Scott Speicher
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| Michael Scott Speicher | |
|---|---|
| July 12, 1957 | |
 official U.S. Navy photo, circa 1990 |
|
| Place of birth | Kansas City, Kansas |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Rank | O-6 CAPT |
| Unit | U.S. Navy. USS Saratoga |
| Battles/wars | Operation Desert Storm |
| Awards | Purple Heart |
Michael Scott Speicher (July 12, 1957–possibly January 17, 1991) was a U.S. Navy pilot whose F/A-18 Hornet fighter was reportedly shot down by an air-to-air missile fired from an Iraqi MiG-25 the first night of Operation Desert Storm on January 17, 1991; since then there has been no evidence of his death, nor any evidence that he is still alive. There is much controversy over the possibility that he might have survived and been taken prisoner by the Iraqis. A lieutenant commander when shot down, he has been promoted to captain in his absence.
At the end of the Gulf War, Speicher was listed as "killed in action". In January 2001, the Secretary of the Navy changed his status to "missing in action"; according to Scott Ritter, this was "the first time the Pentagon ever made such a reversal". His status was changed again, to "missing/captured", on October 11, 2002, one day after the United States Congress authorized the use of military force in Iraq.
His possible situation became a more high-profile issue in the build-up to war. In March 2002, the Washington Times ran five successive front-page articles about it and on September 12, 2002 U.S. President George W. Bush mentioned Speicher in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly as part of his case for war against Iraq.
As of 2007, despite U.S. military control of Iraq and a major investigation on the ground in there, Speicher's whereabouts have yet to be discovered. Though there has been a great deal of intelligence gathered, including Speicher's E & E (Escape and Evade) sign left on the desert floor near the crash site along with the discovery of a flight suit believed to be worn by Speicher at the time of his crash, Speicher himself is still missing. While many[attribution needed] believe he was abducted and killed, no proof has been found of his death.
[edit] Memorials and dedications
The Florida State University has named their tennis center after Speicher, an avid tennis player and FSU graduate.
In effort to honor Speicher, an American air base has been named after him in Tikrit, northern Iraq; FOB Speicher.
[edit] Reference
- Ritter, Scott. "Missing in Iraq." Harper's Magazine June 2004: pp 75-77.
[edit] External links
- "Initials may offer clue to missing Gulf War pilot" (CNN.com)
- Free Scott Speicher - website of the Friends Working to Free Scott Speicher group.
- POW Network - Bio on Scott Speicher, with information relating to his service.
- National Review Online - Cmdr. Robert E. Stumpf on Speicher
- National Alliance of Families For The Return of America's Missing Servicemen - website with links to news articles on Speicher. Currently outdated.
- INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT OF THE LIEUTENANT COMMANDER SPEICHER CASE - CIA Report on Speicher's case.
