This notable oath, via the 1,572-page Official Military Personnel File for George S. Patton Jr., digitized in the National Archives, was signed some years 106 ago today.
When his promotion was announced officially on 17 May, Patton, who had only a few months before had been on detached duty from the 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment to serve as an aide to Brig. Gen. John J. Pershing for the Punitive Expedition against Villa in the Northern Mexican desert regions, was, much to his dismay, detailed to Front Royal, Virginia, to oversee horse procurement for the Army. After all, for a noted horseman that had represented his country in the 1912 Olympics and had designed the final U.S. martial cavalry saber (the M1913) after becoming a Master of the Sword at the French cavalry school at Namur, it seemed like a good fit.
However, as old “Black Jack” had recently been promoted himself to major general and named Commander of the nascent American Expeditionary Force upon the unexpected death of General “Fighting Fred” Funston, Capt. Patton would soon be leaving his horses behind for the steel cavalry in France.