In June 2019, The World Olympians Association recognized George Smith Patton, Jr. posthumously for his “role in society as an Olympian, living and promoting the Olympic values.” As an Olympian, this recognition grants him the prestigious use of the letters OLY after his name.

With a combination of military training while at West Point, a natural ability as an accomplished horseman, swordsman … the young Lieutenant was chosen to compete in the new sport of Modern Pentathlon for the United States during the 5th Olympiad in Stockholm (SWE) in 1912. Based on the pentathlon from the ancient Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin introduced its debut as an event that would “test a man’s moral qualities as much as his physical resources and skills, producing thereby the ideal, complete athlete.” The Olympian, George Smith Patton, finished 5th in the first ever Olympic Modern Pentathlon competition.

For more on the history of the Olympic Sport of Modern Pentathlon, and George Smith Patton’s participation in it, we encourage a visit to the website of the international governing body for the sport, the Union Internationale Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM).

Read about the History of the UIPM.

Read more about the World Olympians Association OLY.