Navy to Review Speicher Status

WASHINGTON -- The Navy is preparing for a new review of the status of Capt. Scott Speicher, the former Virginia Beach-based fighter pilot who has been missing and for years was presumed dead after his F/A-18 Hornet was downed on the first night of the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

He was the first American lost in that conflict. His remains were never located, however, and there have been repeated reports that he was seen alive after the crash.

Navy spokesmen confirmed Wednesday that the service will convene a three-member "Status Review Board," probably in December, to consider a new intelligence report on Speicher, who now is listed as missing/captured.

Navy Secretary Donald Winter ordered the review after receiving the classified report.

Hours after his plane was downed, the Pentagon listed Speicher as killed in action. A U.S. team located the wreckage of Speicher's plane and recovered a flight suit in the Iraqi desert in 1995.

The Navy changed Speicher's status to missing in January 2001. Investigators concluded that he likely ejected from his plane as it went down and that he either was captured alive or his remains were recovered and taken by Iraqi troops.

The Navy would not discuss the new report on the case.