Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

1st Lieutenant

Unit:

Company D, 1st Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division "Screaming Eagles", U.S. Army

1st LIEUTENANT RONALD C. SPEIRS, 0439 465, Parachute Infantry, while serving with the Army of the United States, distinguished himself by gallantry in action. On 10 October 1944, in the vicinity of Rendijk, Holland, he was assigned the mission of leading a patrol to the bank of the Neder Rijn River to determine enemy activity across the river. He reached the river bank with his patrol in the early hours of the morning and spent the entire day observing across the river. After dark he voluntarily swam across to the opposite bank alone where he found himself in unknown territory. He located an enemy machine gun nest, an enemy headquarters and other enemy activity near the town of Wageningen. He secured a rubber boat left by the enemy and returned to the friendly side of the river with this information. While returning to his own lines, he was wounded by fire from an enemy machine gun. Lieutenant Speirs was the first to cross the Neder Rijn River in this vicinity, and in so doing he paved the way for other patrols to make similar reconnaissances. The information proved of great value to his unit. His actions were in accordance with the highest standards of military service. He entered military service from Massachusetts.