Spotlight On: Fierce Valor: The True Story of Ronald Speirs and His Band of Brothers
Popa Banks and Upscale & Classy Pgh Presents: An Intimate Evening of Music
April 28, 2022Veteran’s Breakfast Club Happy Hour: D-Day Anniversary with Soldiers & Sailors Museum
June 3, 2022Spotlight On: Fierce Valor: The True Story of Ronald Speirs and His Band of Brothers
Thursday, June 9, 2022
Virtual Event – Join us on Facebook or YouTube
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? Join author Jared Frederick as he discusses his new book packed with groundbreaking research which unveils a compelling portrait of an officer defined by boldness on the battlefield and the inherent costs of war. Also featured will be Soldiers & Sailors Curator, Michael Kraus who will discuss artifacts from the museum’s collection related to paratroopers in WWII and more specifically D-Day.
Jared Frederick Bio:
Historian Jared Frederick is the author of numerous books, including Dispatches of D-Day and Hang Tough. He has appeared on PBS, C-SPAN, and Turner Classic Movies. A former park ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park, Frederick is the host of Reel History on YouTube and an instructor of history at Penn State Altoona. Visit jaredfrederick.com to learn more.
Michael Kraus Bio:
A well-known Civil War historian, Kraus currently works as Curator/Historian for Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum. His accomplishments include several historical consultant credits for major films, writing and narrating the documentary series Civil War Minutes and Civil War Life as well as authoring articles and books regarding the conflict. Michael also is an accomplished sculptor with an impressive resume of historically themed works in bronze.