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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
 Posted - 04/28/2007 : 22:22:38
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Ronald Speirs, an enigmatic paratroop officer made famous by Stephen Ambrose's book, Band of Brothers, died on the 11th of April. An undeniably brave and effective officer, Speirs also had a sinister reputation, but it is not at all clear whether it was a deserved reputation, or one that he cultivated for effect. Perhaps we'll never know for sure.
Matthew Settle played Ronald Speirs in HBO's
miniseries adaptation of Band of Brothers.
From Wiki's article on Speirs: Ronald Speirs was a legend to his fellow soldiers during World War II because of rumors that he had shot twenty to thirty German prisoners of war digging a hole on D-Day under guard. It is rumored that he gave the prisoners cigarettes, gave them a light, and then shot all but one of them. This rumor has sparked much debate among veterans, and fans of Band of Brothers and Stephen Ambrose's book debating such things as:
* Did it actually happen?
* Where did it happen?
* How many prisoners were killed?
* Was he ever called upon this by his superior officers?
Stories from Easy veterans suggest the shootings did take place, including Richard Winters stating that Speirs suggested the rumors were true but never gave any details. However, if the shooting of the prisoners actually took place, its exact location cannot be conclusively determined. Donald Malarkey claimed he heard a Tommy gun firing near the location of the prisoners on D-Day but did not actually see anything. Winters originally heard that the incident took place at Bastogne. Carwood Lipton claimed he heard it occurred in Carentan. Speirs never discussed the rumors publicly. |
[Edit: Spelling.]
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
Edited by - HalfMooner on 05/13/2007 16:39:02
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The scariest man in Easy Company dies
