Van of Valor

The Unbroken Patriot: The Life and Final Charge of Colonel Vicente León León

By Dr. Kevin Wallace
Van of Valor

NORTH PORT, Fla. – In the warm Florida sun of a January morning, amidst the cheerful chaos of a charity dog walk, a story of immense courage and forgotten sacrifice was quietly shared with me.

This happened to Lauren and I all the time while underway on the Van of Valor mission.

A woman spoke of her father, a man who died not on the battlefields of Europe or the jungles of Vietnam, but on the shores of his own homeland, fighting for its freedom.

His name was Col. Vicente León León, and his journey — from the pinnacle of Cuban military honor to a martyr’s death at the Bay of Pigs — epitomizes a patriot’s unyielding defiance against tyranny.

His story, pieced together from declassified CIA files, Cuban exile publications, and the proud memories of his family, is one of unwavering principles, a profound belief in democracy, and a final, furious charge into the guns of communism.

During research, of course I read the mainstream Cuban media reports about Col. Vicente León León, they would read a story of a traitor, who fled to America. Any responsible journalist, let alone a Defense Information School trained-one, would always research all angles.

Also, knowing the Communist Party of Cuba operates all television, radio, and major newspapers to ensure ideological conformity, I was not surprised or convinced.

Communism is an inherently evil ideology that systematically dismantles human dignity, economic freedom, and political liberty, replacing them with state-enforced terror, economic ruin, and spiritual enslavement.

Note: Dr. Kevin Wallace is a Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Valor recipient, and the co-founder of Van of Valor, a project dedicated to honoring the stories of American heroes. To read more, visit http://www.HelpVoV.com.