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

by Erik Dorr

Fans of Stephen E. Ambrose’s Band of Brothers will be drawn to this complex portrait of the controversial Ronald Speirs, an iconic commander of Easy Company during World War II, whose ferocious courage in three foreign conflicts was matched by his devotion to duty and the bittersweet passions of wartime romance.

Fight Like You Mean to Win

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?

In Fierce Valor , historians Jared Frederick and Erik Dorr unveil the fuller story of Easy Company’s longest-serving commander. Tested by trials of extreme training, military rivalry, and lost love, Speirs’s international odyssey begins as an immigrant child in Prohibition-era Boston and continues through the bloody campaigns of France, Holland, and Germany. But 1945 did not mark an end to Speirs’s military adventures. Uncovered by sharp scholarship, his lesser-known exploits in Korea, the Cold War, and embattled Laos also come to light for the first time.

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.

Genres: History, Biography, World War II, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, War, Military History

376 pages, Hardcover

Published May 10, 2022

Reviews

[JD · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Band of Brothers Ronald Speirs is introduced to the reader as a cold blooded killer, where there are rumours of summary executions of prisoners and fellow soldiers alike, and the book left you with more questions than answers about this extraordinary member of Easy Company who only joined them during the Battle of the Bulge.

Luckily this book sets the record straight about this highly courageous and professional combat leader. His time commanding the Band of Brothers was but a brief spell of his colourful 22-year military career. Before Easy company he was a platoon leader in Dog Company during the Normandy invasion and served as battalion intelligence officers during Operation Market Garden before taking over Easy outside of Foy. His post-war career was even more interesting, making two combat jumps during the Korean War, serving in East Berlin, being commandant of Spandau Prison overseeing prominent Nazi prisoner and being a member of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Laos during the Cold War before retiring in 1964 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

The book delves into his personal life and his character, which though ruthless as a combat leader, was not that of a cold blooded killer as he is sometimes portrayed by Stephen Ambrose. He was a good leader and a hard man, but his main concern was always the troops serving under him. This book is a good addition to the Easy Company books out there, as it takes a whole different look at a man who was part of the brotherhood of combat, and ranks as my favourite among them. Highly recommended.

[Abby Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this is complicated. From this book I've gained a guarded distrust for more recently written military history books. I love studying the boots-on-the-ground history of modern military engagements from WW1 through the War in Iraq, post 9/11. I'm not so into the politics as I am interested in the stories of brotherhood and courage so starkly displayed on the battlefield. This book, freshly written and published during the so called pandemic has a subtle stinky whiff of wokism. When I was in college, we were taught in our history class not to judge the men and women of the past by our current cultural morality. We were taught that wasn't fair and wasn't how you studied history.

What do they teach them at these schools?

The woke-ish fumes weren't so toxic as to drive me to toss this book away—I added it to my Band of Brothers shelf—but it was enough to make me rant and sputter.

I get that they were trying to deal with a man who's surrounded by whispered tales of executing prisoners and even one of his own men. But to deal with it in a 'we know how evil that is because we're so much more civilized' Monday-morning-quarterback, armchair historian, voice was so annoying. No one with any sense of combat is really going to be super bothered by this, his men, and commander's weren't, and Spiers himself critiqued his own actions so as to become a better commander. This was war. It's not pretty. It's not clear. And we shouldn't run around just judging people like we'd do so much better.

Again, it was subtle, but there in their adjective choice and their questions. It showed a sense of whining justification, instead of a manly, "this is war, suck it up, buttercup." It felt like a girl whining because she didn't want to get sweaty. If you play, you're going to get hurt.

They also seemed constantly astounded that a man could be hard and cold facing the enemy but be concerned about his men's safety. For me, there will never be an incomprehensible dichotomy between being an effective combat leader, a "killer", and being gravely concerned for the wellbeing of your men, loving your men. I mean you're writing a Band of Brothers book, what even? This is what we love about them! Why is this so hard to explain? It's not shocking it's beautiful. It's a wonderful dichotomy, not incomprehensible. It's what those of us not so interested in the big picture but the boots on the ground stories are searching for.

They just constantly tried to philosophize and psychologize their way through this instead of just telling the story. Spiers fought in 3 wars and possibly engaged in black ops operations. By all accounts he was a wonderful husband and grandfather in his old age. I cried through much of the whole last chapter which shared a bunch of correspondence between Winters and Spiers.

