Warbird Information Exchange

I just found out that Ronald Speirs passed away on April 11th. He was 86 years old. Another of the greatest generation has passed.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Sad news. I love when he runs right through the German lines...and then back through them again on the return.

Oh yeah that was great. I also loved the look on everyone's face when he walked into the rooom with the guy that had gotten drunk and shot a fellow soldier. He was a true bad!@#

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Another one has gone west. Rest well, you've earned it. Thanks.

It really is sad. So many of these guys have stories that they never told. You just never know what the old man that lives at the end of your street might have done.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Sometimes all you have to do is ask.

My dad did Normandy..he is gone now..Bronze Star and would never say much about it..my loss

Yeah, luckily I have been doing that and some of the results have been amazing. Think about this, you are at the mall or wherever, and you see an older gentleman with a hat that says 8th Air Force or 101st Airborne or any other unit. I know we have all seen them. My wife laughs because, I will stop and ask them if they served in that unit. My wife laughs that I have no problem asking a complete stranger about his past. More times than not, they are happy to talk to you about what they have done. I have never had a vet yet from WWII or Korea that did not want to talk a little about it atleast. Now Vietnam is different. My father told me he was a cook in Vietnam. After a little studying, I found that he was a door gunner in the Army. Just recently we found out that when he left the Army, he did so as a sniper. He still will not talk about it, and just says that it doesn;t matter what he did. He always says"I still couldn't find work when I got out, so it doesn't matter what job I held in the war".

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

My wife's grandfather was a D-day vet, but he passed before I got to meet him. I have a bunch of pics he took during the war in a display case with his flag.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Sad news indeed.

My son has been reading the book written by Dick Winters about the Band of Brothers (I told him I get to read it when he's done). Just curious if there was some truth to the rumor of him shooting prisoners on D-Day? My son said that the rumor was true (according to the book)...can anyone elaborate?

John

As far as I know it did happen. But Speirs is said to have never admitted to it, but never denied it.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

TRUE Story. He was reticent about returning to France for the Grand Opening of Band Of Brothers at Utah Beach. He expressed some concern about statute of limitations and such.

If in fact it's true (sounds like it is)...I suppose it was because they couldn't spare any men to guard prisoners on the first day of the invasion. Sadly, these things happen in wartime.

I guess I couldn't blame him for having reservations about returning to France. Wouldn't put it past some French Judge to try and arrest him as a "war criminal" based on rumors.

John

You have top remember that the unprinted order of the day was"

NO PRISONERS".

It was a tactical mission with the Paratroopers being the Vanguard of the Invasion. They could not spare a man for guard duty.

one of my grandfathers was a cook.. he got to watch the invasion happen.. i have some pics(but no scanner) of the aftermath... the temp docks and stuff driving on shore. funny thing is that my mom and all her brothers/sisters got the riot act to them when they wanted to take them to school for show and tell. i showed just the littlest interest in WW2 and bam i get the pics, a german helmet,canteen, tin of cigs(still full) and officer spurs, pissed off my mom but he knew i would take care of them and he wasnt going to be around much longer(lasted another 3 years before moving on). i just happen to meet a marine who was aboard the indy when it sank.... alli had to do was ask about the indy hat he was wearing when he came in to get his car serviced.. talked to him for abotu 2 hrs(while on the clock lol) and he actually came back to autograph a book for me the next day since i sat and talked to him. all you have to do is be nice and generally thank them even if they dont think they deserve it.