Ronald C. Speirs | Absolute Legend 

GOAT indeed

To realize this you must have been a combat soldier!

​@TheDukeOfDankness not even true for a moment.

You have never been more wrong. Also it's not about mercy. As a soldier you fail to show it you will never be better than your enemy.

Now I am not contradicting him. I am contradicting the lack of context future generations take from what he said as it was FAR more contextual than that.

WW2 was no playground for the sensitive a-holes or other meatballs.

Technically he was asked if any of the stories were true and he said "yes" they were all true. But all of the stories were contradictory, some say he killed the prisoners some say someone else did, some say he killed 20, some just 6 and some say he left one alive. All we know is that he didn't care and his commanding officers certainly didn't either.

@@Will_Parker have to take into account that the allies had no hq during the initial stages of d-day and were ordered to take no prisoners as described in the video. We will never know.

​@Will_Parker my uncle that older than much aunt by several years. Was a bronze metal winner told me they took no ss or Hitler youth prisoners. Officers had them (prisoners) dig hole and they shot them or just shot them outright from day till it was over. May he rip.

He was a war criminal a Pos

Fsir play, Zach. Thanks for serving also, man.

The fact that you served makes you just as worthy, as does anyone who serves

Thank you for your service Zach.

Dont compare killing innocent ppl in iraq to this.

@@TheDukeOfDankness Appreciate that, just glad that I could follow my childhood dreams. Appreciate the support!

Yeah man. One of the few times I shed a tear.

Yeah I remember my mate saying to me "sad isn't, it broke me" I didn't know what he meant until I did.

God bless your father, man. RIP to a warrior.

That's usually the difference. In my family, everyone that was in the service has always been very quiet and humble about the subject, and what they did during that time. Even when I was even old enough to actually inquire about it. Though I've never personally come across it, even at V.F.W. events, beyond small anecdotes or inside jokes, I can imagine the guy that's more than willing to brag and talk about his time at length is probably full of it. At least from my observed time around those guys. I remember the one thing my grandfather said about his time in Europe was that he'd never been so afraid in in life, was just trying to keep the men next to him alive, and he wouldn't wish that experience on anyone. Even asked me to never join. He was a great man, though. My father served as well, but he didn't experience anything like WWII.

You're welcome, my friend. It was a pleasure celebrating the man, and I am very happy you enjoyed it.

@@TheDukeOfDankness GET A HAIRCUT , HIPPIE !!!

@@renecastel3459 shhhh🤫 I'm undercover, Rene.

Why did he murder these defenceless prisoners? Seems more like a psycho than a hero.

Amen, and ( speaking from experience) it's true, it was our job and we only did what we were supposed to do. Personally though, it's men like him who went up and beyond the proverbial, " it was my job and I only did what I was supposed to do".... It just seems that in the "Paratrooper community" there happens to be an abnormal amount of men who live by those " sayings" each and Every-Day of their lives, even in their civilian lives after their Honorable service to our blessed country. Thank God for them and the attention that you have and do bring to those individual Americans. They are the reason why we are able to lay our heads down, at night, and sleep peacefully without a worry that by morning we could wake up to a whole different and horrible reality.

Me too, chip!

Yes! Carwood Lipton (played by Donnie Wahlberg) is narrator in that episode. I remember that same exact line... "the astounding bit was... (my paraphrase) He reversed course and came back!"

@@weskautzmann4315 Spiers wasn't really running to I-Company to to get them to push up, but to keep them from accidently shooting any Easy Company men in the crossfire. He got the message to one lieutenant and his platoon from I-Company, and just as he started running back to Easy, that lieutenant was shot and killed by a German sniper. Winters later reflected that Spiers and Guarnere were the two most skilled combat leaders (and natural killers) he ever served beside.

"Scheise! Was ist das?!"

​@@TheDukeOfDanknessDo a story on Roy Benavides Medal of honor recipient, another most incredible hero

First of all, thank you for standing on that line. I admire all men who do that. Second of all, you are lucky to have met a man like Speirs. They are not perfect, I am not lionising them, but they are very special. I believe these men are Ordained by God to stand against the enemies of freedom.

