European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 31, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Daily Magazine file photo 1942 George Patton at Camp Monument Marks site of first Patton Camp at world War ii desert training memorial planned in California remembering fatten by Ernest Cox special to stars and stripes they came As they had Over 40 years ago in the broiling desert Sun of Chiriaco to hear the speakers under the shaded now they did not stand at Parade rest but sat on Metal folding their shirt fronts gaping Between the watery old eyes staring off into the Shim Mering swallowing hard As memories rushed in upon beside them sat wives with frosted smiling they had been the men of George Patton i armoured Tough Young tanned gis who were to go on to fight the German afrika Korps in the North african desert and decisive Battles in these were the veterans gathered in the Southern California desert on May to Mark the 40th anniversary of be Day and create a permanent memorial to but for a Little the old soldiers swapped War laughed at old photos and remembers their Days at the desert training Center Days of blazing heat nights of Bon chilling tent blowing Salt pills to fight angry growl of tanks plow ing mindlessly through the muffled Boom of Artil Hollywood stars who came to warm pm and a rare pass to visit Cool Shady Corners in such towns As Palm san Blythe and the television cameras were there but As a Media event it rated about a competing with be Day events involving president Reagan in Strasbourg and Queen Elizabeth ii at Westminster but the Hardy 400 gathered at the site of old Camp Young didst about a Hundred of them were actually patrons veterans the rest were sons and Mili tary brass and people from the Federal Bureau of land management who had arranged the affair to dedicate a permanent Stone Monument marking the first step toward creation of a Patton memorial visitors Center and museum at that location 30 Miles East of Robert commander of the 6th told the old this is a great Day to be an All of you Are contributing to our National history and National it takes Tough train ing today to maintain the through your we remain Patton will always be in our memory As one who knew that vigilance and prepared Ness must always be our Jim chief of Marine corps combat Center at nearby Twenty nine said Patton believed four qualities were among those needed to make a Good Soldier disc a High sense of duty and self con Jarrett Deputy commander for training at the National training Center located at fort another Bleak desert outpost farther described present Day training which reminded the listening veterans that desert warfare Hast changed All that Between Early in 1942 and nearly a million gis Learned to fight and survive in the the mud and mire of ice and Snow of and even in the Pacific ten Camps were established Over the desert extending from Boulder on the North to the mexican East to Phoe Nix and West to after the hour Long some of the veterans of patrons hell on wheels outfit walked a Short distance into the desert looking in vain for remnants on that bleached and Barren listening for the rum bling the droning the laugh of the Long remembered buddy and the rasp of the old generals voice that sounded As if it could Cut through Armor finally they turned Back walked to their German Mercedes their japanese and american Slid behind the revved up their turned on their air conditioners and drove slowly Ernest Cox was one of patrons he is now a journalist based in Patton standing in jeep with 3rd army engineers who bridged the Rhine in March May 1985 the stars and stripes Page 13