Patrick Gibney Emmanuel was born in Pensacola, Florida on January 25, 1920 to George Joseph Emmanuel and Mary Josephine Gibney Emmanuel.

He attended the University of Florida beginning at age 16.In 1940, he received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.Since he was too young to accept his Army ROTC commission, Patrick began his legal studies at the University of Florida College of Law.

After two years of law school, Patrick served in the U.S. Army from 1941 to 1945.He was assigned to the 630thTank Destroyer Battalion which was primarily attached to the 28thInfantry Division, the “Keystone” Division. The battalion’s insignia was a standing dinosaur symbolic of heavy armor and great destructive ability. The battalion’s motto was “Progredior,” meaning ‘I go forward’.

Patrick’s unit entered the war in Europe on July 24, 1944 when it landed at Omaha Beach, Normandy, France.On August 29, 1944, the battalion marched down the Avenue des Champs-Elysees past the Arc de Triomphe in the parade celebrating the liberation of Paris.That afternoon, they took up front line positions and were again fighting the Germans near St. Denis.His unit helped liberate France, Belgium and Luxembourg. Duringthe battle of Hurtgen Forest, his unit experienced “‘some of the most intense warfare known to man.”His unit helped hold the Vossenack Ridge.In this fierce struggle, the Germans began calling the Keystones the “Bloody Bucket” and from that time, the 28thInfantry Division was nicknamed the “Bloody Bucket” Division.

Starting on December 16, 1944, the battalion fought in the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes, one of the major battles of WWII.The unit also fought at Colmar and the Ruhr Pocket.They continued fighting in France and Germany until V-E Day on May 8, 1945.In July of 1945, the 630thTank Destroyer Battalion was redeployed to the U.S.Patrick was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in the Battle of the Bulge.He was discharged from the Army with the rank of Major upon the conclusion of WWII in Europe.