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Lieutenant James Steven "Jimmy" Patterson (November 11, 1919) is a soldier who fought during World War II. He contributed a great service to the cause and won various medals and awards for his missions.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Patterson was born on November 11, 1919, Armistice Day, the first anniversary of the ending of World War I in Carthage, Missouri.

During his youth, Patterson was academically gifted and athletic, often partaking in sports. Long before the war, he joined a country club in Missouri, where he met Barnes, a young man who would later become a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Patterson's experiences at the country club prepared him for the rigorous physical tests he would later endure as a soldier.

Patterson attended the University of Michigan at Angliongto Creek as student TE 64-46. His adviser was Dr. McDevitt and his dean was Hirschmann. Patterson excelled in all of his courses apart from German. Patterson claimed he let his bullets do all the talking at that point.

Subject Professor Grade
Vector & Tensor Analysis Taylor A+
Physical Chemistry Jones A
Metallurgy Nellans A-
Calculus Macoco A
Comparative Religions Thankamushy A+
Differential Equations Fitzgerald A+
Fluid Dynamics Cross A
Structures Orimoloye A+
German Kraber C-
Logic & Philosophy Henson A+
Chaucer Dahood A

Patterson attended West Point after graduation instead of Harvard, which shocked his family. He graduated third in his class and volunteered for the United States Army Air Corps.

Military[]

In 1942, after graduation from West Point, Patterson, was accepted into Officer Candidate School at the age of 22. This is the summary of his May 30, 1942 OCS evaluation:

DOB 11 November 1919 Carthage, MO
Height 6'1"
Weight 170 
Hair Brown
Eyes Green
Rank Cadet

Field Ratings:

Weapon Score
M1 Garand 95%
Mark II Frag Grenades 91%
Browning Automatic Rifle 94%
Combat Shotgun 97%
1903 Springfield Scoped Rifle 99%

Special Qualifications:

  • Demolitions (Type I & II)
  • All-Weather Combat
  • Basic Conversational German
  • Signal Corps Certificate (Morse Code)
  • R-1830 Engine Repair

Patterson was recommended for the assignment of his choice; however, he chose to stay with the United States Army Air Corps.

First Encounter with the OSS[]

PattersonWithAlpha

Patterson with the Northrop Alpha used to rescue Manon.

James Patterson's first encounter with the Office of Strategic Services occurred on November 5, 1942, as he was randomly chosen from a select few of officers from the Air Transport Command stationed in Duxford, England.

James' mission was to pilot a specially modified Northrop Alpha 3 to an undisclosed German-controlled airfield in occupied North Africa. Upon arrival, his orders were to evacuate a new OSS operative who had just destroyed a fuel depot, a few antiaircraft guns, and several German tanks in anticipation of the upcoming invasion of North Africa known as Operation Torch. His strict orders stated that he was not allowed to even look at the operative, as to keep the agent's identity secure. In fact, the operator was none other than Manon Batiste, whom he would later be working with upon his entrance into the OSS in 1944.

Assignment to the 101st Airborne[]

1096266-medal of honor front

Original Patterson Design

As a mechanic and pilot for the 101st "Screaming Eagles", as he specialized in the repair of R-1830 engines, the same engine used in the C-47 Skytrain Transport Plane. James soon became a well respected comrade by the men of 4th Platoon. He was widely considered the best .45 shot on the base.

D-Day Minus One[]

On the night of June 5, 1944, Lt. James Patterson, now twenty four years old, co-piloted the over-laden C-47 Skytrain over the Contentin Peninsula in order to drop the men of 4th Platoon over its drop zone.

Once the last paratrooper left the C-47, Patterson and the pilot turned around and made their way home. Unfortunately, his plane was hit by a German Flack cannon, killing the pilot. With one engine burning and a hole in the tail of the Skytrain, he rushed into the body of the plane to save another fellow mechanic, but unfortunately he was killed before Patterson could help. Under pressure, he sprinted back to the cockpit and hoped for the best to happen. James crash-landed the plane into an open field bound for the hedgerows of Normandy. Jimmy and four of his crewmen survived.

