had been shot to pieces and all his subordinate regiments' colors had been captured. Patton's grandfather, born George William Patton in 1856, changed his name to George Smith Patton in 1868, in honor of his father. Patton's father was George Smith Patton Jr., the renowned World War II general most famous for his command of the Third U.S. Army in Northwest Europe in 1944 and 1945. Though given the name Junior, Patton's father was actually the third George Smith Patton. For this reason, Patton was christened George Smith Patton IV. Following his father's death in 1945, Patton changed his legal name to George Smith Patton, dropping the Roman numerals. His eldest son, technically the fifth George S. Patton, is also known as George Smith Patton Jr., WW-II General Patton's young grandson, who still is living, has given interviews on the History Channel and the Military Channel, recalling his family heritage. Another son, Robert H. Patton, has written a history of the Patton family: The Pattons: A Personal History of an American Family (Crown, 1994). His youngest son Benjamin Patton has written a family biography entitled Growing Up Patton: Reflections on Heroes, History, and Family Wisdom, which reflected on his grandfather and father's careers. Benjamin, a filmmaker, also recorded tapes of his father's memories of his own and his grandfather's experiences, and those tapes formed the basis of the book The Fighting Pattons by Brian M. Sobel. References External links Arlington National Cemetery Webcast presentation by Patton's son, Benjamin, at the Pritzker Military Library on October 18, 2012, regarding his book Growing Up Patton: Reflections on Heroes, History and Family Wisdom 1923 births 2004 deaths United States Army personnel of the Korean War United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Neurological disease deaths in Massachusetts Deaths from Parkinson's disease Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Distinguished Service Order (Vietnam) United States Army generals United States Military Academy alumni The Hill School alumni George S. Patton Writers from Boston Military personnel from Massachusetts People from Hamilton, Massachusetts Patton family Recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam)