Ronald Speirs

Ronald Speirs
Speirs in Austria, 1945
Nickname(s)	"Sparky", "Killer", "Bloody"
Born	(1920-04-20)April 20, 1920 Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Died	April 11, 2007(2007-04-11) (aged 86) Saint Marie, Montana, United States
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1942–1966
Rank	Lieutenant colonel
Unit	Dog Company/Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Normandy Operation Market Garden Battle of the Bulge Korean War Operation Tomahawk Laotian Civil War Operation White Star
Awards	Silver Star Purple Heart World War II Victory Medal Presidential Unit Citation (2 OLC)
Relations	Robert (son)
Other work	Governor of Spandau Prison, Red Army Liaison Officer

Lieutenant Colonel Ronald C. Speirs (20 April 1920 – 11 April 2007) was a United States Army officer who served in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division during World War II. He was initially assigned as a platoon leader in either Charlie or Baker Company of the 1st Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Speirs was reassigned to Dog Company of the 2nd Battalion prior to the invasion of Normandy in June 1944, before his unit was absorbed into Easy Company, of which he was given command during the assault on Foy after the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne. Speirs also served in Korea, where he commanded a rifle company, and later became the American Governor for Spandau Prison in Berlin. He reached the rank of captain while serving in the European Theater during World War II and retired as a lieutenant colonel. Speirs was portrayed in the television miniseries Band of Brothers by Matthew Settle.