Vincent Speranza, an Army veteran whose impromptu beer run during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II became legendary, is shown in 2015 at a ceremony in Belgium, to commemorate the battle. Speranza, 98, died Aug. 2, 2023. ( Bernardo Fuller/U.S. Army)
An American paratrooper who became a legend in Belgium during World War II for carrying beer in his helmet to give to the wounded has died, the Army’s 18th Airborne Corps said Thursday.
Vincent Speranza, who served in the 101st Airborne Division during the Battle of the Bulge, died Wednesday at the age of 98, the airborne corps said in an online tribute.
“Rest in Peace, Vinny,” the Fort Liberty, North Carolina-based unit said in a Twitter post.
The U.S. Embassy in Brussels called Speranza a “true inspiration to all of us and to many people across the United States and Belgium,” in a Facebook post on Thursday. Speranza went from New York City to the battlefields of Europe, where he fought on the front lines against the Nazis and helped liberate concentration camps, according to an online Department of Veterans Affairs biography.
His claim to fame occurred during the Battle of the Bulge, in which American troops thwarted the last major German offensive on the Western Front in a fight lasting from Dec. 16, 1944 to Jan. 28, 1945.
A photograph provided by World War II veteran Vincent Speranza, taken of him in Scotland during the war. Speranza, who fought at Bastogne and was wounded in combat shortly after the Battle of the Bulge, died Aug. 2, 2023 at age 98. (Justin Connaher/U.S. Air Force)
Speranza found himself in a foxhole in Bastogne, Belgium. He and his fellow soldiers were running short on supplies and ammunition, and were surrounded by German forces.
A wounded friend asked Speranza for something to drink, he recalled during a visit with troops in Alaska in 2013, Stars and Stripes reported at the time.
Speranza found a working tap at a devastated tavern nearby, and he twice filled his helmet with beer to bring back to injured comrades. His act of kindness would become a celebrated tale in Belgium.
Residents had seen his beer-carrying mission, and years later a brewery in Bastogne created Airborne Beer, which was served in helmet-shaped ceramic bowls, Speranza’s VA biography said.
Visiting Bastogne in 2009, Speranza said he had found his foxhole still there. Dutch and Belgian military officials told him that the legend of his exploit is still told.
World War II veteran Vincent Speranza autographs a book at Le Nut's Cafe in Bastogne, Belgium, in 2014 during commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. During the battle, Speranza used his helmet to carry beer to wounded comrades. He died Aug. 2, 2023, at age 98. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Speranza was surprised to learn of his fame. After the war, he focused on being a history teacher and a father, he said during a visit to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff in 2021, according to a university statement.
“After being a machine gunner at the Battle of the Bulge, winning a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star and (spending) two decades as a public school teacher, Airborne Beer is what I’m famous for,” he said.
Speranza participated in veterans events in Europe during his later years, sharing his stories and experiences with younger generations.
“A true force of nature, he was always present at every major ceremony commemorating the Battle of the Bulge, always ready to share stories of his service in World War II, and always humble,” the U.S. Embassy in Brussels said in a statement Thursday.
In March, he skydived once again at the age of 98 as part of a ceremony commemorating WWII paratroopers.
Maj. Matthew Visser, an 18th Airborne Corps spokesman, said Speranza would be remembered for inspiring generations of paratroopers and for his “infectious sense of humor across numerous continents.”
“Once we receive information about his funeral arrangements, we will make those available, so paratroopers past and present can honor our dear friend,” Visser said.
