PALATKA, Fla. — Vince Speranza, 98, jumped from the sky once more on Saturday more than 75 years after the veteran paratrooper made training jumps in the final days of World War II.
Organizers said Speranza, of the 101st Airborne, made a tandem skydive with Art Shaffer of Skydive Palatka on Saturday. The pair jumped from the “Tico Belle,” a World War II veteran C-47 aircraft flown during the Normandy D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944.
“Fantastic,” Speranza said after his boots landed back on the ground.
According to Speranza’s memoir, “Nuts,” he made training jumps in the final days of World War II in France in preparation for a possible airborne attack in the Pacific before Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945.
The Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA Foundation, which is dedicated to increasing awareness and educating the public about the sacrifices and heroism of Allied Paratroopers from World War II onward, hosted Speranza for his jump.
Vince Speranza Vince Speranza, a 98-Year-old World War II Veteran Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division observes members of the Round Canopy Parachuting Team USA - Foundation perform training jumps to prepare for upcoming jumps into Normandy France this summer and air show in the United States. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
Vince Speranza RCPT member Liam Barry presents the team guidon as the World War II veteran C-47 Tico Belle with 98 year-old World War II Paratrooper Vince Speranza onboard on his way to tandem skydive with Art Shaffer from 8000 feet over Palatka Florida on March 25, 2023. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
Vince Speranza Vince Speranze, a 98-Year-old World War II Veteran Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division prepares to board the “Tico Belle” a veteran C-47 aircraft of the Normandy airborne D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944 for a tandem skydive with Art Shaffer of Skydive Palatka. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
Vince Speranza Vince Speranza, a 98-Year-old World War II Veteran Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division shortly after leaving a vintage World War II C-47 for a tandem skydive with Art Shaffer of Skydive Palatka. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
Vince Speranza Vince Speranza, a 98-Year-old World War II Veteran Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division observes members of the Round Canopy Parachuting Team USA - Foundation perform training jumps to prepare for upcoming jumps into Normandy France this summer and air show in the United States. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
Vince Speranza Vince Speranza, a 98-Year-old World War II Veteran Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division glides under a parachute over Palatka Florida with Art Shaffer. The pair jumped from the “Tico Belle,” a vintage World War II C-47 airplane used in the Normandy D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
Vince Speranza Vince Speranza, a 98-Year-old World War II Veteran Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division performs a tandem skydive from the “Tico Belle,” a vintage World War II C-47 airplane used in the Normandy D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
Vince Speranza Vince Speranza, a 98-Year-old World War II Veteran Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division performs a tandem skydive from the “Tico Belle,” a vintage World War II C-47 airplane used in the Normandy D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
Vince Speranza Vince Speranze, a 98-Year-old World War II Veteran Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division prepares to board the “Tico Belle” a veteran C-47 aircraft of the Normandy airborne D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944 for a tandem skydive with Art Shaffer of Skydive Palatka. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
Vince Speranza Vince Speranza, a 98-Year-old World War II Veteran Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division lands in Palatka Florida after making a tandem skydive with Art Shaffer. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
Vince Speranza Vince Speranza, a 98-Year-old World War II Veteran Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division pins RCPT-USA jump wings on a student who completed a 5 day round canopy parachute training course in preparation for for jumps into Normandy, France and airshows in the United States. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
Vince Speranza Vince Speranza, a 98-Year-old World War II Veteran Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division participated in a round canopy parachuting event hosted by the Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA Foundation based at Skydive Palatka Florida. Speranza did a tandem skydive from nearly 8000 feet with Art Shaffer. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
Vince Speranza World War II Veteran Paratrooper greets Liam Barry as he boards the “Tico Belle,” a veteran C-47 aircraft which flew multiple missions on June 6, 1944 for Normandy Airborne invasion of D-Day. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
Vince Speranza Vince Speranza, a 98-Year-old World War II Veteran Paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division performs a tandem skydive from the “Tico Belle,” a vintage World War II C-47 airplane used in the Normandy D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944. (Round Canopy Parachuting Team - USA)
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Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.
