Ronald Shackley Speirs, the decorated World War II veteran who participated in some of the most renowned battles of the war, died on April 11, 2007, in his 86th year. Born in 1921 in Los Angeles, California, Speirs was a member of the United States Army from 1939 to 1945, initially joining as a private hoping to get into flight training. Remarkably, he was eventually accepted into the Officer Candidate School in 1942, graduating as a second lieutenant. During his time in the military, Speirs commanded Easy Co. of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, and participated in some of the most important battles of World War II, including D-Day, Operation Market Garden, and the Battle of the Bulge. His heroic efforts in battle earned him a multitude of awards, including the Bronze Star Medal with oak-leaf cluster, the Soldier's Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and a large number of service awards. After the war, Speirs went on to have a long and successful career in business, and was widely respected by all who knew him. Speirs is survived by his third wife, Phyllis Jean Thomson; four daughters, Susanne, Dawn, Melinda, and Melissa, three sons, Ronald Jr., Michael, and Mark; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on April 15, 2007, at All Faiths Church in Los Angeles. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Fisher House Foundation, to be used for the care of veterans and their families.