Johnny Micheal Spann

Johnny Micheal "Mike" Spann
Johnny Micheal Spann
Born	March 1, 1969(1969-03-01) Winfield, Alabama
Died	November 25, 2001(2001-11-25) (aged 32) Qala-i-Jangi, Afghanistan
Buried at	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps Central Intelligence Agency
Years of service	1991-2001
Rank	Captain
Unit	Special Activities Division
Battles/wars	Battle of Qala-i-Jangi
Awards	Intelligence Star Exceptional Service Medallion

Johnny Micheal "Mike" Spann (March 1, 1969 – November 25, 2001) was a paramilitary operations officer in the Central Intelligence Agency's Special Activities Division. Spann was the first American killed in combat during the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

Early life

Johnny Micheal Spann was originally from the small town of Winfield, Alabama, the son of a real estate agent. Spann had a strong religious upbringing and graduated in 1987 from Winfield City High School, where he played football. At 17, he earned his Private Pilot License and later became a certified rescue diver and parachutist.

Military service

In December 1991, while attending Auburn University, he joined the Marine Corps Reserve. After graduating from Auburn with a bachelor of science in criminal justice/law enforcement in 1992, Spann attended the Marines' Officer Candidate School at Quantico, Virginia. He had originally wanted to go into aviation, but instead became a field artillery officer and eventually served with the elite 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company^[1], specializing in how to direct indirect fire and close air support. In 1997, Spann served as second-in-command for a joint exercise expedition in Latin America and Africa called "UNITAS."^[2] He served six years with the United States Marine Corps, including tours in Okinawa, Japan and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, eventually achieving the rank of Captain. Spann joined the CIA in June 1999 and went on to serve in the Special Operations Group of the CIA's Special Activities Division.^{[citation needed]}

Death at Qala-i-Jangi

Main article: Battle of Qala-i-Jangi

Spann was killed during a riot at the Qala-i-Jangi compound near Mazari Sharif in northern Afghanistan according to CNN reporter Robert Young Pelton.^[3] Earlier that day, he and another SAD officer questioned John Walker Lindh.

Officials recovered his body after Afghan Northern Alliance troops backed by U.S. air strikes, US Army Special Forces and British Special Forces crushed the uprising.

Some sources state that he fought with his AK-47 until it ran out of ammunition, then drew his pistol until it, too, emptied, then resorted to hand to hand combat before finally being overcome.^[4] However, in a news report released shortly after the events reports it is stated that Spann fought only with his pistol, killing three attackers before being overwhelmed by weight of numbers. It was actually his companion, "Dave", who opened fire with the AK-47. Time Magazine reported shortly after the events:

According to members of a German television crew who were later trapped in the fort with Dave, Spann asked the prisoners who they were and why they joined the Taliban. They massed around him. 'Why are you here?' Spann asked one. 'To kill you,' came the reply as the man lunged at Spann's neck. Spann drew his pistol and shot the man dead. Dave shot another, then grabbed an AK-47 from an Alliance guard and opened fire. According to eyewitness accounts given to the German team, the Taliban fighters launched themselves at Spann, scrabbling at his flesh with their hands, kicking and beating him. Spann killed two more with his pistol before he disappeared under the crush.^[5]

Memorial

Spann's headstone in Arlington National Cemetery.

Spann is memorialized with a star on the CIA Memorial Wall at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia that commemorates individuals who died in the line of duty. Spann was posthumously awarded the Intelligence Star and the Exceptional Service Medallion.^[6]

Because the Intelligence Star is considered the equivalent of the U.S. military's Silver Star, Spann was approved for burial in Arlington National Cemetery.^[7] Spann is buried in section 34 at Arlington National Cemetery.

A small memorial to Mike Spann exists at Qala-i-Jangi Fortress outside of Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan and a forward operating base is named in his honor.^[8]

Family

Spann was survived by his wife Shannon, also a CIA employee, and three children. His ex-wife Kathryn Ann Webb, mother of two of his children, died of cancer five weeks after Spann's death.^{[citation needed]}

Memorial at Qala-i-Jangi Fortress

See also

	Biography portal
	United States Marine Corps portal

• Operation Enduring Freedom
• Battle of Qala-i-Jangi

References

1. ^ Getting Away with Murder: The Real Story Behind American Taliban John Walker Lindh and What the U.S. Government Had to Hide, Richard D. Mahoney, Arcade Publishing, 2004, page 118
2. ^ Getting Away with Murder: The Real Story Behind American Taliban John Walker Lindh and What the U.S. Government Had to Hide, Richard D. Mahoney, Arcade Publishing, 2004, page 119
3. ^ Robert Young Pelton. "The Truth about John Walker Lindh". Honor Mike Spann. http://www.honormikespann.org/pdfs/pelton_feb2006.pdf. Retrieved May 30, 2007. 
4. ^ "Johnny Micheal Spann, Captain, United States Marine Corps, Central Intelligence Agency Officer". Arlington National Cemetery Website. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jmspann.htm. 
5. ^ Perry, Alex (2001-12-01). "Inside the Battle at Qala-I-Jangi". Time Magazine. http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,186592-1,00.html. Retrieved 2010-05-07. 
6. ^ "CIA Honors Slain Agency Officers at Annual Ceremony". Press Release. Director of Central Intelligence, CIA. Archived from the original on 2006-05-13. http://web.archive.org/web/*//www.cia.gov/cia/public_affairs/press_release/2002/pr05312002.html. 
7. ^ Bush At War, Bob Woodward, Simon and Schuester, 2002, page 317
8. ^ "Recently, I was fortunate...". 3 April 2007. http://kudrav.blogspot.com/2007/04/recently-i-was-fortunate.html. 

• H.Con.Res. 281: Honoring Johnny Micheal Spann. United States House of Representatives. December 11, 2001.

External links

• Honor Mike Spann - Web site about him, but also deals with John Walker Lindh's activities in Afghanistan, maintained by his family.
• House Concurrent Resolution 281, provided by the Federation of American Scientists - U.S. legislation which honored the memory of Spann.
• Remarks by Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet at funeral of Johnny Micheal Spann - Note: "Micheal" is spelled correctly.
• Got To Decide if He Wants to Live or Die Here' - The interrogation of John Walker Lindh by Spann, shortly before the uprising that took his life.

Persondata
Name	Spann, Johnny Micheal
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	March 1, 1969
Place of birth	Winfield, Alabama
Date of death	November 25, 2001
Place of death	Qala-i-Jangi, Afghanistan