Battle through the Night[]

Immediately after crashing, a group of German soldiers and their attack dogs arrived investigating the crash site, and the nearly unconscious James killed six of them as he and his fellow comrades retreated into the darkness. Armed with his pistol, a BAR and a few Grenades, James and his men continued towards the coast, taking out a few Wehrmacht checkpoints behind Utah beach along the way.

Encounter with the Resistance[]

Running low on ammunition and determination, Patterson and his men were finally found by the French resistance group called the Maquis. The Maquis had then agreed to help Patterson and his men reach their lines and escorted them to a small port city just north of Quinéville on the eastern edge of the peninsula where they boarded a fishing trawler.

Arrival onboard the USS Thomas Jefferson[]

After navigating through miles of German mine-studded waters, they final reached the Allied armada. James and his men were taken aboard the USS Thomas Jefferson, a transport ship carrying members of the 2nd Ranger Battalion. Despite his harrowing ordeal which got him nominated for the Medal of Honor, James came to terms with the fact that the invasion of Normandy would require the efforts of every able bodied man on the vessel, the in-conceited James decided to turn down hospitality in England and returned to France with the Rangers.

D-Day[]

JimmyP on Higgins

James on board a Higgins boat during the Allied invasion of Normandy.

On the morning of June 6, 1944, James and the men of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, were loaded off of the USS Thomas Jefferson and on to a Higgins boat headed for Omaha beach. When it became time for the boat to lower its ramp to let the soldiers out, an artillery shell hit it, destroying the LCVP and forcing its passengers to swim to shore. After James makes it out of the water, he is ordered to help the four other soldiers who survived the artillery strike on the boat (excluding his captain) over the seawall by providing cover fire. Later in the day, he infiltrated a MG bunker overlooking the beach, encounters a number of enemy soldiers, and uses a smoke grenade to signal the Allied fighters to destroy the bunker itself.

Rescue the G3 Officer[]

Six days after D-Day, Jimmy receives word from the OSS. He meets with Colonel Hargrove, who informs him of the OSS's interest in him. After accepting the offer to join, Patterson is given orders to locate a G-3 Officer who has been shot down over Northern France. The officer was carrying crucial documents that must not have fallen into enemy hands. Jimmy is forced to fight through the fields of France until finding the G-3 Officer's plane. With no officer in sight, Jimmy decides to check out the nearby town of Dubuisson, a small French Burgh that also houses an underground Maquis hideout. After arriving at the hideout, he finds it empty with the exception of the dead G-3 Officer. After taking the officer's attaché case, Jimmy then heads down to the sewers to escape, but the sewers are crawling with Gestapo agents who quickly pursue him. Jimmy just barely manages to exit the sewers and returns to Allied lines with the documents.

Destroy the Mighty Railgun Greta[]

In mid June, the German Wehrmacht finishes construction on Greta, a railway gun. It begins firing shells at ships in the English Channel. Well hidden and mobile, the railgun escapes several RAF bombing raids. With time slipping away, the OSS quickly dispatches Jimmy undercover to destroy Greta by hand. Donning a Wehrmacht Captain's uniform, Jimmy infiltrates a train station and follows its rails towards Greta. After arriving at a small canyon, he finds the hulking railgun. After eliminating the guards around it, quickly mounts several explosive charges and flees as Greta explodes seconds after.

Scuttle Das Boot U-4901[]

Later in June, the OSS uncovers the designs for a new German U-Boat. This U-Boat, far more silent, large, reliable, and with longer range poses a deep threat to the Allies. Jimmy is soon dispatched to destroy the submarine and all materials attaining to it. Patterson, once again disguised this time, but as a Kriegsmarine Officer, travels aboard the merchant ship Wolfram, one of the largest ships in the German merchant fleet. While on board the ship, Jimmy sabotages the freighter's engines using a huge wrench and escapes. Making his way through the shipyard, James also manages to steal the engine specs and the hull blueprints for the submarine, as well as smuggled weapons and deployment timetables in the docks and the production facility. He infiltrates the U-Boat and awaits as it heads out to sea. Some miles away from the coast, he forces the sub to dive, blows the controls, radios the HMS Belfast his coordinates and forces the submarine to surface, making his escape on the Belfast just seconds before the U-Boat meets its final fate and sinks.

