This Nation Must Not Fail: The Story of Vincent J. Speranza

This nation must not fail. When in battle, Vincent J. Speranza always remembered those words that his father told him and his three brothers. Both of Speranza’s parents came from Italy and his father “continued to say all of his life that America was the most magnificent place in the whole world because there was nowhere else in the world where a man could come here with nothing, only a willingness to work, and build a family,” and although his dad was too old to serve, he expected his sons to answer the call when America needed them. As the Second World War raged around the globe, Speranza joined the United States Army in November 1943, shortly after graduating from High School. As a nineteen-year-old, Speranza eventually found himself serving as a machine gunner in Company H, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, fighting in a foxhole in Bastogne, Belgium during the pivotal Battle of the Bulge. He served 144 days in combat during the war and is the recipient of two Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, and many other medals of distinction. I consider it the ultimate honor to have been able to sit down and spend some time with this American hero. I hope you find the words of this incredible patriot as inspiring as I did.

This Nation Must Not Fail: The Story of Vincent J. Speranza

Part I: Service in World War II

Part II: A Message to Young Americans

Part III: America's Future

Use this link to purchase Vincent J. Speranza's book, Nuts!: A 101st Airborne Division Machine Gunner at Bastogne.