{"id":1990213,"date":"2023-08-03T19:28:01","date_gmt":"2023-08-03T23:28:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/world-war-ii-hero-famous-for-airborne-beer-dead-at-98\/"},"modified":"2023-08-03T19:29:52","modified_gmt":"2023-08-03T23:29:52","slug":"world-war-ii-hero-famous-for-airborne-beer-dead-at-98","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/world-war-ii-hero-famous-for-airborne-beer-dead-at-98\/","title":{"rendered":"WWII Hero, Known for &#8216;Airborne Beer,&#8217; Dies at 98"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fworld-war-ii-hero-famous-for-airborne-beer-dead-at-98%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1990213&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>An American paratrooper\u2062 \u2014\u2064 who\u2063 once famously\u2062 delivered beer to a wounded soldier\u200b in\u2063 his helmet\u200c \u2014 died on Wednesday at the age of 98.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stripes.com\/veterans\/2023-08-03\/veteran-wwii-paratrooper-10925829.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vincent Speranza<\/a>,\u200b a kid from Hell\u2019s Kitchen who served \u2062with the 101st\u200b Airborne Division in Bastogne, Belgium,\u200b returned to the United States \u200bafter World \u200bWar\u200c II and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/world-war-ii-hero-famous-for-airborne-beer-dead-at-98\/\" title=\"WWII Hero, Known for 'Airborne Beer,' Dies at 98\">spent twenty years teaching history<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Rest in \u200dPeace, Vince Speranza<\/p>\n<p>23 March 1925-2 August 2023<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for\u200d the memories<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WWII?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#WWII<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vbIGSBNs5M\">pic.twitter.com\/vbIGSBNs5M<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 XVIII Airborne\u2062 Corps &#038; Fort Liberty (@18airbornecorps) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/18airbornecorps\/status\/1686884938262487041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August \u20622, \u20642023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But Speranza truly\u200b became a legend amongst the locals during the Battle of the Bulge in December of\u2064 1944 \u2014 when, at the behest of another wounded soldier, he went looking \u2063for something to drink.<\/p>\n<p>As Speranza explained it, his good \u2062friend Joe Willis had been wounded in battle and was\u200c among the casualties waiting\u200b for aid \u200cin the\u2062 ruins of an old \u200bchurch\u200d building. When Willis\u2063 asked for something to drink, Speranza\u2019s initial response was to remind him that they were surrounded \u2014 but then he went looking\u200d anyway.<\/p>\n<p>After a \u200btime, Speranza\u2062 discovered a tapped barrel of \u2062Belgian beer \u2064in the ruins of a nearby tavern \u2014 but\u200b because all\u200d of the \u2064glasses had been destroyed in \u2063the bombings, he had \u200bno way to deliver the\u200b beer to \u200dhis\u2064 friend. Off came the helmet, then, \u200dand he filled it to the brim. He \u200bmade several trips from the barrel to the wounded after that, \u200bdelivering the drinks in his helmet.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/pulse\/absolutely-true-legend-vincent-speranza-his-epic-beer-john-fenzel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">After one such trip<\/a>, he was cornered by the\u200c regimental surgeon,\u2064 who asked what he\u200c was doing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGiving aid and comfort to the wounded,\u201d Speranza replied.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou stupid b*****d, don\u2019t you know I have chest cases\u200c and stomach cases in there? You give them beer you\u2019ll kill them,\u201d he \u2063yelled.<\/p>\n<p>Without another word, Speranza saluted and put on his helmet, which \u2063was still full of beer, and beat a hasty retreat \u2014 but \u201cAirborne Beer\u201d had already become legend.<\/p>\n<p>Speranza only learned\u200b of\u200d his \u201cfame\u201d years later, telling a\u2064 group at\u2064 Northern Arizona University in 2021, \u201cAfter being a machine gunner \u2063at the Battle of \u200dthe Bulge, winning a Purple Heart and\u2063 a Bronze Star and (spending) two decades as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/chicago-mayor-orders-teachers-back-into-classrooms-union-vows-to-call-a-strike\/\" title=\"Chicago Mayor Orders Teachers Back Into Classrooms, Union Vows To Call A Strike\">public school teacher<\/a>, \u200dAirborne Beer is what I\u2019m famous for.