Excellent. Delighted you enjoyed the video. It's a privilege to cover these heroes. You can trace you line back to 1066?! That's amazing! You must have the blood of Achilles in there.

And now we give away our freedoms and country for the sake of 'diversity' , maybe we did fight the wrong 'ememy' in ww2.....

That's amazing, Imp. You come from some stock there, buddy. They were an amazing bunch.

Respect and thanks too them, and those like them.

Absolutely!

Are any still alive ? I don’t so

Someone like Spiers would avoid accolades and publicity. This man lived to soldier, and did not need to be honoured, as his amazing ability in combat and his inspirational command of troops was its own reward.

we dont even honor the men we turn to combat veterans today, why honor ones from 80 years ago?

Amen !!!!

Was my honor, Solorgana. These people should be celebrated by the youth. It would do them and freedom good.

T

indeed

You can’t remind someone of something they’re not taught, this assumes someone has taught them. If parents can’t set an example of what leadership is for their kids how do they expect their kids learn something watching this? Frankly, you can’t teach courage or leadership to someone that doesn’t have the temperament or personality. Those people rise to the occasion

@@dirtyaznstyle4156 very true. I was fortunate to have two grandfathers that gave me constant lessons of those times in military and civilian life.

That was a great scene where Lt Speirs ran through the German lines. Audacity, audacity, audacity. A real leader says, "Follow me." And some men will follow a great leader through the gates of hell.

@@1960Sawman so very true soldiers in combat. They are more likely to get up and attack. If their leader is already leading the way. Lead by example I find is the best policy. 🙏🏻💪🏼

Amen, Brother.

You're absolutely right Jeremy. Some legends back then.

“Let go of fear, and loss cannot harm you.” Yoda

@@sartainja who can argue with Yoda?

When in a mortal situation, it would seem that the only way to be able to think clearly is to acknowledge one's mortality, and assume it is coming shortly. “So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.” -- attributed to chief Tecumseh "Fear is the mind killer." -- Paul Atreides

@@sartainja "Talk backward like you do and piss me off much it does." Chode McBlob 😅😂🤣😂😅

You've got a lot of that warrior blood in you, man. I'd say you have some amazing stories from them. Did they talk much? Seems to be most are stoic.

Same here brother both grandfathers fought in ww2. My father and two uncles were drafted and went to Vietnam

Amen.

Amen! ..and Ronald Spears out maneuvered the "angel of death'. Ronald passed at the ripe age of 86. Awesome!!

Thanks for the video very interesting 🇺🇸

Yep. Best play it respectful.

I am a Vet. I have many tattoos. While out running errands, an elderly man asked about my tattoos. He shared that he was a WWII vet. We spent 20 minutes or so talking. He shared his story of being shot in the ass on an island in the South Pacific...with a wooden bullet! Or my high school geography teacher, a Marine who assaulted Iwo Jima. The history teacher who served in Vietnam, with oddly specific stories about torture... These folks are all around us. Unsung and unoticed. Often, just the way they like it.

You're absolutely correct. I couldn't agree more.

Yep. Old Spears looks like just another kindly old grandfather. No indication that most of us would have pissed ourselves if we had to face him a couple generations ago.

@@TrentCantrell Would you like a smoke? Ha ha ha!

Thank you, Jim. Great show to watch with your son. Some great examples there. I am amazed by Speirs as well. Hello to you and your son.

True! He used it!

He relized that he was already dead, it only a matter of time and he wasn't going to let the inevitable hold him back.

"Fear is the mind kill , this fear shall pass and only i will remain "

There’s also a believable argument that Spiers simply was not afraid. He was able to accept mentally that he was already dead, and so he wasn’t afraid. It’s not unheard of. Musashi spoke of it, other samurai of his time talked about it, Spartan commanders were said to speak (briefly) on it, there are soldier accounts through time all talking about this very thing. So maybe he wasn’t scared at all.

