Patton was appointed as the Commander of the 2nd Brigade

On 16/07/1940, Colonel George S. Patton Jr. was assigned to the newly forming 2nd Armored Division at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he took command of the 2nd Armored Brigade. The appointment came during a period of rapid expansion of U.S. armored forces as the Army reorganized in response to developments in mechanized warfare in Europe. The 2nd Armored Division had been activated earlier in July 1940, and Patton’s brigade command placed him at the center of early American experimentation with large armored formations. As commander of the 2nd Armored Brigade, Patton oversaw training in tank maneuver, combined arms coordination, and mobile operations. Units conducted field exercises designed to integrate tanks with motorized infantry, artillery, and reconnaissance elements. The brigade formed a key component of the division’s structure, which aimed to operate as a fast moving armored force capable of breakthrough and exploitation roles. Patton emphasized aggressive movement, discipline, and rapid concentration of armored strength during this training phase. His assignment on 16 July 1940 marked a transition from cavalry to armored leadership and helped establish his role in developing U.S. armored doctrine. Within months, Patton advanced to general officer rank, receiving promotion to temporary Brigadier General on 02/10/1940. He continued working with armored formations, later leading major exercises and eventually commanding higher level armored formations during World War II.