POW/MIA
Michael Scott Speicher (July 12, 1957 - –possibly January 17, 1991) was a U.S. Navy pilot whose F/A-18 Hornet fighter was reportedly shot down by an air-to-air missile fired from an Iraqi MiG-25 the first night of Operation Desert Storm on January 17, 1991; since then there has been no evidence of his death, nor any evidence that he is still alive. There is much controversy over the possibility that he might have survived and been taken prisoner by the Iraqis. A lieutenant commander when shot down, he has been promoted to captain in his absence.
At the end of the Gulf War, Speicher was listed as "killed in action". In January 2001, the Secretary of the Navy changed his status to "missing in action"; according to Scott Ritter, this was "the first time the Pentagon ever made such a reversal". His status was changed again, to "missing/captured", on October 11, 2002, one day after the United States Congress authorized the use of military force in Iraq.
His possible situation became a more high-profile issue in the build-up to war. In March 2002, the Washington Times ran five successive front-page articles about it and on September 12, 2002 U.S. President George W. Bush mentioned Speicher in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly as part of his case for war against Iraq.
As of 2007, despite U.S. military control of Iraq and a major investigation on the ground in there, Speicher's whereabouts have yet to be discovered. Though there has been a great deal of intelligence gathered, including Speicher's E & E (Escape and Evade) sign left on the desert floor near the crash site along with the discovery of a flight suit believed to be worn by Speicher at the time of his crash, Speicher himself is still missing. While many believe he was abducted and killed, no proof has been found of his death.
SSG. Matt Mapin's long deployment is finally over.
Keith Matthew "Matt" Maupin (13 July 1983–) is a United States Army PFC captured by Iraqi insurgents on April 9, 2004 while serving in the Iraqi War after his convoy came under attack by rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire near Baghdad, Iraq. On June 28, 2004, Al Jazeera reported that he was executed by his captors who shot him in the head. On June 30, 2004, an Army spokesman said the video showing Maupin's alleged death was "totally inconclusive
Maupin mobilized with the 724th Transportation Company based out of Bartonville, Illinois. Maupin and the 724th TC arrived in Kuwait on February 20, 2004 and on March 5 proceeded to LSA Anaconda, Iraq with the 7th Transportation Battalion, 172d Corps Support Group, 13th Corps Support Command, to begin missions delivering fuel to various coalition installations.
On April 9, 2004, Maupin's fuel convoy came under attack near the Baghdad International Airport. In what was described as a 5-mile long ambush, the 26-vehicle serial was pummeled by gunfire, mortar rounds and RPGs, disabling many of the civilian fuel tankers and Army vehicles. After the remnants of the convoy reached safe ground it was learned that around ten soldiers and civilian KBR contractors were wounded while one soldier and a civilian driver had been killed in the battle. PFC Maupin was among the nine people unaccounted for – seven civilians and two soldiers. One of the missing civilian drivers, Thomas Hamill, had been taken hostage during the ambush and escaped his captors on May 2, 2004. The bodies of five other civilians and the second soldier were subsequently recovered (all are thought to have been killed in the ambush); Civilian driver Timothy Bell remains missing and is presumed dead since he never appeared in a hostage video.
On April 16, 2004, Maupin appeared on a videotape broadcast by the Arabic-language TV network Al Jazeera. The tape, reportedly delivered to the U.S. Embassy in Doha, Qatar, raised hopes that Maupin was still alive. In the video, the soldier identified himself as "Private First Class Keith Matthew Maupin", a standard procedure followed by prisoners of war which protect their rights under the Third Geneva Convention.
On June 28, 2004, Al Jazeera reported that Maupin was executed by a group identifying itself as the Persistent Power Against the Enemies of God and the Prophet. The method of execution in the alleged report was a gunshot to the head. The U.S. Army has deemed the tape inconclusive because it is unclear whether the man was Maupin or if anyone was executed at all. The military continues to search for Maupin as his family and community holds out hope for his safe return.
