He served in France during World War I and was appointed Chief of Air Service by General Pershing in May 1918.

Under his direction the Air Service established experimental facilities at Wright Field, Ohio, and San Antonio, Texas.

"[1] Outside of the classroom, he received numerous demerits for misconduct; his infractions included tobacco use, use of profanity, lateness, two citations for "sliding down the banister," and he was cited 24 times for being improperly dressed.

[4] Patrick was involved in Mississippi River improvements from 1897 to 1901, and after two years in the office of the Chief of Engineers, he again returned to the West Point faculty in 1903.

He was the chief engineer for the Army of Cuban Pacification from 1907 to 1909 and then worked on river and harbor projects in Virginia (1909–1912) and Michigan (1912–1916).

He was sent to France that month after America declared war on Germany on August 6 and in September was named Chief Engineer of Lines of Communication and Director of Construction and Forestry of the American Expeditionary Forces.

[citation needed] Patrick oversaw the organization of 28 air squadrons for the battle, with the French, British, and Italians contributing additional units to bring the total force numbers to 701 pursuit planes, 366 observation planes, 323 day bombers, and 91 night bombers.

It was here in 1922, that he learned how to fly for the very first time in his life, receiving the rating of Junior Airplane Pilot at the age of 59 years.

Patrick called Mitchell's subsequent report, which identified vulnerabilities in Hawaii, a “theoretical treatise on employment of airpower in the Pacific, which, in all probability undoubtedly will be of extreme value some 10 or 15 years hence.”[12] In 1924, Patrick hand-picked Henry "Hap" Arnold, despite a mutual dislike, to head the Air Service's Information Division,[13] working closely with Billy Mitchell, Assistant Chief of Air Service.

[14] Mitchell began using Arnold's Information Division as an outlet to promote his personal opinions on the need for air power independence.

When Mitchell was later court-martialed for accusing Army and Navy leaders of an "almost treasonable administration of the national defense"[15] for investing in battleships instead of aircraft carriers as he so wished, Arnold and other high-ranking officers on Patrick's staff, including Carl Spaatz, and Ira Eaker were warned that they would jeopardize their careers should they vocally support Mitchell, but they testified on his behalf anyway.

[16][17] In early 1926, the Military Affairs Committee of the Congress reviewed bills set forth before it to create a more autonomous air power.

In accordance with the Morrow Board's recommendations, the act created an additional Assistant Secretary of War to "help foster military aeronautics", and established an air section in each division of the General Staff for a period of three years.

Previous provisions of the National Defense Act of 1920 that all flying units be commanded only by rated personnel and that flight pay be awarded were continued.

General Patrick displayed much ability to duty as Director of Construction and Forestry and later as Chief of the Air Service of the American Expeditionary Forces, he perfected and ably administered the organization of this important Department.The following U.S. Navy ship and U.S. Space Force base was named after Patrick: