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SPEICHER, MICHAEL SCOTT
REMAINS ID ANNOUNCED 08/02/009
MORE INFO |
In the book "No One Left Behind" written
by Amy Waters Yarsinske on page 280 and 281 are the following statements.
"On March 20,
2002, a special session of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence was
held, chaired by Senator Pat Roberts. Perhaps frustrated at the Pentagon's
beginning to circle the wagons and deny the leaking intelligence about the
Speicher case being reported in the press throughout the beginning of the
year, Roberts called in CIA Director George Tenet and DIA Director Vice
Admiral Tom Wilson to testify yet again on the Speicher case. Roberts was
making no bones about the situation. He wanted an answer for the record, and
would brook no ambiguity in the matter.
Directing his oratory at Tenet and Wilson, he pointedly asked the question
that was on everyone's lips: "Given all the information in your
possession, Is Scott Speicher alive today? Tell us all now," he demanded.
There
was silence. Tenet and Wilson paused. Roberts waited. "Yes, he is they
replied."
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From Salem-News.com APRIL 17, 2013
Watch the special program Saturday, April 20, noon EST;
repeat airing Sunday, April 21, 11 a.m. EST on cable
C-SPAN stations.
(NORFOLK, Va.) - C-SPAN will break story April 20 about
“An American in the Basement”, a investigation Into What
Happens to Americans Missing in Action and/or Prisoners
of War, Framed by the Real-life Story of Captain Scott
Speicher
Author Amy Water Yarsinke, a veteran author of more than
55 non-fiction books on American history, military and
current affairs. She is known as “the POW Hunter” due to
her experience in military intelligence.
An American in the Basement is an expose about the
betrayal of Captain Scott Speicher and the cover-up of
his death, according to the author. C-SPAN will explore
this detailed investigation for the first time, as
author Amy Yarsinke warns that this story is for every
parent, family member or enlisted person about the
promises made by the U.S. Forces to search, locate,
assist and recover all alive prisoners of war and
missing in action.
“The public has been shielded from the ugly truth of the
Speicher case and others like it,” said Ms. Yarsinke.
“This book bares the truth in a way that Washington has
actively tried to prevent.”
The story of navy Captain Michael Scott Speicher begins
when he became the first American service man shot down
in the 1991 Iraqi conflict. The book documents what
happened, from beginning to end, with new documentation
and eyewitness accounts that confirm Speicher was alive
and captured during that war, but “forgotten” and left
to behind to die. The book also examines in great detail
the war of words used by the armed services to define
those it will bring home, and those it will choose to
ignore.
National Alliance of Families Speicher Family Representative Speaks Out… Finally – In an interview with Jeannie Blaylock of First Coast News Buddy Harris, husband of Speicher’s widow Joanne, told the reporter he is bothered by that fact that “people believe Scott Speicher was killed the night he was shot down in Iraq.” Harris went on to discuss a 200 page forensic report, detailing the process used to identify remains recovered as Capt. Speicher. The following is excerpted from a First Coast News Chanel 25 report of January 17th, 2011. [Begin Excerpt] “….Harris met for a week with a 10-member forensics panel comprised of experts, he said, including "the leading DNA specialists" from civilian and military fields. The secretary of the Navy released the 200-page report, which is mostly classified. The report dates back to Nov. 12, 2009 but was basically "glossed over" by the media, said Harris. Harris said Speicher was shot down 50 miles from a chemical weapons plant in Iraq. The forensic panel had more DNA tests run on Speicher's flight suit, which was found mostly intact in 1995. Again the DNA tests showed "no blood," Harris said, indicating the pilot did survive the crash. It also shows new DNA testing on dental remains indicate Speicher could not have been killed Jan. 17, 1991, when he was shot down. The report does not pinpoint an exact day of death but uses the words, "homicide by undetermined means." Harris called the wording "interesting." More remains were found than the media has reported, including a skull, which has been almost fully reconstructed, Harris said. The forensic report also says "seven vertebrae" and "four rib fragments" were found. The time Speicher actually died is important, Harris said, because many have criticized the military for not searching for Speicher effectively or at all. He said he believes, in fact, Speicher was alive…. ….Knowing Speicher may have been alive for years is harder on the family, said Harris. At first, it was told Speicher was killed instantly and probably didn't even know what happened to him. If Speicher did survive for weeks or months or years, though, where was he? Harris said more credible sources from Iraq are coming forward now, and the "nut cases" - people who just wanted a free ride to America with fake information - have faded away. Now, Harris said, they're hearing that people saw Speicher, possibly in a series of underground houses or jails Saddam Hussein had underground in Tikrit. Harris said he has learned Hussein thrived on a feeling of "power" from having things no one else had, from people to antiques. He also believes Speicher might have been considered a pawn or a spy. As for mysterious sightings of the initials "MSS" in Iraq? Harris said the "MSS" was found on a prison wall and also on a beam at a former Iraqi Air Force training facility. The letters might indicate "Michael Scott Speicher," but there is still no proof of authenticity. However, Harris said he's never spoken in public about this, but he did find the initials "MSS" written once on Speicher's military paperwork before he went to Iraq. Speicher made a note that it should be saved because it might be important someday….” [End Excerpt] ################### Scott Speicher survived his crash. He did what he was trained to do. He put down his pilots escape and evade signal and waited for his country to come and get him. How long did he wait near the crash site? Did he wonder the desert, in search of Allied forces? When was he captured? How long did he survive? Was it days, weeks, months or years? Lastly, why did DPMO continually deny his survival? In a letter to the National Alliance of Families dated 19 July 1999, the following information was provided by DPMO; “The condition of the flight suit and life support equipment suggests the pilot was probably severely injured or dead when these items were removed.” Yet, in his interview Buddy Harris said the flight suit showed “no blood.” #################### For More on the Speicher Case visit http://www.nationalalliance.org/gulf/gulfdx.htm #################### |
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11/28/2009 Twists and turns snagged missing pilot case WASHINGTON — Saddam Hussein was telling the truth, this time. The United States just didn't believe him. So it took the most powerful military in the world 18 years to find the remains of the only U.S. Air Force pilot shot down in an aerial battle in the 1991 Gulf War. Michael Scott Speicher's bones lay 18 inches deep in Iraqi sand, more or less right where a group of Iraqis had led an American search team in 1995......
On the Net:
============================================= The article, published by the Associated Press, is
the Defense Intelligence Agency’s version of the Scott Speicher case.
Speicher was dead at the crash site. The first
two sentences, of the article, say it all. “Saddam
Hussein was telling the truth, this time. The |
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Speicher Hailed as Hero, Laid to Rest in Hometown Story Number: NNS090814-23 Release Date: 8/14/2009 6:36:00 PM By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Gay, Naval Public Affairs Support Element East, Detachment Southeast JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Thousands of people, both military and
civilians, showed their respects as the remains of the first casualty of
Desert Storm, Capt. Michael Scott Speicher, were brought to Naval Air
Station (NAS) Jacksonville after being found in Iraq after 18 years.
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Funeral Arrangement Finalized for Captain SpeicherFuneral arrangement have been finalized for Captain Scott Speicher, the local navy pilot who's body had been missing since the start of the first Iraq War, 18 years ago.
The public memorial for Captain Speicher will be held on Friday,
August 14th, from 9am - 9:45am at the Jacksonville Veteran's
Memorial Wall on East Adams Street. .....
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| I have received quite a few messages from people who would
like to return their Captain Michael Scott Speicher POW/MIA bracelets to
the family. I have heard from Captain Speicher's family today and they have asked that you send them as soon as possible.......they will be buried with Captain Speicher. I am sending two of my own, one for each of his children. To know that the bracelets that I have worn for seven years will be buried with Captain Speicher is a great honor to me! Please send them to the following address, and please do this as quickly as possible as we may only have seven days or so from today to get them to Jacksonville, FL. The address is: Bob Beuhn, Division Chief Military Affairs, Veterans and Disabled Services Recreation and Community Services Department City of Jacksonville City Hall, 117 West Duval Street, Suite 175 Jacksonville, FL 32202 If I get any other updates, I will send them out ASAP!! Please keep Captain Speicher's family in your prayers! |
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IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 590-09
August 07, 2009 Speicher Search Details Announced The Navy announced today additional details regarding the recent discovery of the remains of Navy Capt. Michael "Scott" Speicher in Iraq. Speicher was shot down flying a combat mission in an F/A-18 Hornet over west-central Iraq on Jan. 17, 1991, during Operation Desert Storm. Acting in part on information provided by an Iraqi citizen in early July, Multi National Force – West's (MNF-W) personnel recovery team went to a location in the desert which was believed to be the crash site of Speicher's jet. The Iraqi, a Bedouin, was 11 years old at the time of the crash and did not have direct knowledge of where Speicher was buried, but knew of other Bedouins who did. He willingly provided his information during general discussion with MNF-W personnel and stated he was unaware of the U.S. government's interest in this case until queried by U.S. investigators in July 2009. The Iraqi citizens led MNF-W's personnel recovery team to the area they believed Speicher was buried. The area where the remains were recovered was located approximately 100 kilometers west of Ramadi, in Anbar province. There were two sites that teams searched. One site was next to the downed aircraft that was discovered in 1993 and the other site was approximately two kilometers