I'm thankful for a book about Spiers. I'm thankful to learn more details of his life. I just don't find him to be that mysterious or dark or incomprehensible. From what I've read about combat, he's not much different from many other men making snap decisions, while being lost, while being shot at, while being responsible for the lives of his friends. In fact, what sets him apart is what a great man he was to follow. Almost as beloved as Winters. I get that he was private about his war experiences. Based upon what he might have been involved in and the generation he was part of, that's not shocking or beffudling. The majority of his men loved him. Winters and Compton respected him. That's enough for me.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid and satisfying

It's been awhile since I've found myself so drawn in by a book -- I found it impossible to put down and read it in just over a day. Well paced, nicely balanced, easy to read and thoroughly engrossing. Answers a lot of questions about this enigmatic figure. A solid addition to the "Band of Brothers" canon. The bulk of the book covers Speirs' World War II exploits with Dog and Easy companies of the 506th PIR, 101st Airborne, but that's likely what you're most interested in anyway. Still, there's plenty that's new and well researched, about his life after WWII. It may not answer all your questions but nevertheless is a thoroughly satisfying read.

[Garhett Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolute fantastic read on one of the most influential and mysterious leaders of WWII. It covers controversial legend, and the leadership capability of a man who was cool under fire, and often heated in personal conflict.
Factual and complete

[Johanna Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was overjoyed to find this book. I’ve pretty much read all the other books about the men of Easy Company, and was always wishing there was more about Speirs. This book answers most questions I had about him. Band of Brothers showed his decisive instincts and showed a little bit of his softer side but they could have done better. This book shows the complex nature of a man who was born to lead men in battle but often struggled with the necessary and even controversial decisions he had to make during wartime. He was intelligent, passionate, and caring; I’m glad two authors took the time to write about his life and honor him in they way he deserved to be. I could not put it down until I was finished.

[Joanne Hattersley · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you watch Band of Brothers, it`s natural to have your favourite characters, whether it be Winters, Sobel or Nixon. But it is also natural to be more inquisitive about some if them. For me, Speirs was the one that ticked that box.

Fierce Valor gives you an insight into not only Speirs the soldier, but Speirs the man. Was he as mysterious as he was portrayed? Did he do any of the things that were rumoured about him?

What Fierce valor gives you is so much more. You learn what a brave combat leader he was. You learn of his governorship of Spandau Prison. You learn of his career and how the Korean War was a part of that. You learn how his comrades called him 'Killer'. You learn how he sought a life of peace too.

This book is well researched and really introduces us to the man, and not the rumours about him. This book is beautifully written and is compelling. It holds your attention throughout. The authors have done a beautiful job with this book and it is something to be incredibly proud of.

[Zella Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read quite a few of the memoirs from the guys from Easy Company, but I'd always wished there was more on Captain Ronald Speirs, easily the most enigmatic and controversial member. Unlike many of the surviving soldiers, he never wrote his own memoir, and he was loath to participate in interviews. In fact, he frequently described the resulting media attention around Easy Company to his old friend Dick Winters as aggravating and bewildering. As a consequence, there are a lot of stories about Speirs, but very little in his own words.

This bio is a pretty good start and includes a lot of new information. I wasn't a particular fan of the authors' writing style, which could be a bit over-the-top with the descriptions, and penchant for assuming what Speirs was thinking, though I understand there is a bit of a dearth of documentation on his thoughts.

But overall I think it is well-researched and quite readable. The book largely focuses on Speirs's WWII experiences, though I was actually more intrigued by his post-war career. Unlike a lot of his fellow paratroopers from Easy Company, Speirs made a career out of the military, fighting in Korea and serving as an adviser in Laos. The authors also present some tantalizing evidence he may have served as a CIA operative in Vietnam in the mid-60s.

I also thought it was a pretty fair presentation of Speirs. Accusations of shooting prisoners and one of his own sergeants in Normandy have followed him since 1944, and per the book, the rumors are true and Speirs himself never denied or refuted them, though as the book documents with firsthand accounts, the situations are more nuanced than initially meets the eye.

The book also does a pretty good job of documenting the varying opinion on Speirs among his men--the consensus was always that he was an excellent combat leader, but some of the guys under his command did find him spooky and off-putting (and fairly vindictive toward superiors he disliked), while others were quite fond of him and held him in the highest regard.

It also explains his standoffishness about the fame surrounding Band of Brothers. I already knew his primary objection to Ambrose's book were comments he considered defamatory about his first wife rather than any accusations about himself, but he was also self-conscious about his hearing loss and considered his time in Easy Company as just one of many moments in a long military career rather than the pinnacle of his life. So, Speirs was gracious when people reached out to him directly, but he had no interest in actively pursuing reunions or being involved in the historiography of the unit.

In any event, the moments in the book that I found most interesting were not so much the ones that confirmed his reputation as the most fearsome badass in a company of fearsome badasses, but the ones that showed a more human side of him, like the genuinely kind, chatty, and warm letter he wrote to one of his former soldiers full of updates about the company's time in Austria; the fact that one of the few stories he told his family about the war involved him letting prisoners go; the anecdote that after an evening of drinking celebrating him making captain Speirs actually sobbed uncontrollably with shame; the revelation that late in his army career Speirs was considered just as effective of an administrator and bureaucrat as he was a combat leader; or the stories about him chilling out in retirement, hanging out on the beach with his poodles, enjoying square dancing, and being a genuinely wonderful grandfather to his fourth wife's family.

Speirs was a complex person who's not easily reduced to simplistic explanations, and I do think the book does a good job of capturing that.

[David Shaffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

II finished Fierce Valor: The True Story of Ronald Speirs and His Band of Brothers by Jared Frederick and Erik Dorr. Previously, I read Hang Tough: The World War II Letters and Artifacts of Major Dick Winters, which they also co-wrote.

For some Ronald Speirs is unknown, one of the many unknown soldiers who fought World War II, for other he is a lesser known figure of Stephen Ambrose’s Band of Brothers book and the longest serving company commander of Easy Company of the 506, who is known mostly for his portrayal in HBO’s Band of Brothers as the lieutenant who shot German POW’s.

Whatever your knowledge of Lieutenant later, Captain Ronald Speirs of Easy Company, Jared Frederick, and Erik Dorr pealed back layers of the onion to provide a fuller and more fleshed biography of him. A Toccoa man who transitioned from leadership of Dog Company to Easy Company in a quick decision by Captain Dick Winters when it was failing under the leadership of Lieutenant Norman Dike to thrive and advance at a critical time in battle. Speirs took over and never released leadership of the company until the end of World War II in Europe. He later went on to serve in Korea, Laos and Europe where he was placed in charge of Spandau Prison and later finished his service during the Cold War of the 1960’s and left the army as a colonel.

He was an strong leader, an enigma of a man who might or might not have shit German POW’s and definitely admitted to having to shoot one of his sergeants when he was drunk and insubordinate in battle in Europe. He shied away from the limelight but as seen with others such as George Patton was one of those men who could have lived under glass with the instructions break glass in case of war.

He engaged in 4 combat jumps, Normandy for D-Day, Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands, Operation Tomahawk in the Korean War as a member of the 187th Regimental Combat Team and as part of of an airborne assault on North Korea in October, 1950..

A solid 4 star book, under 300 pages of reading, which sheds light on a often misunderstood and largely unknown soldier.

[Ryan Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading the story of LTC. Ronald Speirs— yes, that Ronald Speirs, of Band of Brothers fame— was a worthwhile endeavor. Though born in England, it was news to me that he spent a majority of his youth in The Boston area.

As far as his battlefield exploits, well, he was a fine paratrooper. In fact many would say he was exactly the type of paratrooper the Allies would need in Normandy in June of 1944. However his service also came with controversy. Turns out that during war fate plays a large role in what we come to know as history. Alcohol, strategy, artillery shells, and just plain luck played their roles as well. In fact some will say that for Speirs, a German artillery shell destined for another would spare his life. Who’s to know, really, what would have happened had things gone a different way.

As it turned out, Speirs lived a long, healthy life and had a successful career with the US Army. Following the war he was a bit of an enigma, but given his tumultuous service it was no surprise. He furthered his career with service in the Korean War and in Spandau Prison. He ended his service quietly and spent his remaining years even more so. Where Winters and company reveled in their opportunity to have their story told, Speirs yearned to be left alone.

So much so that many details of his service career during WW2 remain shrouded in somewhat of a mystery. Despite the mystery, Fierce Valor was a great read and shed a lot of light on an otherwise mysterious story touched on during Band of Brothers.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know it's been sometime since I watch HBO's Band of Brothers but one of the most interesting characters in that series was Ronald Speirs who is the subject of this book. He was portrayed as mysterious, cruel, and competent leader in the series. This book fills out and gives a true picture of the man who was all of those things. A detailed biography of the enigmatic Easy Company leader, Ronald Speirs, separating myths from facts about his controversial actions (like rumored German prisoner killings) and revealing his full, complex life beyond Band of Brothers, covering his difficult upbringing, intense training, valor in France, Holland, and Germany during World War II.

The book sheds light on this complex man as it gives in-depth account of one of Easy's, more controversial and enigmatic members. I enjoyed how the author's painted Speirs within a gray area, a space that places him in morally questionable situations while also giving him due credit for battlefield heroics, that neither vilifies him or practices in hero worship. All too often these incredible stories fall to the wayside, sadly Speirs is also a great example of the humble nature that takes rich history to the grave. We should never forget the contributions that were made by these people. In the end, Speirs was very private individual, among family, friends, and fellow soldiers. While many of my questions were answered, when I read this book many remain a mystery, answers that Spiers never shared. Thus, it is a great asset to finally have a biography on a man who was a brave combat leader and interesting character. It lifts a bit of the mystery that seemed to shroud his life. Check it out.

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really engaging read, even if I did find it a little off-putting at first to switch to a third-person account of the tale, when I've gotten so used to the memoirs written by the men themselves. Along those lines, I think I was a little wary at times of how dramatized certain retellings were, but the authors seem to have done their research and portrayed everything as accurately as they could. I trust any mistakes were made in good faith, etc.

There truly were interesting points all the way through. The real Speirs was so wary of how he was going to be portrayed in the TV series that I think they actually ended up doing him a disservice by trying to keep some of his more controversial moments vague. This book definitely painted the "shooting his own sergeant" tale in a much clearer light than I've seen anywhere else. (And I think with all the details and the right context, most people would agree that he didn't do anything crazily immoral for wartime.)
I feel like Fierce Valor also gave me a better view of who the man was in post-service years, and I really enjoyed that segment of the book.

The one hill I will die on is that footnotes are vastly superior to endnotes. It drives me absolutely crazy to have to flip all the way to the back of the book a million times if I'm curious about their sources.

[Patrick Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book and a must read for anyone interested in the soldiers in combat during World War II. From his training to his rise to Lt. Colonel and his action in three wars. The book is engrossing as it takes you into the world of an excellent soldier and combat leader and the turmoil that he kept inside.

Speirs was known as a fierce fighter who never backed down no matter what the danger, it was a well earned reputation. He was also followed by rumors of ruthlessness that were perhaps true but exaggerated. Those above him wanted him to lead the tough missions, those below him would follow him anyway as he instilled confidence by fighting directly beside them and not setting up in the rear.

Ron Spiers was a lifer in the military, he was a soldiers soldier. Long on experience and courage as well as a good tactician. This book covers it all, the good, the bad, the factually unknown. The book draws you in as you read and is, at times, hard to put down.

A well written and insightful book about an intensely private man who felt he did nothing special and rarely talked about any of his exploits (as most of that generation). I definitely recommend this book.

[Olwen White · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for a better insight into Ronald Speirs the man. An explanation of why he chose to run through enemy lines to reach I company and what he was thinking when he did so. Unfortunately, that question and others remain unanswered.

This book is another rehash of the D-Day experiences of Easy Company. Although the book does focus on Speirs and where he was on that day, and the days that followed, it's still an overview of the Company's exploits. It's still based on the recollections of the men who served with him. Or on the legend that grew up around him.

As the book progresses, it becomes obvious that Speirs was a quiet, private, unassuming man with a job to do. He did it well and without fanfare. Like all true heroes, he didn't know he was one.

The book itself is hard to read in places. The prose is flowery and a little verbose. I found myself having to reread sentences over and over to make sense of them. That's why it gets three stars. Not because of Speirs... but because of the writing.

[Chris Morse · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finishing Fierce Valor, my immediate reaction was that I wanted to watch Band of Brothers again. This book feels like a natural companion to the series, especially for anyone who has already watched it and wants more context.

The book did not really make me feel much emotionally, but it was very informative. What stood out most was learning more about Ronald Speirs and his leadership. The show does not fully capture the scope of his contributions, and this book helped fill in those gaps. It gave me a better understanding of his role within Easy Company and why he was respected as a leader.

I listened to this as an audiobook, and the narration was excellent. It was easy to follow and kept my attention, which made the experience enjoyable even when the content was more factual than emotional.

I would recommend Fierce Valor to anyone interested in World War Two or Easy Company. If you are a fan of Band of Brothers and want to go deeper into the history behind it, this is a must read.

[David Devine · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent look into the enigmatic life of Ronald Speirs that delves into the role he played with both Dog and Easy Company during World War II. Speirs did not speak much on his experiences and much of the information was gleaned from interviews with those who served with him, his family members and letters and correspondence with Capt Dick Winters and others he served with. Ronald was a mystery to most people, but every now and then he would show glimpses of his humanity. The book also covers the infamous incidents of his shooting German prisoners and one of his own NCOs. Considering how hard Ronald Speirs tried to stay out of the limelight, Jared Frederick with the help of Erik Dorr do a fantastic job of putting a spotlight on a man who was one of the best combat officers the 101st Airborne had.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to a digial audio book edition of Fierce Valor.

I don't know what I think of Fierce valor. I have not read the Stephen Ambrose book or watched the mini series so this book is the first time I am learning about Ronald Speirs. I think I learned about this book from another book about world war II I recently listened to.

I suppose its Ok, I really don't know what to say. I suppose I could say that it gives you what you would expect, talks about his military service, some of his fellow soldiers opinions about him, and a little about his marriages and family life and that is what I would expect from a biography of a soldier.

I can't think of anything I liked or disliked about the book. So I kind of liked the book. I don't know. I suppose I don't have a strong opinion of it one way or the other

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The sorrowful encounter left a lasting impression on Lipton. "I could see that he was really broken up," the sergeant observed of his new commanding officer. "This guy was a friend of his and was hit and obviously killed." At that moment, Lipton thought, "I'm trying to form my opinion of this new company commander. He's got strong friendship. He has people that he was friendly with." The lieutenant was not some heartless brute after all. But there was no time to stop, let alone mourn. Speirs's greater commitment was not to a single man but an entire company. Within a minute, he was back in full gallop."

I loved this book, sometimes the pace was a little slow, but none the less it was very intriguing and fascinating. I'd read it again for sure.

[Bob Spangler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ronald Spiers was one of the most interesting members of Easy Company before, during and after WW2. This book dedicated strictly to Spiers does its best to clear up some of the myths of this American hero. Unlike the majority of the members of Easy who eventually told their stories, Spiers refused. He did not speak to Ambrose, Hanks or even his own family bout what happened during his time in the ETO and elsewhere. The booked is meticulously researched and puts together the stories based his discussion with others from Easy. Even though the full story of Spiers can never be known, the authors did a fine job here. A must for anyone interested in this Company of Heroes. Right up there with Dick Winters, Spiers shone brightest.

[MISS MELANIE J HAMPSON · Rating 5 out of 5]

After watching Band of Brothers a vast number of times since its release in 2001, I didn't think I could possibly love & admire Ronald C Speirs more but this book achieved the impossible. It is the most in depth exploration of this enigmatic character & contains so many unbelievable stories of bravery. I found it especially heart warming to hear that the close relationship depicted in the series between Speirs & Lipton was real & that the strong bond between Winters & Speirs held firm in their twilight years. It was also interesting to read Matthew Settle's reflections on the hero he portrayed to perfection in the final chapter. An absolute must read for all admirers of the 101st Airborne's Band of Brothers.

[Cordell · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you were a fan of band of Brothers, I would recommend this book. Ronald Spears is an intriguing person and obviously a dedicated and talented soldier.

Learn a lot about Ronald Spears and his life prior to the military, and then you learn a great deal more about his life in the military after the events from a band of Brothers.

I myself of a combat vet from the GWOT era. I’m proud of my service and I did some difficult things. But they seem like nothing compared to what these men went through.

I have great respect for Spears and I thought this was a very human and telling story and I enjoyed reading it. It’s typical for me to be reading three or four books at a time. I read through this one very quickly because I kept coming back to it.

