Uncle George gave Patten the right advice

Jim Patten of Torrington talking: “My Uncle George Kozlak gave me the best advice I ever received before I went into the army. Four words – ‘Keep your mouth shut.’ He (George) was an infantryman who went ashore at Normandy, not in the first wave but on the second day, and then fought with the invasion force through France and Germany clear to the end of the war.”

Patten followed Uncle George’s advice and it paid off.

I’ll bet you know Jim Patten, the runner and teacher who at age 71 is still running every day

for pleasure and to stay in shape. He followed his late uncle’s wise advice throughout his three-year U.S. Army enlistment and still is not a man who unnecessarily speaks out a lot, but never hesitates to express himself when he has something to say.

Happily, he had plenty to say last week when he visited me in my Torrington apartment. (My work for which I am paid; really), has been mostly watching and listening armed with pad and pen, for the past 57 years. So, as you might guess, a visit from Patten was like a kid’s visit to the proverbial candy store for me.

From the age of five, when his semi-invalid father had to move away, it was just Patten, his younger brother Michael and his mother Margaret. She worked when she could,” Patten said, “but it was largely the two families, the Pattens and the Gentiles, who pulled us through. There were 10 siblings in the Gentile family. Everyone helped.”

When he got to high school, he thought he wanted to play baseball, but quickly discovered that was not his sport. At age 15, Patten, took up running at the urging of Bob Galli. Details, supplied by Patten:

“A friend, Bob Galli, and I used to attend religious instructions at St. Peter’s and walk home together on Wednesday nights. When we reached the intersection of Church Street and Migeon, we would race from there downhill and then uphill to the traffic light where Church Street, High Street and Riverside Avenue meet. Every single time, I’d beat him. One night he suggested I go out for the THS track team. I did and from then on, I was hooked on running.”

Running for Coach Ezio Bonetti, he achieved many running honors at THS. Then he joined the U.S. Army.

It was 1968. Patton considered his options. He had developed intense interest in American history during younger years and he knew it was very likely he’d be drafted. He enlisted, knowing that by doing so he would have a good chance of getting the assignment he desired, which was Army Intelligence.

Fast forward to the late summer at Fort Jackson, S. C. Jim Patten was taking basic training. There was to be a mile run, with 199 recruits taking part. The men would run, of course, in combat boots. The temperature was unusually cool for South Carolina. The record time in this race was 5:32 and a fraction.

A New York wise guy, knowing Jim’s reputation as a runner, ridiculed him and gave him a hard time. Patten said to the Drill Instructor who would keep the time, “Be very precise, please,” and to the wiseacre, “I’m going to beat you.”

The gun sounded and Patten took off like Peter Rabbit being chased by Reddy Fox. “I couldn’t afford to get behind all those guys,” he said. In a flash, Patten was all alone, nothing in front of hom. He won the race by about 80 yards, in a record time of 5:28 and change. He never saw the New York punk again.

Patten was assigned to Army Intelligence in Philadelphia, his choice, and went on, after discharge, to a fine career as a runner, THS history teacher and track coach. I have a million notes on that part of his life.

Later.