away. The second site was where Speicher's remains were recovered. The recovery personnel searched two sites from July 22-29. The personnel recovery team consisted of approximately 150 people, mostly Marines and other forces under MNF-W. The recovered remains include bones and multiple skeletal fragments. Based on visual examination of the remains and dental records at the site, a preliminary assessment was reached that the remains were that of Speicher. After searching the site another day, no further remains were recovered. On July 30, the remains were turned over from the recovery team to MNF-W mortuary affairs at Al Asad. The remains were then transported to Dover Port Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base, Del. They were examined by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology's (AFIP) Armed Forces medical examiner who positively identified them as those of Speicher on Aug. 1. Positive identification by AFIP was made by comparing Speicher's dental records with the jawbone recovered at the site. The teeth were a match, both visually and radiographically. AFIP's DNA Lab in Rockville, Md., confirmed the remains to be Speicher on Aug. 2 via DNA comparison tests of the remains by comparing them to DNA reference samples previously provided by family members. Photos are available at http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=2934 . |
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http://www.wpbf.com/news/20254129/detail.html?treets=wpb&tml=wpb_natlbreak&ts=T&tmi=wpb_natlbreak_1_06420108022009
Mystery Ends: Pilot's Remains Found In Iraq DesertCapt. Michael 'Scott' Speicher Shot Down Over Iraq Desert During Gulf War================================================================================= IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 571-09August 02, 2009 Remains Identified as Navy Captain Michael Scott Speicher The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) has positively identified remains recovered in Iraq as those of Captain Michael Scott Speicher. Captain Speicher was shot down flying a combat mission in an F/A-18 Hornet over west-central Iraq on January 17th, 1991 during Operation Desert Storm. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Captain Speicher's family for the ultimate sacrifice he made for his country," said Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy. "I am also extremely grateful to all those who have worked so tirelessly over the last 18 years to bring Captain Speicher home." "Our Navy will never give up looking for a shipmate, regardless of how long or how difficult that search may be," said Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations. "We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Captain Speicher and his family for the sacrifice they have made for our nation and the example of strength they have set for all of us." Acting on information provided by an Iraqi citizen in early July, US Marines stationed in Al Anbar Province went to a location in the desert which was believed to be the crash site of Captain Speicher's jet. The Iraqi citizen stated he knew of two Iraqi citizens who recalled an American jet impacting the desert and the remains of the pilot being buried in the desert. One of these Iraqi citizens stated that they were present when Captain Speicher was found dead at the crash site by Bedouins and his remains buried. The Iraqi citizens led US Marines to the site who searched the area. Remains were recovered over several days during the past week and flown to Dover Air Force Base for scientific identification by the AFIP's Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner. The recovered remains include bones and multiple skeletal fragments. Positive identification was made by comparing Captain Speicher's dental records with the jawbone recovered at the site. The teeth are a match, both visually and radiographically. While dental records have confirmed the remains to be those of Captain Speicher, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology DNA Lab in Rockville, Maryland is running DNA tests on the remains recovered in Iraq and comparing them to DNA reference samples previously provided by family members. Results will take approximately 24 hours. A high-resolution photo of Captain Speicher is available at http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=2934 |
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IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 156-09
March 10, 2009 Navy Changes Speicher Status To 'Missing-In-Action'
Secretary
of the Navy Donald Winter determined today that the status of Capt. Michael
Scott Speicher is changed from "Missing/Captured" to
"Missing-In-Action" (MIA).
This determination was made after a review of available information;
including the report and recommendation of a Status Review Board and
comments provided by the Speicher family, as well as a Defense Intelligence
Agency assessment.
Speicher
was the first casualty of Operation Desert Storm. His F/A-18 Hornet was
downed by hostile action on January 17, 1991, during the first manned air
strike of the war, and he was declared
"Killed-In-Action/Body-Not-Recovered" in May 1991.
His
status was changed in 2001 to MIA, and then to Missing/Captured in 2002
based on sighting reports in Iraq. Those sightings have since been
discredited.
In
October 2008, the intelligence community concluded that Speicher is
deceased, though his remains are unlocated. Based on that assessment,
the Secretary of the Navy convened a Status Review Board to consider whether
Speicher's status should remain Missing/Captured or should be changed.
