Alexander (McCarrell) Patch

US soldier, born in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, USA. The son of an army officer, he trained at West Point (1913), commanded a battalion in France (1918), and between the wars held a series of posts at army educational institutions and unit commands. After Pearl Harbor, he was given command of a task force to help the French defend New Caledonia, and in 1943 he led the American forces that crushed Japanese resistance on Guadalcanal. In August 1944 he commanded the Seventh Army in the Allied invasion of S France, leading his army up the Rhone Valley, over the Rhine, and across S Germany to accept the surrender of major German units in Bavaria (5 May 1945). He was reassigned to prepare for duty in the Pacific, and when Japan surrendered he headed a board to study the reorganization of the army; but he died of pneumonia shortly afterwards.

Alexander McCarrell "Sandy" Patch (1889–1945) was an officer in the United States Army, best known for his service in World War II. He commanded Army and Marine forces during the invasion of Guadalcanal, and the US Seventh Army in the invasion of southern France (Operation Dragoon.)

Patch was born on Fort Huachuca, a cavalry post in Arizona where his father commanded a detachment.

In World War I Patch served as an infantry officer and as an instructor in the Army's machine gun school.

In 1942, Patch was sent to the Pacific to organize the reinforcement and defense of New Caledonia. He took command of a loose collection of units, and formed them into the Americal Division (a name adopted on Patch's suggestion after it was proposed by a soldier in the division.) This unit first saw action in the invasion of Guadalcanal, where they were brought in to relieve the tired 1st Marine Division. Patch gave up direct command of the Americal Division and was given charge of the entire offensive on Guadalcanal.

Impressed by Patch's performance on Guadalcanal, Marshall ordered him to Europe, where he took over command of the Seventh Army from Patton. Under Patch, the Seventh Army landed in the French Riviera on August 15, 1944.

Patch retained command of the Seventh Army until the end of the war, crossing the Rhine and leading the Seventh's attack on the German Siegfried Line.

In August 1945, Patch returned to the U.S. to take command of the Fourth Army, but he was soon hospitalized with lung problems.

Kurmärker Kaserne, in Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany, was renamed Patch Barracks in his honor on July 4, 1952. Patch Barracks is the home of Headquarters, United States European Command (HQ USEUCOM), the supreme US military command in Europe. Patch Barracks also has an elementary and high school named after General Patch.

Patch was promoted to brigadier general on August 4, 1941, to major general on March 10, 1942, to lieutenant general on August 18, 1944 and to general on July 19, 1954 (posthumous, Public Law 83-508).