The Brook Hill School was honored to host the grandson of General George S. Patton, Jr. this past weekend. George Patton Waters, from Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, was the keynote speaker for the 2017 East Texas Salute event. At a dinner in his honor on Friday evening, Mr. Waters shared personal stories about his grandfather. The son of General Patton’s daughter, Beatrice, Mr. Waters only knew his famous grandfather for 15 days when the General stayed with his family while on leave to the United States following the end of World War II in Europe.

A car accident shortly after returning to Europe ended General Patton’s life. Mr. Waters revealed that his grandfather’s tragic car accident was just that, a car accident, and not the result of one of the conspiracy theories advanced in Bill O’Reilly’s book, Killing Patton. He also said General Patton was a Christian and did not believe in reincarnation as has been suggested. A strict disciplinarian, his grandfather expected much of his troops as well as his children and grandchildren. Mr. Waters said that when the General came to his house to visit, “Life as I had known it was over.” Mr. Waters is also a veteran, having served in Vietnam.