[Bob Lafontaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fierce Valor

The title of this book hardly describes Ronald Speirs. I fact, I'm convinced this entire book was not able to acceptably describe Ronald Speirs. Only the men that served with him and under his command could provide any similarity to that which could be called a description. Certainly, he cannot be judged by anyone but his maker. I can only guess that he has been forgiven for any wrong doing he may have committed in his life as a soldier. Ronald Spends was a true American hero in every sense of the term. Thank you for your service, sir.
If you have watched Band of Brothers, you absolutely must read this book.

[Barbara Papillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both my husband and I live in Gettysburg PA and have met the curator of Gettysburg Museum of History Erick Dorr many times. He has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to WWII history, especially when it comes to the Band of Brothers being he has the biggest collection of their history. It is refreshing to read about Ronald Speirs and his exploits throughout his career that didn’t sound like movie magic but honest to goodness history through the eyes of all who knew him. I spent the weekend as if I was riding along with the members who new him best. Thank you Jared Frederick and Erick Dorr for such a wonderful history lesson again…..

[Michael Gaglione · Rating 5 out of 5]

WARRIOR

Interesting account of a soldier. I believe some will not understand this man if they did not serve in combat. What I found interesting was the directive from higher headquarters to not take any prisoners during the Normandy invasion, D Day, that was given to the officers in the Airborne units. It apparently was not an official order but a suggestion. I can understand that even though it goes against my moral beliefs. The book also comes across as an advertisement for the miniseries Band of Brothers. But I understand it was necessary because his character in the movie was the most mysterious and stood out from all the rest.

[Ken Tingley · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a big fan of the Band of Brothers book and mini-series, I wasn’t sure how much more there was left to tell about Ronald Spiers and his role with Easy Company. I was wrong, there is plenty. The authors do a good job of concentrating on the mystery around Spiers and what he did or did not do in the war. The best chapter is the last chapter when we learn about how things turned out for the retired soldier and his reluctance to attend reunions and have friendships with any of the his former men. It is a good book that fills in a lot of the gaps.

[Kyle Bustin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a disappointing read. A lot of the ww2 quotes to flesh out the book come from other books, ie David Websters Parachute Infantry and other books. Seems like a lot of the info acquired to tell the tale was just war records and news clippings. Speirs was apparently very reserved and gave few or no interviews, which means there is little from his actual perspective or thoughts. It was solid and I don’t regret reading it, but it didn’t do much to flesh out speirs that wasn’t already mentioned in band of brothers.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m very thankful that these experiences have been written about for us and our future generations. While movies are fabulous, books fill in so many details and teach us so much more. Between the movies and books we get as good a picture as possible. The media will never be like being there, but that said, who in their right mind would want to?
I hope future gray-haired generations of governments will see the horrors presented here,and strive to find peaceful ways of settling grievances instead of sacrificing their young citizen’s precious lives. How painful the loss of sweet youths.

[Chuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very intersting, well written and well research look into the darkest of the Band of Brothers. Dick Winters called Ron Spiers the finest Combat Company Commander he knew.

Spiers would fight in 3 wars (likely a forth and he likely spent time with the CIA) and make combat jumps with two of them.

An interesting man, dedicated solider and a strict leader. The book takes us into a deep look at his life with many of the other members of Easy Company.

[Daniel Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biography of the iconic World War II Easy Company commander, Follows his early life growing up in Massachusetts, his years in WWII, continues through his time in Korea, the Cold War and Laos and his later years as he avoids the celebrity of Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. Fascinating account of an American hero. Spends time talking about the rumors of gunning down prisoners and a disobedient sergeant. Quality book.

[David Cordero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would dare say that most Band of Brothers enthusiasts were excited when this title was announced — and the book certainly lived up to the hype. It was well-crafted, exhaustively researched and satisfying in so many ways.

Particularly touching was the end and Speirs’ interactions with his Easy Company brethren decades after the war.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Speirs lead quite a life. D and E company in WWII. Served in Korea, advisor in Laos, Commander of Spandau, and retiring from the Army in March of 1964 as a Lt. Colonel. Or did he really retire? His name was on a Foreign Service List in 1965. Little work for the CIA maybe? We will never know. This book was well written and researched.