Who was the greatest General the U.S. Army ever produced?

Five-star generals Omar Bradley, Dwight Eisenhower, and George Marshall and others like George Patton and Colin Powell... Sherman for burning down the South or US Grant for prevailing over one of the deadliest wars fought on our soil? Who sticks out to you and why?

[AmericanGirl]

Kind of partial to Marshall, but for personal reasons... He was a good man, one of integrity who served our country well and his vision reshaped Europe after WWII

Personal reasons????

[Field_Sailor]

Powell, was a good Army Officer and a politician. I respect him and model a lot of my leadership after him but the Greatest I think would have to go to someone with more combat experience. I'll have to get back to you on this one.

[Batgirl]

I'd have to go with Patton followed by Bradley. I liked each man's personal leadership style and how they related to their troops. While both were brilliant tacticians, to me Patton was by far the best battlefield commander of the 20th century. His expertise in tank command and leading the Third Army in its defeat of the German counteroffensive at the Battle of the Bulge was one of his key defining moments imo.

What about Dwight Eisenhower - Supreme Allied Commander, the one who took the biggest gamble of all, D-Day?

[AmericanGirl]

Personal reasons????

Are you always so nosy? lol He would be my 5th cousin if he were still alive today, and has always been a hero figure to me, is that personal enough for you? or would you like to hear about the other side of my family, they have much more interesting skeletons in their closets, literally.

[AmericanGirl]

What about Dwight Eisenhower - Supreme Allied Commander, the one who took the biggest gamble of all, D-Day?

Yeah but the DDay invasion wasn;t just his plan, he just got the glory for it when it succeeded. Not that he wasn't an honorable man or a good general.

[USMC Chuter]

There are many great Army Generals to choose from, but my vote goes to LtGen Patton. Gen Patton was a soldier's soldier, who understood that defeating a determined enemy meant tough training and uncompromising leadership. He took took calculated risks and inspired his troops to fight with spirit and agression. Gen Patton was the type of leader who could only rise to greatness at war.

[crazy bay]

Sherman.....

[EverForward]

Patton was far from the soldiers soldier, he was a spit and polish officer who was rarely actually on the firing line in direct contact with the enemy. He at one point ordered the artist behind "Willie & Joe" to clean them up and make them "his idea" of a soldier.

My Nominee: General J.M. Wainwright.

Never did one man do so much with so little. Not to mention he was a true soldiers' soldier, often visiting the front lines, often participating in direct combat, and often putting his life on the line to set the example.

Gonna have to go with Patton on this one. He was a mean bastard, but he got the job done. And a brilliant planner. I loved his no digging in policy.

While Patton seems to be the favorite, I need to ask - should we take into account his well known bigotry? Or do we dismiss it as an ideal of the day?