Son of Mathias A and Barbara Siren, he was born in Nebraska and raised in Juaniata Township, Hastings City, Nebraska as one of six children.

Despite his rural upbringing, Vincent was appointed to and graduated from West Point Military Academy, Class of 1938. He served as a paratrooper in WW-II.

In the summer of 1943 he was assigned as the Executive Officer of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment while it was stationed at Camp Mackall, NC. He was transferred to another newly forming regiment as a cadre member before the 508th shipped out to the European Theater of Operations (ETO).

He remained in the Army serving in both Korea and Vietnam before his retirement as a Lieutenant Colonel.