Fierce Valor: The True Story of Ronald Speirs and His Band of Brothers

His comrades called him “Killer.” Of the elite paratroopers who served in the venerated “Band of Brothers” during the Second World War, none were more enigmatic than Ronald Speirs. Rumored to have gunned down enemy prisoners and even one of his own disobedient sergeants, Speirs became a foxhole legend among his troops. But who was the real Lieutenant Speirs? Packed with groundbreaking research, Fierce Valor unveils a compelling portrait of an officer defined by boldness on the battlefield and the inherent costs of war. His story serves as a telling reminder that few soldiers escape the power of their own pasts.
Historian Jared Frederick is the author of numerous books, including Dispatches of D-Day and Hang Tough. He has appeared on PBS, C-SPAN, and Turner Classic Movies. A former park ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park, Frederick is the host of Reel History on TH-cam and an Assistant Teaching Professor of History at Penn State Altoona.
Visit jaredfrederick.com to learn more.
Find his books here: historymatters....

[@jennymontague851]

Facinating, enigmatic man. But age did seem to mellow him a bit as it does us all. He was a soldier to the end. I feel that Matt Settles portrayed him well in the Movie, Band of Brothers. He seems to have done his homework. Good to have learned more about the man in the history of his life. Thank you.

[@drraybenedetto2064]

Excellent presentation by a very knowledgeable and personable scholar-writer!

[@davidbunney201]

That was a great bit of information about Ronald Speirs Which updates the our history at The Upottery Airfield Heritage Trust in EnglandThis was the Airfield that The 506 left from for the D-Day invasion.

[@47dirtyden]

Great man. Denis E Speirs no relation

[@patrickmanley9876]

Well he absolutely did do this in smoking the german pows as confirmed by his Co. Major Winters during his interview from a Congressman by the way it was a awesome interview by Major Winter's.
Spears and Winters were close friends after the war.

[@deadarmd]

Officers in the paratroopers unit were given standing order to "take no prisoners as they would slow you down" also paratroopers were dropped without food and not much ability to control these people. It's pretty common in lots of first encountered warfare. The British, and the allies NEEDED this drop to work as the war had basically driven Britain to a martial law point with no real ability to launch troop movement. About 140k landed on dday, with about 80k being us with the rest being brits, Irish, Scots. Canadians. Most of the paratroopers who dropped behind the line (speirs) were American.