Re: Inside the Speicher Mystery

Date: February 22, 2004

"Inside the Speicher Mystery

By Charlene Shirk - First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- For the first time since Captain Scott Speicher disappeared into the desert night, we learn what it's like for his family and closest friend. Buddy Harris spoke exclusively with First Coast News, the first local station to be granted an interview in 13 years.

It is a story the First Coast has come to know well. A young handsome father goes to war for his country. "Spike" as Speicher was called by his fellow pilots was one of the first off the U.S.S. Saratoga the opening night of the war.

In the early morning hours of January 17, 1991, Speicher took off to drop bombs over Iraq. He would never make it back. Initial reports said his plane was hit by enemy fire and exploded in mid-air. Joanne Speicher was told her husband was the first casualty of the Gulf War.

In the years that followed there would be questions, rumors and denial about exactly what happened to Scott and whether the military made any efforts to find him. Buddy Harris was right in the middle of the Speicher tragedy.

During the years that followed the friendship he shared with Joanne Speicher would turn into something more serious. Both in mourning they found comfort in each others pain and memories. They would eventually marry.

Harris doesn't want that relationship to distract the media or military from continuing to focus on the search for Speicher. Harris even became a part of the internal investigation team formed to look into the increasing inquiries about Speicher's fate.

To this day Harris has a high security clearance which gives him access to confidential information. He travels weekly to Washington for briefings from a newly formed investigative team whose main goal is to coordinate with ground troops in Iraq dedicated to tracking down Speicher's whereabouts.

"The group that is in D.C. now was formed, and they are a bipartisan group and various factions of the military and the CIA is part of this organization, which was created purely because of the Scott Speicher situation. Because after Vietnam they said it could never happen again."

Some of what Harris learns in Washington is often difficult to share with Joanne and the kids.

As with the horror stories told by P.O.W.'s from Vietnam, some of what he learns he keeps to himself. He says when he comes home and he's quiet they've learned to give him some time and space. "Because it is an emotional roller coaster and much of it doesn't pan out and if I sat and went home and said everything that we got we would be basket cases."

What Harris can share with them is the government's new resolve to get to the bottom of what happened to Speicher. A commitment Harris says he's worked hard to secure. He says he can't focus on the years it took to finally get the investigation a high priority.

"If you sit back and dwell on the things that went wrong and the mistakes that were made, sure that will eat at you and tear you up so I don't even go there. We have to focus, I can't focus on both so we're focusing on our main goal and our main goal is Scott's repatriation."

I asked him about the latest on the search for Scott, and the family's reaction to the initials found in a Baghdad prison cell. Harris said they believed they were left by Scott and he added that wasn't the only sign of Scott investigators found. "We have a lot of other information that is definitive."

"We know he was in captivity, there's no doubt and a lot of it's classified and a lot of it isn't put out for a lot of reasons." Harris says because of that the family was not discouraged when no DNA could be connected between the prison cell and Speicher. "We knew it had been several years and we knew it had been painted several times so the possibility of a DNA match was very limited."

That's the kind of filter the family has to have in order to handle all the ups and downs of the last 13 years. Harris said they can't let anything excite them too much or disappoint them too much either. He says what they focus on is making sure that they do everything they can to get to the bottom of what happened. So if Scott comes home they can say they did everything in their power to find him.

The challenge for them privately as a family, is trying to be the driving force in this international investigation all while trying to live a normal life. He says so far they've been able to do that.

"My wife and my kids are better than I could have dreamed. They are absolutely wonderful and they trust me explicitly in taking care of this. They are behind me a 100-percent and they know that there is the sacrifice of my time I'm gone a whole lot. They fully understand. They back me, they support me. I'll just say I couldn't' ask for a better wife and kids. They are great."

Joanne has shied away from the camera because Buddy says, she doesn't want to be recognized in the grocery store or while taking the kids to soccer practice. She doesn't want to have to field questions from people she doesn't know. But that doesn't mean the family isn't tremendously grateful for the support they've received.

Harris mentions in particular the group "Friends Working to Free Scott Speicher" and Jacksonville attorney Cindy Laquidara. "We have Cindy Laquidara right here in Jacksonville, Florida who has dazzled all of them with her initiative and her vitality. Thank God she is on our side."

Finally, Harris says when and if Speicher comes home they will throw a huge welcome home party. Then they will deal with whatever comes next. What comes next Harris says is a private family matter.

Until then, the focus is and will be to find Scott, and with the word of the President, Harris is confident it's just a matter of time.

"I've been assured by President Bush whole heartedly that he will never give up. He will make sure this is resolved and he has given me his word and I'm going to hold him to that."

© 2004 First Coast News"