Hotmike
12 January 2001, 20:04
Well my Brothers, they finally did it! They upgraded the status of LTCMDR Speicher to MIA versus the KIA as previously listed... I recieved a notification from LTC Mike Marra (AF type) who spearheaded a letter writing campaign last spring to get this issue some attention...
Last night, Lt Cmdr Speicher's status changed from KIA to MIA! This is almost unheard of in modern times. There is hope for this man! Let's not ever forget we left one behind in Iraq. If any of you can keep writing to keep the pressure on, I am sure he would appreciate it. Can you imagine being in a cell somewhere in Iraq for the last 10 years? 17 Jan is coming up soon, the 10 year anniversary of Desert Storm and one of our own is still there. Defectors have stated they have seen him alive! this is no hoax or the DoD would not have changed his status, which is a big deal.
Have we left behind a fellow military aviator in Iraq after the Gulf War?
Maybe so. Lt Cmdr Michael Scott Speicher was shot down on the opening night of the Gulf War. He was listed as KIA but new evidence suggests he survived the shoot down and perhaps may still be alive. (Please read these two attachments.)
Consider these facts:
-the wreckage was found with no ejection seat in it
-the body was never recovered
--when the US asked for remains, Iraq sent flesh of another person -- one where the DNA did not match
-A rescue mission was never launched
--the rescue protocol was "no radio call - no rescue" BUT......Speicher got a new radio that day, one that did not fit in his vest because it was too big - it may have been lost on the ejection -- in fact, his life support troop identified this to the skipper after the shoot down but nothing was done about it -- to this day the NCO who worked life support for the Sq. states with certainty the radio would have been lost immediately and that Speicher was down there on his own
-the flight suit was found within a mile of the wreckage along with the seat and canopy -- no body and no sign of blood or trauma to the body
-defectors from Iraq claimed to have seen a tall American being transported from the area
--When shown the Sq. yearbook, the defector was able to identify Speicher immediately and passed three lie detector tests
-When Spec Ops folks wanted to go back in and investigate the area in '94 when some of this came to light, Aspin and Shali did not approve the mission even though it was deemed to be one of low risk -- this was around the Somalia fiasco
-Iraq has been known to keep POWs for more than 30 years (Iranians)
Folks, I am not a conspiracy theorist but this is a clear case of someone not closing the loop on a downed American. Speicher's kids have already "buried" their father at Arlington in an empty tomb and his wife has remarried, but is the case really closed? I urge you to find out more about this and write, not just e-mail, your Congressman and Senator. A simple one page HAND WRITTEN letter has the most impact. Simply state you are a voter in his/her district and would like them to investigate and get back with you.
We are the only ones who can start to do something about this. I am writing to you all because you all either have served or are serving and know what it is like to be "out there" where he was on Jan 17th, 1991. He went out that night with the full faith that someone would come get him if he were to go down. It is very possible this man is still alive and in captivity - there is much Iraq would like us to do for them and they know that just one POW could provide the leverage they would need for a key decision in their favor. This is not a crackpot idea. Two U.S. Senators have written the President to act on this, but until enough of us demand action, nothing will be done. (Remember, it was the wives of many of our POWs in Nam that brought it to the attention of the media.) A Viet Nam veteran once told me "... that if we failed to account for all our lost soldiers, sailors and airmen, then we as a nation would be lost." There is truth to this. For the sake of this man who may still be in captivity for all these years, take the 20 minutes to write the letters. Forward this to all your friends in the military or your retiree friends - we owe it to Speicher
Guys, Please take a little time out of your busy lives to do something about this... I handwrote 22 letters last spring (I only recieved 7 replies, but it was "something") I greatly appreciate your assistance and time in getting this issue on the table in Congress and the Senate
Thanx,
Hotmike
------------------
Diplomacy is the Art of saying "Nice Doggie" till you find a huge rock to crush his skull with...
Last night, Lt Cmdr Speicher's status changed from KIA to MIA! This is almost unheard of in modern times. There is hope for this man! Let's not ever forget we left one behind in Iraq. If any of you can keep writing to keep the pressure on, I am sure he would appreciate it. Can you imagine being in a cell somewhere in Iraq for the last 10 years? 17 Jan is coming up soon, the 10 year anniversary of Desert Storm and one of our own is still there. Defectors have stated they have seen him alive! this is no hoax or the DoD would not have changed his status, which is a big deal.
Have we left behind a fellow military aviator in Iraq after the Gulf War?
Maybe so. Lt Cmdr Michael Scott Speicher was shot down on the opening night of the Gulf War. He was listed as KIA but new evidence suggests he survived the shoot down and perhaps may still be alive. (Please read these two attachments.)
Consider these facts:
-the wreckage was found with no ejection seat in it
-the body was never recovered
--when the US asked for remains, Iraq sent flesh of another person -- one where the DNA did not match
-A rescue mission was never launched
--the rescue protocol was "no radio call - no rescue" BUT......Speicher got a new radio that day, one that did not fit in his vest because it was too big - it may have been lost on the ejection -- in fact, his life support troop identified this to the skipper after the shoot down but nothing was done about it -- to this day the NCO who worked life support for the Sq. states with certainty the radio would have been lost immediately and that Speicher was down there on his own
-the flight suit was found within a mile of the wreckage along with the seat and canopy -- no body and no sign of blood or trauma to the body
-defectors from Iraq claimed to have seen a tall American being transported from the area
--When shown the Sq. yearbook, the defector was able to identify Speicher immediately and passed three lie detector tests
-When Spec Ops folks wanted to go back in and investigate the area in '94 when some of this came to light, Aspin and Shali did not approve the mission even though it was deemed to be one of low risk -- this was around the Somalia fiasco
-Iraq has been known to keep POWs for more than 30 years (Iranians)
Folks, I am not a conspiracy theorist but this is a clear case of someone not closing the loop on a downed American. Speicher's kids have already "buried" their father at Arlington in an empty tomb and his wife has remarried, but is the case really closed? I urge you to find out more about this and write, not just e-mail, your Congressman and Senator. A simple one page HAND WRITTEN letter has the most impact. Simply state you are a voter in his/her district and would like them to investigate and get back with you.
We are the only ones who can start to do something about this. I am writing to you all because you all either have served or are serving and know what it is like to be "out there" where he was on Jan 17th, 1991. He went out that night with the full faith that someone would come get him if he were to go down. It is very possible this man is still alive and in captivity - there is much Iraq would like us to do for them and they know that just one POW could provide the leverage they would need for a key decision in their favor. This is not a crackpot idea. Two U.S. Senators have written the President to act on this, but until enough of us demand action, nothing will be done. (Remember, it was the wives of many of our POWs in Nam that brought it to the attention of the media.) A Viet Nam veteran once told me "... that if we failed to account for all our lost soldiers, sailors and airmen, then we as a nation would be lost." There is truth to this. For the sake of this man who may still be in captivity for all these years, take the 20 minutes to write the letters. Forward this to all your friends in the military or your retiree friends - we owe it to Speicher
Guys, Please take a little time out of your busy lives to do something about this... I handwrote 22 letters last spring (I only recieved 7 replies, but it was "something") I greatly appreciate your assistance and time in getting this issue on the table in Congress and the Senate
Thanx,
Hotmike
------------------
Diplomacy is the Art of saying "Nice Doggie" till you find a huge rock to crush his skull with...