--- title: "This ‘Church of Patton’ immortalized the General and his Third Army in stained glass" date: "2022-07-31" modified: "2022-07-31" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake.md" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/veterans/this-church-of-patton-immortalized-the-general-and-his-third-army-in-stained-glass/" categories: - "Army" - "History" - "War History" - "World War II" --- # This ‘Church of Patton’ immortalized the General and his Third Army in stained glass ![]() Long before General James Mattis was canonized by his troops as Saint Mattis, patron saint of chaos, another legendary general was quietly immortalized in stained glass. His image atop one of his Third Army tanks shares a scene with one depicting the legend of Saint George slaying a dragon. Referring to it as the "Saint George Window" may make someone question which George is the saint in question – so they call it the [Patton Memorial Window](). --- ![]() *The full Patton Memorial Window.* For decades, the Patton Family worshipped at the Church of Our Saviour, an episcopalian church in San Gabriel, Calif. The church itself was built in 1867 while the young Patton, born in 1885, was raised in what is now nearby San Marino. The window itself was commissioned by the Patton Family after his 1945 death. ![]() *General Patton leading what is probably the most expletive-laden Sunday School ever.* The main subject is Saint George slaying a dragon but the rest of the window depicts the life and times of the four-star general. According to the Church, Saint George represents the general himself, while the dragon – complete with swastika-covered scales – is the Nazi regime he helped bring down. Battles where Patton had command are depicted, including Metz, Coblenz, and Bastogne, also appear alongside towns he liberated from the Nazis. Those towns appear in the dragon's claws. Even though Patton's remains are still interred in Europe, a statue of the man – hands on his famous ivory-handled revolvers – stands watch at the entrance to the cemetery, where other members of the Patton family were laid to rest. ![]() *If the dead ever rise, they aren't coming out of this cemetery.* If you want to make a Patton day of it, you can also visit the nearby Patton Tank Warfare Museum, just around the corner from the church. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()