BELLEFONTAINE NEIGHBORS, MO (FOX2now.com) -
Memorial Day is a day for war stories but few are as colorful as St. Louisan Bill Keenoy has to tell about World War II. He was General George Patton's personal driver during bloody campaigns including the Battle of the Bulge. The 84-year-old now drives a wheelchair at the state Veterans' Home in Bellefontaine Neighbors.
As a young soldier he ended up under Patton's command on a fateful day when the General's jeep driver fell asleep at the wheel.
"Come here," Patton shouted at him. "Drive this jeep." He had some experience driving for the old Meletio Seafood Company in St. Louis. He jumped into the jeep and drove into history.
Keenoy says, "He had a nice mouth. He would put it bluntly."
Keenoy often talks about those days with his wife, Dee, whom he married 62 years ago. He says the George C. Scott film is an accurate portrayal. Keenoy admired Patton for looking out for him, especially for booby traps on the road.
"He kept us pretty alive. He had a thing for this string across the road that would decapitate your head. And, we had that 'V' iron on there. It would cut. So, when it got up, it would just break. Piano wire."
Keenoy thinks he got along well with Patton because, he says, "I kept my mouth shut and my ears open."
He adds, "I'll tell you, he had a lot of guts. But it was our blood. His guts!"
As a young soldier he ended up under Patton's command on a fateful day when the General's jeep driver fell asleep at the wheel.
"Come here," Patton shouted at him. "Drive this jeep." He had some experience driving for the old Meletio Seafood Company in St. Louis. He jumped into the jeep and drove into history.
Keenoy says, "He had a nice mouth. He would put it bluntly."
Keenoy often talks about those days with his wife, Dee, whom he married 62 years ago. He says the George C. Scott film is an accurate portrayal. Keenoy admired Patton for looking out for him, especially for booby traps on the road.
"He kept us pretty alive. He had a thing for this string across the road that would decapitate your head. And, we had that 'V' iron on there. It would cut. So, when it got up, it would just break. Piano wire."
Keenoy thinks he got along well with Patton because, he says, "I kept my mouth shut and my ears open."
He adds, "I'll tell you, he had a lot of guts. But it was our blood. His guts!"
