35 Facts About Ronald Speirs

Ronald Charles Speirs was a United States Army officer who served in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division during World War II.

Ronald Speirs was initially assigned as a platoon leader in B Company of the 1st Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

Ronald Speirs finished the war in the European Theater as a captain.

Ronald Speirs served in the Korean War, as a major commanding a rifle company and as a staff officer.

Ronald Speirs later became the American governor for Spandau Prison in Berlin.

Ronald Speirs was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1920, and spent his first few years there.

Ronald Speirs emigrated with his family to the United States, arriving in Boston, Massachusetts, on 25 December 1924.

Ronald Speirs attended military training in high school, which led to a commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the infantry of the United States Army.

Ronald Speirs volunteered for the paratroopers after the United States entered World War II.

Ronald Speirs parachuted into Normandy on 6 June 1944 and met up with fellow troops soon after landing.

Ronald Speirs assembled a small group of soldiers to help in the Brecourt Manor Assault; they captured the fourth 105mm howitzer.

Ronald Speirs was given orders to halt their attack on Ste.

Once again, Ronald Speirs gave him the order to hold his position.

Ronald Speirs told the man that he was too drunk to perform his duties and that he should remove himself to the rear.

Ronald Speirs again warned the sergeant, who now leveled his rifle at the lieutenant.

In January 1945, when Easy Company's initial attack on the German-occupied town of Foy bogged down, battalion executive officer Captain Richard Winters ordered Ronald Speirs to relieve 1st Lieutenant Norman Dike of command.

The selection of Ronald Speirs was incidental; Winters later said that Ronald Speirs was simply the first officer he saw when he turned around.

Ronald Speirs successfully took over the assault and led Easy Company to victory.

Ronald Speirs decided to countermand this order but the platoon had no radio.

Ronald Speirs was reassigned as commanding officer of Easy Company and remained in that position for the rest of the war.

Winters assessed Ronald Speirs as being one of the finest combat officers in the battalion.

Ronald Speirs wrote in his memoirs that Speirs had worked hard to earn a reputation as a killer and had often killed for shock value.

Winters said that Ronald Speirs was alleged on one occasion to have killed six German prisoners of war with a Thompson submachine gun and that the battalion leadership must have been aware of the allegations, but chose to ignore the charges because of the pressing need to retain qualified combat leaders.

Winters concluded that in today's army, Ronald Speirs would have been court-martialed and charged with atrocities, but at the time officers like Ronald Speirs were too valuable since they were not afraid to engage the enemy.

Ronald Speirs was awarded the Silver Star for his actions during the war, in particular in October 1944 in the aftermath of Operation Market Garden.

Ronald Speirs reached the river bank with his patrol in the early hours of the morning and spent the entire day observing across the river.

Ronald Speirs located an enemy machine gun nest, an enemy headquarters and other enemy activity near the town of Wageningen.

Ronald Speirs secured a rubber boat left by the enemy and returned to the friendly side of the river with this information.

Lieutenant Ronald Speirs was the first to cross the Neder Rijn River in this vicinity, and in so doing he paved the way for other patrols to make similar reconnaissance's.

Ronald Speirs's actions were in accordance with the highest standards of military service.

Ronald Speirs returned to the United States and decided to remain in the Army, serving in the Korean War.

In 1962, Ronald Speirs was a member of the US Mission to the Royal Lao Army, where he served as a training officer in Mobile Training Team for Operation White Star which was then managed by the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Laos.

On 20 May 1944, Ronald Speirs married Margaret Griffiths, whom he had met while stationed in Wiltshire, England.

Ronald Speirs stated his wife was never a widow to begin with and that he had always loved her.

On 11 April 2007, Ronald Speirs died suddenly in St Marie, Montana, where he was living.