RICE, KEVIN

Name: Kevin Rice
Rank/Branch: O2/US Army
Unit: 9th Engineer Battalion, 7th Army Corps
Age: 27
Home City:
Date of Loss: 06 March 1991
Country of Loss:
Loss Coordinates:
Status: Unknown
Status in 2002: Released POW
Acft/Vehicle/Ground:

Other Personnel in Incident: unknown

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project  09 March 1991 from one
or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources,
published sources, interviews. Updated by the POW NETWORK 2002.

REMARKS: OPERATION DESERT STORM

SYNOPSIS: During the weeks of the Persian Gulf War, several dozen American and
Coalition military personnel were captured by the Iraqis or declared Missing in
Action. Information was scarce and hard to find relating to these individuals.
In most cases, those who were missing were at least identified by name, age and
branch of service.

In early March, 21 Americans were released by the Iraqis. Nine of these were
acknowledged to be POWs by the U.S. Government prior to their release. At least
one had been declared Killed in Action. Two were reported missing in non-hostile
environments. Some were a complete surprise to everyone, including the U.S.
Government.

Two of these surprises came from the same unit - the 9th Engineer Battalion, 7th
Army Corps, based in Germany. Pvt. Lem Jeffries and 1Lt. Kevin Rice, both of the
9th Engineer Battalion, were released on March 6, 1991 with 40 international
journalists. According to media sources, the two were released after Iraq had
stated all military POWs had been released.

According to the Army, the Engineer Battalions were widely spread across the
desert and it was not uncommon for individuals to become temporarily "misplaced"
- believed by one unit to be with the other. This, apparently was the case with
Jeffries and Rise.

In spite of their brief captivity, Rice and Jeffries are now listed among those
captured by the Iraqis during the Persian Gulf War.

Some observers wonder how many others have been "misplaced."