Navy pilot Scott Michael Speicher's remains were just found after 18 years. He was a casualty of the 1991 Gulf War after his F/A 18 Hornet was shot down what at first was thought to be a ground to air missile and then later confirmed to be a MIG aircraft. On the day of the mission, Jan 17, 1991 he was declared as killed in action/body not recovered. In 2001 he is listed by the pentagon as missing in action and then to missing/captured in 2002. In 2008 the intelligence community declared that he was deceased with remains not located.
The president has now once again insured us that "As with all service men and women considered missing in action, we remain steadfast in our determination to bring our American hero's home."
I thought that this was already our policy. It saddens me to think that it now appears that this brave Navy pilot was in fact alive after he ejected. It is horrifying to think of his desperation in that desert. I am highly disappointed that we did not spend as much effort in the first place to find him. It is deplorable. If we had, perhaps the outcome of the story would be different. A search team was never sent in to find the LIVING Captain Speicher, only the deceased.
Captain Speicher "volunteered" for this mission and it cost him his life. As Former President Bush said in 1991, "History will finally record - that he was one of the very first patriots to give his life in the liberation of Kuwait."
I couldn't agree more. It may be a day late and a dollar short but I salute Captain Scott Michael Speicher with a heart of gratitude to he and his family.
May he rest in peace!
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