Martin Blumenson, 86; WWII Historian, Expert on Life of Gen. Patton

Martin Blumenson, 86, a leading historian of World War II who wrote the U.S. Army’s official account of the D-day invasion and was perhaps the foremost authority on the life of Gen. George S. Patton Jr., died of cancer April 15 at his home in Washington, D.C.

Blumenson parlayed his early experience as a historian attached to Patton’s 3rd Army during World War II into a lifelong career, writing 19 books.

At the invitation of the Patton family, Blumenson spent years combing through the general’s letters and personal records that explored the depths of Patton’s character. His biography, “Patton: The Man Behind the Legend, 1885-1945,” won praise for its multidimensional portrait of the general.

Blumenson also published two volumes of the general’s papers.

Born in New York City, Blumenson graduated from Bucknell University, and earned master’s degrees from Bucknell and Harvard before entering the Army in 1942. He was assigned to the historical branch of the War Office, and accompanied Patton’s 3rd Army as well as the 7th Army through Europe.

After serving in the Korean War, he was a civilian historian at the Pentagon from 1957 to 1967 and an advisor to the President’s National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. He also taught at the Army and Navy war colleges and the U.S. Military Academy.