Patton leads tanks at Battle of Saint-Mihiel

On 12/09/1918, Lieutenant Colonel George S. Patton Jr. led American tank forces during the opening of the Battle of Saint Mihiel in northeastern France. Commanding the 1st Provisional Tank Brigade of the American Expeditionary Forces, Patton directed U.S. crews operating French built Renault FT light tanks in support of the IV Corps attack against the German held Saint Mihiel salient. The offensive marked the first major independent American operation of World War I and involved extensive use of tanks coordinated with infantry and artillery. During the advance, Patton moved forward near the front lines to observe conditions and guide tank movements. Accounts from the action describe him walking ahead of advancing tanks as they moved toward the village of Essey, helping maintain direction in poor visibility and difficult terrain. Later in the operation, Patton continued forward as the attack progressed toward Pannes, where American forces consolidated gains and cleared German positions. The brigade’s tanks supported infantry advances, reduced machine gun resistance, and assisted in securing objectives within the salient during the first day of operations. The Saint Mihiel offensive began on 12/09/1918 and achieved its primary objectives within days, eliminating the German salient that had threatened Allied lines since 1914. Patton’s leadership of American manned Renault FT tanks during the battle represented one of the earliest large scale uses of U.S. armored forces in combat. His performance in coordinating tanks with infantry during the operation preceded his later command in the Meuse Argonne Offensive later that month.