What a lovely comment! Thanks, Jeff. I wanted to do a good job for this man. One of my favourites. God bless, Jeff.

@@TheDukeOfDankness agreed. "How glorious to serve God and man in this manner, what an honor." This is beautiful sentiment. Thank you for writing.

I'm an army veteran (Iraq 2007,08) and I appreciate that comment👍 really cool, God bless😎🙏

@@coolbreeze6198 Thank you for serving, Cool.👍

@@coolbreeze6198 May God also Bless you, His faithful soldier , thank you for serving and making the world safer and dealing with the tyrants that don't play nicely in the sandbox God designed for us all.

Thanks for watching, Jim. And for commenting, man. 👍✊

@@TheDukeOfDankness i moved to the US from Scotland at a young age and when the twin towers came down i came back home and joined up! Always was curious as to how life would have panned out if i joined up in the US! Either way we are 2 nations intertwinned and rich in history!🤗🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇸

Thank you, Fifth business! That was encouraging! I appreciate it, man.

It's Scandalous.

@@TheDukeOfDankness apparently their methods were"Not conventional" lol yeah I don't think war is conventional. It is a scandal 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪 top man, great stuff

Thank you very kindly!

Correct, but his ptsd stopped him and I think that is what the show was trying to demonstrate. He just couldn't handle it anymore.... it happened.

Speirs is your great Uncle?! If that is the case, you are an honoured member. Holy schmokes! What's yer name, companion?!

@@TheDukeOfDankness my name is Jason gullo uncle speirs is on my mom's side of the family

@obliviona2z Jason, it is my privilege to be conversing with you now. Fair play, man. Speirs is my Hero....as you can tell.

Same here, Brendan. Complete badass...consistently. Thanks for commenting, man.

Yeah , good character .

@@goldenhawk352 ah stop. You think orders weren't given to "hurry back". The US army was as bad as the german army for crime.

Great video brother,i actualy met Dick Winters he was very humble guy.

@@davidharris6882 Most of those guys are humble , unlike todays needy jerk - offs , that want attention , and dont win wars .

Isa, you just put a smile on my face. Thank you so much for watching and leaving a great comment. The Duke!

@@TheDukeOfDankness Fellow Northsider....😇

:-D very good. Had a good chuckle at that.

@@TheDukeOfDankness lol ty

Thank you Ronald! I appreciate that very much!

Amen, mine was my dad and uncles. My dad and one uncle both got sent home before deployment. Both were upset they didn't fight, neither one accepted medical from the vet, because they didn't fight. My dad was sent home on a medical, but others said it was what he knew about roto copters and guidance systems. My uncle had to tend his Dad's farm( he had a heart attack). One uncle was corp of engineers (dday, bulge), another one was a marine in Korea. That generation was the greatest!

He's now on the List, Tex. Thanks for the tip, man.

@@TheDukeOfDankness you're welcome.

Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching and dropping a comment, Chewey! You are a legend.

Thank you for watching! And props to your Uncle. 101st are legend!

You are the progeny of badasses. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance

Totally, Gold. I have that same metal Boxset. That scene you mentioned...hair raising. Every time.

something to think about when I'm having (a 1st world) bad day. . .

Scene still gives me goosebumps.

@@vincentperiolat4610 .i hope you get it fixed up and worked out Vince. Be safe, well and free mate. Bob. Australia.

Good officers lead by example, n good soldiers will follow. Leadership principle in action.

Kenny, we share the name Ken. You are a lucky man. Ron is a hero I would love to have heard

@@TheDukeOfDankness if i can find the vhs tapes of my grandfather talking about him and showing pictures. I will video them from my phone and send them to you! Thats cool we definitely want forget each others names, most people call me Ken? Nice talking with you and I will look for the tapes and try to get that done for you brother. My grandfather was a amazing man himself and the most famous preacher ever in southwestern va and west va. Thats where im from. I'll let you know soon as I can locate them if you would like to see them pictures and hear the stories?

💯👏👏👏👏👏👏💯

It’s easy for people to judge Lt.Dike, especially because of his portrayal on the B.O.B series. I’ve recently been rewatching the series and I cannot imagine what anyone from our current era would do during those times. Any company leader being told to hold the line, while constantly being shalacked by fixed artillery, out numbered, cold, under pressure, Ill 😷 prepared and having to watch your unit suffer through huge casualties, had to take a physiological toll on anyone.

Source of your info? Dike was putz

For the record please don't Shit on Lipton, back then there was no google. the show makers really relayed 90% on interviewing the veterans and the book by Ambrose. That's why mistakes like stating Blithe died from that shot were made. It's actually on YT somewhere an interview of an editor of the show. Sadly for Dyke that meant for him that ep7 subtitle was be let's shit on Dyke. the men hated him, and sadly for Dyke, Winters hated him the most. The men followed him in the interviews too and so this is how that picture of Dyke was drawn in the episode. Luckily for Dyke himself he was already dead. sadly, years after trying to shoot himself in the head. his family went through this episode during times where the web was in diapers and they had no where to go viral in, to share the real story. and btw I think Dyke was estrange from his family, getting older alone in some nursing home after botching trying to shoot himself in the head. Does it make Winters or the then living men of Easy Co. any less brave heros? no. they are humans that endured and made superhuman things, but they got feelings, ego and anyone might use people recording him for history and tv show as a chance to let those feelings out, even if those are feeling of hate. anyone who spent a day in armed forces as a combat troop would sadly encounter some officers that shouldn't be doing what they are doing, or how they are doing, or shouldn't be officers at all. Not everyone do well like Winters. pulling their men in and out of hell while pushing every drop out of them for the cause AND at through all of it and decades later have all these men love and respect you.

Nope.. Dike is an absolute rich kid coward.

In my talking with combat veterans, most of those guys never liked talking about what happened on the battlefield because it was such a violent, traumatic experience. One time I was hitchhiking in South Dakota and this guy picked me up. He drove me up into Montana. He said that his grandfather was a veteran of World War II and that he was at the Battle of Hurtgen Forest. He said his grandfather NEVER talked about that battle until just before he died. During the war, his grandfather had to crawl up close to the German lines in the Hurtgen Forest and call-in artillery on the Germans. His grandfather spoke of the explosions of the shells and the screaming of the dying and wounded Germans. It really left a deep scar on his life. I think if you meet someone who likes to brag about his combat experience, he probably wasn't in combat at all. Most combat veterans don't talk about it and a lot of those guys want to be left alone. I did some research on PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and most of those guys live somewhat lonely, solitary lives.

God bless him. Would love to have heard some of those stories.

Fair play to ya, Bob.

Thank You, Germán. Like recognizes like!

Excellent, Seth. It made my day that it made your day. Thanks for the great comment and encouragement. I'll be back with more.

He certainly did. He fell out with the writers of band of brothers over it

I would have given him one anyway. the brass were afraid of men like Speirs !

The Gunny has now been added to the list. What a legend! Thanks, John.

@@TheDukeOfDankness Thank you!

This is truth.

@@TheDukeOfDankness Do you have ANY idea way sniper Ed Eaton never received the Congressional Medal Of Honor, talk about not being selfish, ESPECIALLY during the Vietnam war.

I was actually at the gas station/rest stop named after him in New Jersey just last week

That's some trip. Would love to do it myself.

Amen

Killing unarmed POW. He is a Pos.

He was not born in America but was born in Scotland.

Thank you for taking the time, John

He was an inspiration and a legend. Thank you for your comment. And God bless.

Thank you so much, Big Moe. There are many more coming, brother! I hope you stick with me.

@@TheDukeOfDankness I definitely will brother!!!

Thank you, Rob. God bless you! The Duke appreciates you.

Thank you, Anonymous. Takes a legend to know a legend. Mad respect, man.

Thank you so much, Mark! Welcome to the ranks of the Legion! Happy to have you on board, man.

Thank you, Larry. I am humbled and grateful that you liked the vid. Speirs means a lot to me.

Wow! Met the man himself? That's an incredible blessing. Would love to hear those stories.

@@TheDukeOfDankness if you go to the middle part of the Band Of Brothers book, my uncle drew all of the drawings- they were his experiences put on paper

@@svanlinge6917 Sweet! Gonna go do that!

I'd watch that!

Absoluto

Sure does.

No truer words have been spoken.

Yeah! I had a great Uncle who was a desert rat. Took Mussolini's body down off the rails. He was known to never speak of it.

Thanks Brian. We do. The west is in real trouble.

@@TheDukeOfDankness Yes we are!! Love the video brother.. Well done.

Thank you kindly, Frank. I appreciate you loaning me your eyeballs.

Lucky for you, I have! Check it out in the library. Thanks for watching and the comment, brother. The Duke is back.

Thank you, Valerie. I'm delighted you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time.

Thanks for watching and leaving me a comment, Steve. Much appreciated.

Thank you, Jorge. I appreciate the comment, man

Thank you, Pea. Much appreciated, my man. Thanks for watching and leaving me a comment. Speirs was unbelievable.

Amen to that, Tim.

@@TheDukeOfDankness I don’t want to take anything away from all of the other soldiers, Marines, airmen and Navy, they truly were the greatest generation

@@timwhitten9918 not at all man. It's not a bad thing to point out when someone is just that bit special!

Thank you for watching, Brian. Makes it all worth while.

Thank you, Archery. I agree, they were the greatest generation. God bless your father, and all who served in that war.

Thank you for taking the time to watch, Don. More coming.

I am very grateful for your time, Fear. Respect✊

I hope we do.

You are a rich man, friend.

Me too, brother!

Hey thanks, highspeed! Most kind of you to say, brother. Welcome to the Dank ranks, my good man.

Your Welcome Sir and I have always been behind the 8 ball or designated Scape Goat but managed to make it through life.

Thank you for taking the time, Jared. I am grateful.

Need a legion of these fellas.

Wars are not and cannot be fought by Gentlemen. They are fought by:Soldiers Speirs was the latter not the former

You did an excellent job on this my uncle was with them in the battle of the bulge had both legs blown off. He actually sat with Spielberg during the making a band of Brothers, a bunch of courageous men. When you said in the beginning, would you fight or Would you call her in the corner? I have to be honest I probably would’ve coward in the corner scared out of my wits

Thanks Andy! I appreciate the view, man.

Thank you for watching, Steve. I am glad you enjoyed it. I love WWII history also. I love the Greatest Generation. Something special there. Wow! Your father was in the Battle of the Bulge?! That's extraordinary. Did he tell you any stories?

@@TheDukeOfDankness My father was supposedly in the rear guard with a howitzer company which was left unprotected in Belgium I think near the Ardennes forest. They were captured very early at the start of the Battle of the Bulge. They had just relieved other soldiers and had been there only a couple of days before being captured, this was in mid December 1944 , he was liberated around the first of May (4 1/2 months approximately). He said that there was very little food for the prisoners or the guards, when he was released he weighed 87 lbs, when he entered the Army he weighed 156. I was pretty young and he never spoke much about it, I’ve shared about all I know.

Thank you, pal. Much gracias

Great saying. That seems to be the way it is to me.

@@TheDukeOfDankness there are no atheists in foxholes either lol

Thank you, Patrick. The Duke is happy to have you in the Ranks, pal.

Thanks, Bond, James Bond. I wished I could have done better, but I did my best. It's an honor to recognise and celebrate these people!

Thanks, John. I appreciate the watch and comment, man. Yeah. That's what makes men like Speirs so astounding. So many didn't make it. Some never got off the landers. And yeah, these special few can change the course of a battle, no doubt.

Thanks Jim. Sure will.👍

Thank you, Nigel. I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment, man. Makes a difference.