What happened to the two GI's Gen Patton slapped during World War 2?

Answer 1

Both incidents took place near the end of the Sicilian campaign. Private Charles H. Kuhl, 27, of Company L, 26th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division had been in the Army eight months, and in the 1st ID for two months. The Division had landed in Sicily July 10, 1943, in the first wave, and had been fighting since. Kuhl was sent to the hospital three times in ten days for "exhaustion". He was in the 15th Evacuation Hospital on August 3 when Patton arrived accompanied by General John P. Lucas, slapped, cursed and kicked Kuhl out of the tent ward with a kick to the backside, after Patton asked what was wrong with him and Kuhl said he was "nervous" and "couldn't take it". Medics helped Kuhl up and got him out of the General's sight, took him to another tent, where it was found he had a temperature of 102.2, and was eventually found to have malaria parasites. Kuhl was evacuated to North Africa for treatment. Speaking later of the incident and Patton Kuhl said "At the time it happened [Patton} was pretty well worn out...I think he was suffering a little battle fatigue himself." Kuhl wrote his parents about the incident but urged them to "just forget about it". Word spread among the troops and eventually reached Eisenhower, and also was publicized by muckraking journalist Drew Pearson. When the incident began to flare up Patton was ordered to apologize, and had Kuhl brought to his office on August 23, and made what one officer witness later described as "no apology at all", and Patton wrote in his diary how much he loathed having to apologize. Patton and Kuhl shook hands. After the "apology" Kuhl said Patton was "a great general" and that "at the time, he didn't know how sick I was". After treatment Kuhl rejoined the 26th Infantry and landed at Normandy seventy years ago today. Kuhl was from Indiana, a carpet layer in Mishiwaka before the service, returned there after the service, worked for the Bendix Corporation, and died of a heart attack on January 31, 1971, and is buried in Fairview Cemetery in Mishiwaka, Indiana.

One week after the first incident Patton encountered Paul G. Bennett, 21, of C Battery, 17th Field Artillery, 1st Infantry Division, at the 93rd Evacuation Hospital. Bennett had been in the Army four years, had requested to return to his unit but was turned down by medical officers, and had no medical history previously in the Sicilian campaign. He was from South Carolina. His wife had just had their baby and sent him a picture of the child. Patton pulled his gun on Bennett, who was hustled away by the Hospital Commandant. Bennett returned to his unit after a week of rest, and told investigators later "Don't tell my wife!" Bennett is said to have retired from the Army after 30 years of service.