The Clermont County community, friends of Maupin's family, and Clermont High School Crew raised funds and received donations to build a memorial pavilion in his honor at the finish line of the rowing race course on Harsha Lake beach, East Fork State Park, Bethel, Ohio.
Maupin has been promoted three times since he was declared missing in action, first from Private First Class to Specialist, then to Sergeant, then lastly, Staff Sergeant. As of Feburary 23, 2007, he and Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie are still missing.
American Legion Magazine ~ SSG Matt Maupin is Missing in Iraq
by Matt Grills
Remember POW Matt Maupin's sacrifice for our freedom. Do not forget our live
prisoners of war from our wars still left behind. Our POW/MIAs from all of
our wars need us to help bring them home.
Help others and it will make you a
better person. Thank you Matt for fighting for our freedom. Welcome home. Danny "Greasy" Belcher, Executive Director Task Force Omega of KY Inc. Vietnam Infantry Sgt. 68-69 "D" Troop 7th Sqdn. 1st Air Cav |
On Oct. 23, 2006, Spc. Ahmed K. Altaie, 41 was categorized as DUSTWUN (Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown) when individuals allegedly kidnapped him while he was visiting family in Baghdad, Iraq. He is a member of the Provincial Reconstruction Team, Baghdad. The Pentagon changed his status to missing-captured on December 11.
The Army's Warrior Ethos states, "I will never leave a fallen comrade." Soldiers in theater are following all leads to find him and bring him home safely.
Altaie is the second Soldier serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom to be listed as "Missing - Captured." At this time, Staff Sgt. Keith "Matt" Maupin of Batavia, Ohio, also remains missing. Our thoughts go out to their families during this most-difficult time and want them to know we are doing everything possible to account for their loved ones.
SSG. Alex Jimenez's long deployment is finally over.
U.S. Army Spc. Alex Jimenez, from Lawrence, Mass., of Delta Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment lifts weights near Youssifiyah, 12 miles (20 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq in this Feb. 5, 2007..
Spc. Jimenez has been identified by the Pentagon as among those whose whereabouts areunknown after a May 12, 2007 ambush in Iraq. The attack near Mahmoudiya, in a Sunni stronghold 20 miles south of Baghdad, left four U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi translator dead, and three other soldiers missing. The Pentagon has acknowledged that it believes the missing soldiers are in terrorist hands.
Their comrade, Pfc. Joseph Anzack, 20, from Torrance, Calif. was found floating in the Euphrates river Wednesday May 23, 2007.
Spc. Byron W. Fouty 's long deployment is finally over.
Pvt. Byron W. Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Mich., of Delta Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment is seen in Quarghuli village near Youssifiyah, 12 miles (20 kilometers) south of Baghdad, Iraq.
Pvt. Fouty has been identified by the Pentagon as among those whose whereabouts are unknown after a May 12, 2007 ambush in Iraq. The attack near Mahmoudiya, in a Sunni stronghold 20 miles south of Baghdad, left four U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi translator dead, and three other soldiers missing. The Pentagon has acknowledged that it believes the missing soldiers are in terrorist hands.
Their comrade, Pfc. Joseph Anzack, 20, from Torrance, Calif. was found floating in the Euphrates river Wednesday May 23, 2007.
Pfc. Bowe R. Bergdahl, 23, was serving with an Alaska-based infantry regiment earlier this month when he vanished, just five months after arriving in Afghanistan. He was serving at a base near the border with Pakistan in an area known to be a Taliban stronghold.
Bergdahl is from Hailey, a town of about 7,000 people in central Idaho where he worked as a barista and was active in ballet. A sign that hangs in the window of Zaney's River Street Coffee House says "Get Bowe Back," and a message inside asks customers to "Join all of us at Zaney's holding light for our friend."
AII POW-MIA Current Statistics ~ Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom as of August 2, 2009.