A Storm in the Port[]

By August 1944, the Allies are still fighting the Germans throughout France. Jimmy is briefed about the Kriegsmarine port at Lorient, one of the most protected facilities in all of mainland Europe. The port doesn't just house U-Boats, but contains research and production facilities as well. Jimmy is dropped by plane at the town of St. Mathieu where he meets up with isolated American Soldiers of the 101st Airborne, his former Division. He learns that the German U-Boat U-4902 is docked there at the port, and smuggles himself aboard the U-Boat when it leaves for Lorient. When the U-Boat docks, he clears it out and sabotages it. Minutes after he escapes U-4902, the explosives detonate, alerting more Germans to scene. He fights a long battle with them and finally makes his way to the wet docks facility. Patterson then proceeded to destroy other U-Boats and fuel reserves while the confused Germans attempt to stop him. He leaves the burning port successfully with a handful of German documents and sabotaged material.

Needle in a Haystack[]

In September 1944, Lt. Jimmy Patterson receives his next mission. A Dutch Resistance operative, code-named Gerritt, had stolen intelligence material detailing "Project 3 X 1000", a German jet-fighter production program, but he is captured in Holland. His last known position was in the town Kleveburg. A Dutch informant that has information on Gerritt has arranged to meet Patterson in a pub called the Golden Lion, all the way across Kleveburg. Jimmy has to find him and recover the information by any means necessary. He is arranged to be air dropped on the outskirts of the town during Operation Market Garden. He parachutes with Corporal Barnes, an old friend and demolitions expert on his own mission to destroy any tanks in the area, and a translator named Private Timothy Connor of the 82nd Airborne Division (the latter is killed during the drop when he becomes stuck on a windmill and shot). Barnes and Patterson move through the picturesque Dutch Countryside and occasionally encounter German patrols and tanks. The two men meet up with a misdropped soldier named Pfc. Terry Langteau, also of the 82nd Airborne. When they reach the town, Jimmy departs and slips in undetected. When night falls, he moves about the town avoiding Feldgendarmerie patrols while sabotaging the motor pool, and is helped by a Dutch operative named Fox who escorts him by truck as far as he can before his truck is hit by Panzerschreck and he is flung in to a small river. Patterson finds a German uniform and meets his contact at the pub, who informs Jimmy that Gerritt is being held at Dorne manor, just outside of town. Jimmy travels to the manor house with the informant, which is swarming with SS, disguised as a member of the catering crew. However, his cover is blown by a checkpoint guard and a fierce firefight erupts. Jimmy rescues Gerritt, finds the information and successfully escapes to Allied lines by commandeering a Kubelwagen that was parked behind the manor.

Operation Market Garden[]

Only a day after rescuing Gerritt, Jimmy was contacted by Captain Christopher J. Weston by the recommandition of Col. Hargrove from the OSS to aid the Allied forces during Operation Market Garden. Jimmy's first assigment was to secure a coastal city by holding key points throughout the city. Patterson successfully completed his mission and captured the city. Jimmy and a squad of soldiers were then ordered to capture the bridge in Veghel. Despite the heavy resistance, Jimmy successfully captured the bridge for the Allied forces. Unfortunately by the 20th of September, the Germans regained control of the bridge and wiped out the Allied forces stationed there and Jimmy was tasked to regain control of the bridge. Once again, his mission was a success, allowing Allied forces to use the bridge.

Several Bridges Too Far[]

In mid September 1944, Jimmy is ordered to put a stop to the production of a new jet propulsion which is lead by Allgemeine-SS Haupsturmführer Rudolf Ulbricht von Sturmgeist. The good news is, the OSS arranges for him to meet an informant who can sneak him to Germany. The bad news is, the informant is in the middle of Arnhem, a city right on the frontline of Market Garden. James is escorted to Nijmegen Bridge by 82nd Airborne Captain Tarver, but he must fight his way across the bridge alone, after which the American forces quickly capture it. Patterson then arrives and fights through the relatively calm suburbs of Arnhem and hooks up with a group of British Paratroopers, led by Master Sergeant Kelso, stuck in the war-torn heart of the city. Fighting through infantry, tanks, and the dreaded Panzerschreck squads, Jimmy finally makes his way to a local customs house to meet Jigs, his informant.

