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Francis ‘Jeep’ Sanza, Patton’s driver in World War II, dies in Napa at 99
The San Francisco Chronicle ^ | February 1 2018 | Sam Whiting

Posted on 02/10/2018 2:24:32 AM PST by beaversmom

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1 posted on 02/10/2018 2:24:32 AM PST by beaversmom
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To: beaversmom

Wow, what a cool guy who lead a charmed life! Worked full time until he was 96!


2 posted on 02/10/2018 2:34:46 AM PST by The_Media_never_lie
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To: The_Media_never_lie

Pretty darned amazing, huh?


3 posted on 02/10/2018 3:03:14 AM PST by beaversmom
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To: beaversmom
He looks like the guy in the Six Flags commercials.


4 posted on 02/10/2018 3:07:44 AM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: The_Media_never_lie

I’m not so sure I would call it a “charmed” life, but certainly an interesting life where he was part of history.

My father’s time in the Army in WWII was in the quartermaster’s corps who followed the infantry and stabilized areas that came under allied control. Locating and burying the dead, and dealing with the starving locals. He spent over a month in support of Bergen Belsen, which affected him very deeply. The pictures he had of his time there were gruesome beyond anything I have ever seen released.


5 posted on 02/10/2018 3:14:24 AM PST by Ouderkirk (Life is about ass, you're either covering, hauling, laughing, kicking, kissing, or behaving like one)
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To: beaversmom

What a wonderful story.


6 posted on 02/10/2018 3:15:57 AM PST by exPBRrat (.)
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To: beaversmom
Francis Sanza
7 posted on 02/10/2018 3:18:52 AM PST by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.L)
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To: Ouderkirk

Why did your father fake those photos of Bergen-Belsen?

I’m just kidding about that.

I watch a lot of documentaries and other videos on YT, and if it’s even remotely related to anything Jewish, it brings out the kooks.

And just yesterday there was a poster on FR saying what a great guy Hitler was. Not exaggerating about that at all. Hitler was misunderstood, and he was a man of peace.

I should have saved his posts as someone must have reported him and he has since been deleted...complete zot.

Starting at 37:35 of this video below, Captain Eric Winkle Brown talks about what he witnessed at Bergen Belsen:

https://youtu.be/LEe5ul37Q7g

Anyway, thank goodness for men like your dad. And what incredible history you got to see and know about through him.


8 posted on 02/10/2018 3:42:47 AM PST by beaversmom
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To: beaversmom

He also rebuilt the engine to make it faster.

I must be a gearhead because I’m wondering what he did to and got out of the motor. RIP “Soldier”.


9 posted on 02/10/2018 3:45:02 AM PST by TalBlack (It's hard to shoot people when they are shooting back at you...)
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To: TalBlack

Yep, it seems he was quite handy/inventive.


10 posted on 02/10/2018 3:50:30 AM PST by beaversmom
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To: Pontiac

He was a total bad ass


11 posted on 02/10/2018 4:22:23 AM PST by albie
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To: beaversmom

12 posted on 02/10/2018 4:27:42 AM PST by Godebert (CRUZ: Born in a foreign land to a foreign father.)
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To: beaversmom

We were blessed to have shared this earth with heros like this. RIP


13 posted on 02/10/2018 4:31:44 AM PST by Nicojones
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To: beaversmom
Boy...I'll bet "Jeep" had a story or two to tell!

Well,as Brokaw used to say:

THE GREATEST GENERATION!


14 posted on 02/10/2018 4:34:33 AM PST by Gay State Conservative (Obama & Hillary: The Two Most Corrupt Politicians of My Lifetime.)
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To: beaversmom
And just yesterday there was a poster on FR saying what a great guy Hitler was.

???????

15 posted on 02/10/2018 4:39:46 AM PST by Gay State Conservative (Obama & Hillary: The Two Most Corrupt Politicians of My Lifetime.)
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To: albie

I wish I knew what he did to the Jeep’s engine.

Where did he get the parts?

I would think that he would have to make them himself.

The after market engine parts industry wasn’t invented yet.


16 posted on 02/10/2018 4:44:52 AM PST by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.L)
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To: beaversmom

War Eagle


17 posted on 02/10/2018 4:52:24 AM PST by boknows
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To: Gay State Conservative

Not kidding. Wish I would have grabbed some of the posts now.

This is the thread...you can see where the administration moderator deleted all his posts:

https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3630681/posts

Oh well. I think he might have been a retread as his sign up date was early January. He might be back sometime if that is the case.


18 posted on 02/10/2018 4:55:36 AM PST by beaversmom
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To: beaversmom

There is something wrong with this story.

Patton’s driver was Sergeant John Lyman Mims of Abbeville, Alabama.

His wife worked at the probate judge’s office in Abbeville. I talked to her as I used to search records there.

In one of the books they mentioned that Mims had gone home at the time of Patton’s fatal accident. It even mentione that Mims had driven him for four years with no accidents.

Mims was awarded the Silver Star for his actions driving Patton in Sicily. This was during a strafing run.


19 posted on 02/10/2018 5:46:42 AM PST by yarddog
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To: beaversmom

RIP to a former soldier.

I notice he was from Napa. Not everyone in the Golden State is a blasted commie lib.


20 posted on 02/10/2018 5:47:09 AM PST by Mouton (The MSM is a clear and present danger to the republic.)
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