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Other Personnel in Incident: (none missing) 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 P.O.W. NETWORK. REMARKS: OPERATION DESERT STORM SYNOPSIS: Scott Speicher was raised in Kansas City. When he was in high school, the Speicher family moved to Jacksonville, Florida. Scott continued his education at Florida State University, receiving a degree in accounting and management. Speicher went on to join the U.S. Navy and receive flight training. During the Mid-East Crisis, Speicher was one of 2,500 airmen assigned to the USS SARATOGA in the Red Sea. Speicher was part of a fighter squadron and flew the F18 "Hornet" fighter/bomber. On January 18, 1991, Speicher's aircraft was hit by an Iraqi SAM (surface-to-air missile) and crashed during the first Coalition offensive of the war dubbed "Operation Desert Storm." Initial reports by Defense Secretary Dick Cheney stated that Speicher had been killed. One military source said reports indicated the aircraft had "exploded to bits" in the sky, apparently having suffered a direct SAM hit. Iraqi officials soon announced the capture of American pilots. It was originally believed the chances of Speicher's ejection were slim, but the books were not closed on Speicher. He was the first American to be listed Missing in Action. Most recent media reports indicate that he was probably "confirmed killed." Although Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney has said Speicher was killed, he is still officially listed missing in action. The Methodist church in Florida where Scott Speicher has been a Sunday School teacher has held prayer and candlelight vigils for his safety. They have not given up hope that he is still alive. In the first days of March, 1991, 21 American POWs were released by the Iraqis. Scott Speicher has not yet been released. Those who recall the abandonment of American POWs in World War II, Korea and Vietnam are watching carefully, determined that men like Speicher will be returned alive, or fully accounted for, before American troops leave the Middle East when hostilities cease. Scott Speicher and his wife Joanne have two children, a daughter, age 3, and a son, age 1. All live in Jacksonville, Florida. Speicher's father, Wallace Speicher, was a Navy pilot in World War II. As of July 2005, Michael Speicher is still unaccounted for. Although the USG has excavated what they believe to have been the plane's crash site, no remains were found. The USG also stated, prior to the excavation, that all men were accounted for. ================================== Navy Board Suggests New Speicher SearchAssociated Press July 8, 2005 WASHINGTON - A new Navy review of efforts to determine the fate of missing pilot Capt. Michael Scott Speicher is recommending that the U.S. government undertake an intensified search in Iraq and that his status be affirmed as "missing-captured," Sen. Bill Nelson wrote in a letter to the Navy's top civilian. "I urge you to accept the board's recommendation regarding Capt. Speicher's status. I also encourage you to work to implement the board's recommendation regarding an intensified search effort," the Florida Democrat wrote to Navy Secretary Gordon England, who also is the acting deputy defense secretary..... ============================= Navy: Iraqis know missing pilot's whereaboutsWASHINGTON (AP) -- A Navy pilot shot down over Iraq in January 1991 may have been captured by Iraqi forces, and members of the former Iraqi government "know the whereabouts" of the officer, the Navy has concluded. A Navy board of inquiry concluded that there is no credible evidence that Capt. Michael "Scott" Speicher is dead, and it reaffirmed his official status as "missing/captured," according to the board's final report. The board also recommended that the Pentagon work with the State Department, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and the Iraqi government to "increase the level of attention and effort inside Iraq" to resolve the question of Speicher's fate..... Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ====================================== November 23, 2005
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- There are at least eight avenues to explore in
the stepped-up search for information for missing Gulf War Navy pilot Scott
Speicher, Sen. Bill Nelson said Tuesday.
Speicher, a former resident of Jacksonville suburb Orange Park, has been missing since January 1991, when his FA-18 Hornet was shot down on the first night of the Gulf War. Speicher may have ejected and may have been captured by Iraqi forces. His status is currently listed as "missing in action/captured" by the Navy...... http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=47870
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UPDATE - OCTOBER 16, 2008 http://www.military.com/news/article/navy-to-review-speicher-status.html?col=1186032310810&wh=wh ===================================== |
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Navy to consider closing case of missing pilot
Featured Topics:
WASHINGTON � The family of a Navy pilot missing since his plane wwas shot down during the first Gulf war isn't ready to give up hope that he is alive and say they will oppose any decision to declare him killed in action. The Navy has scheduled a review board hearing for Monday on the status of Capt. Michael "Scott" Speicher, who has been missing since January 1991, when his FA-18 Hornet was shot down in Iraq on the first night of the Persian Gulf War........ |
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Continue
Speicher Probe, Panel Says
January
09, 2009 |
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News is in CHRONOLOGICAL order - Updates at the bottom |
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