Francis ‘Jeep’ Sanza, Patton’s driver in World War II, dies in Napa at 99

The San Francisco Chronicle ^ | February 1 2018 | Sam Whiting

[BradyLS]

I guess only the Army could say for sure. A quick internet search turns up perhaps a dozen names for “who drove for Patton” during WWII. Sanza only claims from May ‘44–May ‘45.

[Bull Snipe]

a more powerful motor would not help all that much. The front and rear axle gear rations were very low. Drove an M38-A1. Original axle ratios, 150 hp engine. At 65 mph the differentials were maxed out. The jeep guys used bigger engines and changed the axle gear ratios for more speed.

[91B40]

My dad was with the Third Army. He took pictures too. I still have them. Their attitude toward the Germans changed significantly when they saw the camps.

[ohioman]

As a Bama fan who loves General Patton it saddens me that our second greatest General had War Eagle in big bold letters on his tank. :)

[mosesdapoet]

Nice tribute by Sam Whiting surprisingly published in the San Francisco Chronicle which is not exactly a publication that waves the flag .

[yarddog]

Shug Jordan was a combat engineer during WWII.

Auburn claims, probably correctly that Patton got the motto from him.

[Pontiac]

A Studebaker 6 cylinder matches the clutch housing. tight front and back but has been done and there were lots of studys available.

I can see that being done but it would also require replacing or augmenting the front springs to compensate for the added weight.

And it does not seem to be what the article suggest he did.

He also rebuilt the engine to make it faster.

I would also doubt that the engine swap would be common knowledge because the Jeep was a completely new vehicle only available to the military. He or other mechanics in theater may have figured it out but it seems a stretch.

[gaijin]

Thanks, that was a fantastic link..!

[oldtech]

On that engine,almost anything you did would probably help,but with no hop-up parts,it would mean shaving the head surface a little(raising compression) & maybe smoothing the intake & exhaust ports a bit.

[Pontiac]

Check out Francis J. Sanza

http://wwii-army.mooseroots.com/l/3715791/Francis-J-Sanza

a private in the Branch Immaterial or General Officers branch of the Selectees during World War II.

Drivers and chauffeurs, bus, taxi, truck, and tractor

[Pontiac]

maybe smoothing the intake & exhaust ports a bit.

I thought of that as well. I also thought of larger intake and exhaust manifolds and a larger carb.

Just the easy stuff that motor heads have done forever.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[PeterPrinciple]

I would also doubt that the engine swap would be common knowledge because the Jeep was a completely new vehicle only available to the military. He or other mechanics in theater may have figured it out but it seems a stretch.

---

Swaps were quite common.

The Lhead engine was a prewar engine, much improved in 1939 http://www.fourwheeler.com/features/1408-the-willys-go-devil-engine-jeep-encyclopedia/

But in rereading it, “the rebuilt to make it faster” most likely means rebuilding a worn out engine...............

[ohioman]

Patton did revere his own confederate ancestors so I can definitely see that happening.

[beaversmom]

Your welcome. And thanks for sharing about your tour of Mare Island.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks beaversmom.

After the Japanese surrendered in August 1945, military vehicles, including the Jeep Sanza drove for Patton, were hauled out into the Atlantic and dumped overboard. Sanza finished his tour in November and left the Army as a sergeant. One month later, there was another driver at the wheel of Patton’s vehicle when it collided with an Army truck. The force of the crash caused Patton to fly up out of the passenger seat and hit his head on the ceiling. He had broken his neck and was paralyzed. Patton died of heart failure on Dec. 21, 1945, at age 60.

[Pelham]

“There are a lot of reports that he was injured at the hospital but nowhere near death at all.”

Patton’s neck was broken in the accident and he was paralyzed from the neck down. He died two weeks later.

[SunkenCiv]

Mims was awarded the Silver Star for his actions driving Patton in Sicily.

Patton was commanding the 7th Army in Sicily; there was the slapping incident, he was relieved, then brought back to command 3rd Army across France and into Germany.

[Mike Darancette]

A
RIP “Soldier”

[Pontiac]

Patton was commanding the 7th Army in Sicily; there was the slapping incident, he was relieved, then brought back to command 3rd Army across France and into Germany.

In between commanding 7th Army and 3rd Army Patton commanded the

Ghost Army .