Promotion of Patton to Brigadier General During Military Training

On 23/05/1916, George S. Patton Jr. was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant in the United States Army. At the time, Patton was serving with the 8th Cavalry Regiment during a period of heightened activity along the United States Mexico border. Earlier in 1916, tensions following cross border raids led to the Punitive Expedition under Brigadier General John J. Pershing, and cavalry units were heavily involved in field operations and security duties. As a newly promoted first lieutenant, Patton soon gained operational experience during the Mexican Punitive Expedition. He served as aide to General Pershing and took part in motorized reconnaissance missions in northern Mexico. On 14/05/1916, he participated in an expedition that resulted in the killing of Julio Cárdenas, a Villista officer, during a raid near San Miguelito. The promotion formalized his advancement within the cavalry while he continued serving in active field conditions during the 1916 campaign.