, something to the effect that "In relationships between superiors and subordinates, the superior, if he is a gentleman, never remembers that the subordinate is a subordinate, and the subordinate, if he is a gentleman, never forgets it."

I like that, a great way of leadership even in the private sector, what a wonderful way to lead.

I never had the privilege to serve, but I have heard many sayings over my life from folks in the military. Some were good, some were bad and some were......well........a bit off color and very salty. But there was one that I heard many years ago and it is one that I use regularly. It was attributed to General Patton and I cannot confirm it, but it is very true not only for the military man but for the common man as well.

"No battle plan lasts beyond first contact with the enemy."

My mother also used a similar saying to my sister and I growing up which was "Nothing ever goes as planned."

 

These sayings I have found to be true 99.9% of the time. We have all these plans but then a monkey wrench gets thrown into the machinery and you have to go to "Plan B" (or C, D,E,F........)

This one is a little bit older than a Patton saying:

 

No plan is without risk of failure,  but without risk, there is no Glory..

 

Napoleone Buonaparte

 

Another "Patton Saying":

 

Your job is NOT to die for your country,  your job is to make the enemy die for theirs...( cleaned up quite a bit......)

36 minutes ago, steven newman said:

Another "Patton Saying":

 

Your job is NOT to die for your country,  your job is to make the enemy die for theirs...( cleaned up quite a bit......)

One of my favorites!

One of my favorite Patton quotes: "It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died (in battle). Rather we should thank God that such men lived"

You guys got my memory in gear.  I was in Army, but Dad was career Marine (The Arizona, G'canal, Tarawa, Saipan).  As a tender youth, I was tasked to paint the porch and keep painting until the paint was gone.  So I slathered that paint on so thick it would take a year to really dry.  He immediately reprimanded me, and as I hung my head he made an observation that has stuck with me for 52 years:  "Son it takes an old sh***er to sh** an old shi***er."   Truer words never spoke.  An earthy but memorable insight. 

27 minutes ago, PeteM said:

You guys got my memory in gear.  I was in Army, but Dad was career Marine (The Arizona, G'canal, Tarawa, Saipan).  As a tender youth, I was tasked to paint the porch and keep painting until the paint was gone.  So I slathered that paint on so thick it would take a year to really dry.  He immediately reprimanded me, and as I hung my head he made an observation that has stuck with me for 52 years:  "Son it takes an old sh***er to sh** an old shi***er."   Truer words never spoke.  An earthy but memorable insight. 

On the Guidon of a unit I was stationed with..

 

We did it so well, we get to do it again......as ....WDISW WGTDIA......green ribbon, gold letters.   "Battle of Crumm Hill"  Three days and no one could take the hill away from us.  Not even the 502 INF REG.  (Airborne) could. 

 

90% of the Company were prior service ( Nam) and we learned our lessons well.