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Speranza was one of the few \u2062American soldiers to <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofsandiego.com\/military\/2022\/09\/24\/you-could-see-forever-wwii-veterans-parachute-to-coronado-during-force-con\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">see the \u2063inside<\/a> \u200c of Hitler\u2019s \u201cEagle\u2019s \u200dNest\u201d \u200bat\u2063 Berchtesgaden, where\u200b he saw a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/media-bias-101-pro-life-restrictions-vs-pro-abortion-protections\/\" title=\"Media Bias 101: Pro-life \u2018Restrictions\u2019 vs. Pro-Abortion \u2018Protections\u2019\">color-coded map<\/a> of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/experts-say-census-data-favors-republicans\/\" title=\"Experts say Census data favors Republicans\">world showing<\/a> how the Germans, Japanese, and Italians \u200chad planned to divide power after the\u200c war. \u201cIf anybody ever doubted why we had\u200d to fight that war, there it was on the wall,\u201d\u200c he said of the experience.<\/p>\n<p>Speranza also worked\u200d closely with the\u200d 101st Airborne Museum in Bastogne, Belgium, attending ceremonies \u2063and reunions \u200cover\u200d the years. He also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news4jax.com\/positively-jax\/2023\/03\/27\/world-war-ii-veteran-jumps-out-of-plane-to-celebrate-98th-birthday\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">continued \u200dto jump<\/a>, celebrating his 98th birthday in March of 2023 with\u200b a jump from the \u200bWorld\u2064 War II-era \u201cTico Belle.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Embassy in Brussels, Belgium, recognized Speranza\u2019s passing, saying, \u201cRIP \u200dWWII Veteran Vincent\u200b Speranza\u2026 The U.S Embassy to the Kingdom of Belgium is\u200d heartbroken to share news of the passing of U.S. Army \u2063veteran\u2063 Vincent Speranza. The entire U.S. Embassy \u2063community sends\u200b their deepest heartfelt condolences to Mr. Speranza\u2019s family and friends. Mr. \u200bSperanza was a \u200btrue inspiration to\u200b all of us and to many \u2063people across\u200c the United States and Belgium. A\u2062 true force of nature, he was always present at every \u2063major ceremony commemorating the Battle \u200dof the Bulge, always ready to share\u200c stories\u2063 of his service in World War II, and \u200balways humble.\u200b Thank you for \u2062your service, \u2062Mr. Speranza! You will be greatly missed, but your legacy will never \u2064be forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>Helen Patton, granddaughter\u200d of General \u200cGeorge S. Patton, \u200bresponded to the\u200d loss of her friend in a Facebook\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/photo?fbid=10228358039189745&#038;set=pcb.10228357954147619\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">post<\/a>: \u201cHe bore a lot\u2062 more than \u200dhe let \u2062on sometimes. The weight of \u2064all those who \u2062never came home. One had \u2062only to catch him in between the song storytelling and chuckles to see him pause\u2064 thinking \u200cof them with a\u2062 personal\u2063 realization \u200bof war at \u200dits \u2062worst \u2026 \u200bRespect my friend. I expect to keep\u2063 that friendship going without boundary and love eternal.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Old soldiers never die, they \u200djust fade away. \u2013 General Douglas McArthur<br \/>\u200c<br \/>Rest In \u2063Peace to \u200c98-year-old PFC Vincent\u2063 Speranza. Speranza, celebrated his birthday on March 2, 2023 jumping round canopy in Kay Larken Airfield in \u2062Palatka, Florida.<br \/>\u200c<br \/>Vincent served in\u200d Company H, 501st\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tXn12DjGwh\">pic.twitter.com\/tXn12DjGwh<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Zachary Bell (@zacharyebell) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/zacharyebell\/status\/1686877550151094272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 2, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><b data-stringify-type=\"bold\"><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vincent Speranza, the legendary American paratrooper, passed away at 98. Known for delivering beer in his helmet to an injured soldier, he served with the 101st Airborne Division in Bastogne, Belgium. After WWII, Speranza, a Hell&#8217;s Kitchen native, dedicated two decades to his homeland. His legacy lives on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":93,"featured_media":1990214,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1990213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1990213","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/93"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1990213"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1990213\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1990214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1990213"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1990213"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1990213"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}