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George Patton, the great General, was a man, of course, of courage. He was also a man of faith.

Gerald Mygatt and Henry Darlington asked a number of political and military leaders—including President Roosevelt, Secretary of War Stimson, and General Eisenhower—to contribute a prayer to the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Prayer Book, published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1944. In response to that request, General Patton composed this prayer for courage.

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God of our Fathers, who by land and sea has ever led us to victory, please continue Your inspiring guidance in this the greatest of our conflicts.

Strengthen my soul so that the weakening instinct of self-preser-vation, which besets all of us in battle, shall not blind me to my duty to my own manhood, to the glory of my calling, and to my responsibility to my fellow soldiers.

Grant to our armed forces that disciplined valor and mutual con-fidence which insures success in war.

Let me not mourn for the men who have died fighting, but rather let me be glad that such heroes have lived.

If it be my lot to die, let me do so with courage and honor in a man-ner which will bring the greatest harm to the enemy, and please, O Lord, protect and guide those I shall leave behind.

Give us the victory, Lord. Amen.

Lieutenant General G. S. Patton Jr. United States Army. 

Commanding General, Seventh Army


This article is part of our larger selection of posts about General George Patton. To learn more, click here for our comprehensive guide to General Patton. 


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This article is from the book Patton: Blood, Guts, and Prayer © 2012 by Michael Keane. Please use this data for any reference citations. To order this book, please visit its online sales page at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

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"George Patton and His Prayer for Courage" History on the Net
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March 29, 2024 <https://www.historyonthenet.com/george-patton-prayer-for-courage>
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