Rolling Thunder[]

The story picks up again in late September 1944, in Emmerich Am Rhein, a German city near the border. Since the location of the Ho IX Fighter Facility is heavily classified, Jimmy has to sneak into the local train station and board Sturmgeist's personal train, and ride it out of the city to the production base. Jimmy once again dons the uniform of a German officer and approaches the train station, only to have his cover blown by the uniforms' half naked previous owner. With his cover gone, Jimmy is forced to fight his way through the train station in the midst of an Allied bombing raid and board Sturmgeist's train. From there, the action shifts to an all out assault on Sturmgeist's private ranks, including his "escort" trains. However, Sturmgeist manages to escape by decoupling the train from the engine, which he then rides out on. The bulk of the train comes to a rest near the industrial town of Friedrichroda, a good four miles from Gotha, the revealed location of the Ho-IX base. Jimmy must battle through the train yards and destroy fuel depots until he finally finds transportation on a small locomotive to the production facility.

The Horten's Nest[]

Jimmy manages to sneak into the production plant via the ventilation system, fighting through bleak concrete corridors and destroying whatever sensitive German construction materials he can get his hands on. He gets the opportunity to ride a mine cart out of the facility and onto the runway proper. Through forests, fields, trenches, machine gun nests, and Panzerschreck troopers, Jimmy finally gets to his goal: the brand new Ho-IX fighter. A final shootout with Rudolf von Sturmgeist and his bodyguards ensues, and von Sturmgeist is killed in the battle. Jimmy then quickly hops into the Ho IX and takes off, for just a minute later, Allied bombers reduce the airfield and buildings to rubble.

He then goes on a long deserved vacation, but Colonel Hargrove tells him that he'll be calling on him again shortly...

Patterson Heroes

Patterson in Medal of Honor: Heroes.

Attack Impenetrable Fort Schmerzen[]

In early September 1944, the Allies have broken through Normandy and have liberated most of France. With the pending invasion of Germany, one threat remains along the Siegfried line: the impenetrable Fort Schmerzen. To make the situation worse, in November the Germans have stationed a Ju-87 Stuka Dive Bomber outside of the fort. Unable to determine what is going on inside of the base and seeing that it has to be taken out anyway, Colonel Hargrove assigns Jimmy to infiltrate the base and find out what is going on, and to do a little sabotage. He manages to successfully destroy the Stuka and infiltrate the base, only to find to his horror that the Germans are producing Mustard Gas to dispense when the Allies attack the fort. Disgusted by the thought, Jimmy sabotages the two main valves as quick as he can, causing the gas to fill the fort, killing all but Jimmy who is donning a gas mask. Although he was wearing the stolen gas mask, Jimmy was still exposed to some mustard gas and spent several months in the hospital before being sent to the Rjukan Hydro Plant in Norway.

Sabotage the Rjukan Hydro Plant[]

PattersonID

Patterson's ID card.

In February 1945, Jimmy is sent to Norway to stop the Germans' Heavy Water production. After infiltrating the Rjukan Hydro Plant, James has to destroy several key components of the Germans' Heavy Water production, including the destruction of the power station, various valves and generators, the motor pool, the flowing switches and even the Heavy Water itself, being loaded onto the icebreaker von Chmielewski at Oslo. Before his mission, James' security clearance was elevated.

