May God rest his soul.
Find in Iraq solves mystery of Navy captain shot down in ’91
The remains of the first American shot down in the 1991 Persian Gulf War have been uncovered, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Sunday.
U.S. Navy Capt. Michael “Scott” Speicher was shot down in an F/A-18 Hornet on January 17, 1991, the first night of the war.
The announcement early Sunday of the discovery of Speicher’s remains ends more than 18 years of speculation about whether Speicher may have survived the crash and been held captive, or died in captivity in the ensuing years… Speicher’s family thanked the military in a statement Sunday, saying Speicher “was a brave and wonderful father, husband, and naval officer who responded without hesitation when his country needed him. … We thank the active duty men and women whose diligence has made this happen, and hope that this process has prevented another of our service men and women from being left behind.
“We will miss him, and will never forget. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.”
An Iraqi civilian told U.S. forces in Iraq in early July about the location of the crash that killed Speicher, according to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus. U.S. Marines in Anbar province went to the site and spoke to another Iraqi who told them he witnessed Bedouins burying Speicher’s remains in the desert after the crash, the statement said.
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Capt. Speicher’s story is one that is close to the hearts of all of us here in Jacksonville. He was stationed at Cecil Field NAS, which was later closed down under the Clinton administration. The plaque dedicated to Capt. Speicher remains there to this day.