User Panel
Posted: 8/2/2009 2:50:09 AM EDT
Just saw a breaking news that the remains of Capt. Scott Speicher have been identified. He was lost in the first Gulf war. IIRC, they believe he was ejected and was taken prisoner. Maybe there will be answers as to what really happened.
God bless you Capt. Speicher. RIP. |
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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. http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12862 |
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Speicher was a jacksonville native. I pass his family's house every day. |
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Hopefully the amazing story of how Captain Speicher's remains were found comes out someday. It's classified for now.
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RIP
And a tip of the hat to those guys who had the respect to bury him. |
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Glad the family can finally bring him home. He made the ultimate sacrifice for us. My God bless him and his family.
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There are a few questions that linger...in time I am sure.
I am glad an American who died for America gets to make it home. |
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I'm glad this mystery is solved. I'm also glad he wasn't captured as was thought for a long time.
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Finally his family gets some closure. I can't imagine what they have gone through for the past 18 and half years, thinking he might be alive in some Iranian prison somewhere.
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Bitter sweet. Glad he was finally found. The family can how have some closure.
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Awesome. Welcome home.
It's sounds like the Bedouins even treated his remains with respect. Again welcome home. |
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Quoted:
Bitter sweet. Glad he was finally found. The family can how have some closure. This is one of the few times that I agree with that word "closure." Fox is reporting that bedouins found his remains and buried him. They then moved on. I wish I knew more about that culture. |
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Quoted:
Hopefully the amazing story of how Captain Speicher's remains were found comes out someday. It's classified for now. Huh? It was in the second post? |
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So glad to hear he was finally found. Also good to know he wasn't taken prisoner and killed. RIP Pilot.
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Man I do remember this, I was 18 and had just made it through basic. Wish he had made it, but I am glad the family can finally put him to rest. It must be the hardest thing ever for a family to alwsys wonder what happened, if he was a POW/MIA, was he still alivw and being tortured.
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He's the first thing I thought of when we began GWII, glad to hear he's finally home.
May his family find peace.
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Sir, welcome home. May you now Rest in Peace.
And also, a very strong and emphatic "Thank you for a job well done" to all that have helped throughout the years with this case. |
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God rest your soul sir, and send His Holy Spirit to comfort your family.
A grateful nation says thank you for your sacrifice. |
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Quoted: Maybe there will be answers as to what really happened. Occam's Razor - He crashed, He died, He was buried.Pretty much exactly what Dick Cheney said that night. |
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