Promotion to Lieutenant Colonel and Attendance at Command and General Staff College

On 03/04/1918, George S. Patton Jr. was promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. National Army while serving in France during World War I. At the time of his promotion, Patton was commanding the newly established American Expeditionary Forces Tank School, where U.S. personnel were being trained to operate French supplied Renault FT light tanks. The school was located at Bourg, France, and formed part of the rapid expansion of American armored forces under the AEF. Patton had arrived in France in late 1917 and quickly became involved in organizing the Army’s developing tank program. As commandant of the Tank School, he oversaw instruction in driving, gunnery, maintenance, and coordination with infantry. The training prepared American crews for upcoming operations, including the Saint Mihiel offensive in September 1918. His promotion to temporary lieutenant colonel reflected the growing responsibility associated with building and leading tank units during the wartime expansion of the U.S. Army. Patton later transitioned from training duties to combat command, taking charge of the 1st Provisional Tank Brigade and leading American manned Renault FT tanks in battle during the Saint Mihiel offensive beginning on 12/09/1918, followed by the Meuse Argonne Offensive later that month.