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Our latest “Sites of Valor” sign pays tribute to the men of the 101st Airborne who defended Bastogne during the brutal winter of 1944. Surrounded and out in the cold, they weathered attacks by Volksgrenadiers, Panzergrenadiers, von Lüttwitz′s Panzers, and the Luftwaffe bombers of an enemy who held a 5:1 advantage in manpower and demanded their surrender. Their reply? “Nuts!”
The 101st would hold fast, and earn a Nom de guerre in the process: “The battered bastards.” The title was a point of pride, and the paratroopers, themselves, hung a sign in Bastogne’s main square to proclaim it. The town was theirs, then, and perhaps forever.
Now, a replica of that iconic sign can adorn your wall. Featuring hand-embellished weathering, each aluminum sign carries the autograph of a 101st "Screaming Eagle" who was there: Vincent Speranza (H/501st) or George Mullins (C/327th).
Whether you display yours under your favorite Battle of the Bulge print, or as a backdrop to collectibles, this item is destined to become a statement piece. With a limited number worldwide, secure yours now before they're history.
Special thanks to Rob Singer who introduced us to Vince and made this possible.
Shipping added in checkout // size: 16" x 13.5" // ships sleeved & boxed
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MAIN EDITION
320 limited-edition signs each autographed by a veteran who fought at Bastogne:
220 signed by Vince Speranza (H/501 PIR) LOW SUPPLY
100 signed by George Mullins (C/327 GIR)
Includes a numbered seal of authenticity on the reverse side. Extra items shown in display images not included.
OTHER EDITIONS
An Open Edition, bearing no autographs may be released. A Signer Proof edition of 15 signs exists for veterans and helpers.
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GEORGE MULLINS
"At just 19 years old, George traded the quiet of his coal mining hometown in Jenkins, Kentucky, for the brutal battlefields of World War II. He joined the 327th Glider Infantry Regiment (GIR) of the 101st Airborne Division. On June 7, 1944, George’s journey took him to Utah Beach on D-Day. From the chaos of the beachhead to the streets of Saint-Côme-du-Mont, he fought to liberate Brévands and Carentan.
His courage and commitment were unwavering as he fought in every campaign the 327th GIR undertook. Fighting in the Ardennes brought the war’s horrors and sacrifices into even greater focus.
During the brutal Battle of the Bulge, George was caught in the aftermath of a near-fatal bomb explosion. "I found two of my fellow soldiers lying on top of me," he recalled. "Before I could pull myself free, blood from their wounds was running down my face. As far as I could tell, I was saved by their deaths."
George earned multiple medals for his bravery, including the Purple Heart for a wounds sustained during Operation Market Garden, and continued to push forward, crossing into Germany and eventually fighting at Hitler’s Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden.
His remarkable service ended with his honorable discharge on December 10, 1945, but the memories of war remained. George reflected: “It took me a long time to get my brain straightened out, but our generation is different. We accepted the horrors of war differently than later generations. But you never forget. It’s a hard drive that can’t be erased.”" - courtesy of the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation
VINCENT SPERANZA (1925 - 2023)