James' Identification card as of February 10, 1945:

Name James S. Patterson
Designation Lieutenant, ATC Duxford
Hair Brn
Eyes Grn
DOB 11 Nov 1919
Height 6'1"
Weight 170
OSS Serial # 89-2120
Date Issued 10 Feb '45

Capture the Secret German Treasure[]

The OSS receives word of where the Germans have been holding their stolen treasures from all across Europe. Shortly after returning from his foray into Norway, Jimmy is sent into Northern Austria to prevent the Germans from demolishing the Steinberg salt mine near the town of Altaussee, and the stolen art located inside the mine. He must battle relentlessly through the snowy mountains to reach the mine, but finally makes it. Once inside Merker's upper mine, Jimmy encounters the same group of demolitions troopers that were responsible for the death of Manon's brother, Jacques. After eliminating the "vermin", James finds the Dahood Manuscript. He then makes his way downstairs, disarms the bombs, and recaptures some of the greatest works in history for the Allies.

Escape from the V2 Rocket Plant[]

CongressionalMoH

Patterson's Medal of Honor.

A month later, in March 1945, Jimmy is sent to Germany for one last time, to destroy a German V-2 Rocket as well as destroying the whole rocket facility in the process. First, he must enter through the V-1 buzz bomb production area and into the V-2 facility. After locating the launch area, he is ambushed by hordes of Germans, both with sub-machine guns and panzerschrecks. After a very long, tiring battle, he finally makes it to the blockhouse, and launches the V-2 rocket out of Nordhausen, only to come back down again and destroy the entire base. In addition, Jimmy also destroys various controls, and captures V-1 target lists, scientist rosters and schematics for the V-2. Not long after, James Steven Patterson was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions throughout the war.

Later life[]

At the end of the war, Jimmy proposed to Manon Batiste after a long relationship, but whether she accepted the proposal or not was not specified. James eventually did have at least one child though, who had a child of their own, the grandson to James, Jim Patterson, a soldier currently fighting in Afghanistan against Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces. It was revealed that Jimmy joined the Central Intelligence Agency during the Cold War, after the Office of Strategic Services had dissolved.

Medals[]

JamesPatterson ServiceRecord Photo

A photo of James attached to his service records.

Army Commendation Medal

  • Awarded for: Heroism, valor or meritorious service while serving in the Army after December 6, 1941.

Soldier's Medal

  • Awarded for: Heroism involving the voluntary risk of life under conditions not involving conflict.

Dutch WWII Commemorative Cross

  • Awarded for: Service in the liberation of The Netherlands from Nazi occupation.

Legion of Merit

  • Awarded for: Exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements by key individuals.

Distinguished Flying Cross

  • Awarded for: Heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in any capacity in the Armed Forces.

Army Distinguished Service Medal

  • Awarded for: Exceptional meritorious service to the Army in a duty of great responsibility in which performance is clearly exceptional.

Bronze Star

  • Awarded for: A single act or meritorious service accomplished with distinction while in the military service of the United States.

Silver Star

  • Awarded for: Gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force.

Distinguished Service Cross

  • Awarded for: Any act of heroism that is so extraordinary as to set the individual apart from his comrades.

American Campaign Medal

Norwegian War Cross

  • Awarded for: Extraordinary actions or leadership during combat.

World War II Victory Medal

Medal of Honor

  • Awarded for: Conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty, in action involving conflict against an enemy of the United States of America.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Jimmy is ambidextrous, as noted in some paintings.
  • Jimmy is the only character to be playable in 4 games in Medal of Honor, and, along with Manon Batiste and Stanley Hargrove, the only character to appear in more than 4 games.
  • Jimmy smokes a cigar, which can be confirmed by looking on the main menu screen of Medal of Honor: Frontline.
  • Jimmy is seven years younger than his girlfriend Manon.
  • Jimmy's university tutors are surnames of the Medal of Honor team members include the animator Sunil Thankamushy and the engineer Ayo Orimoloye.
  • Jimmy bears some similarities with Mike Powell. Both of them were Army Rangers and OSS agents, and they also participated in the raid on Omaha Beach, Fort Schmerzen and went undercover during some of their missions.
  • The image of Jimmy seen in Medal of Honor: Heroes is actually the in-game model of Joseph Griffin from Medal of Honor: Rising Sun.
  • A character of the same name was confirmed to be in Medal of Honor (2010), when the "Leave a Message" trailer was released. Later, it was confirmed that the new Jimmy Patterson was, in fact, the grandson of James Steven Patterson.
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