Johnny Spann: 'If we had moved on Osama bin Laden in 1992, the War on Terror might never have taken place.'

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / November 22, 2011

THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF 

AMERICAN HERO MIKE SPANN IS NOVEMBER 25, 2011.

Johnny Spann has spilled a lot of information and emotion as he talked with me on his cell phone from his home in Alabama. Our conversations took place in October and early November of this year. 

I am deeply grateful to this soft-spoken and genteel grandfather for sharing his innermost thoughts on the death of his son Mike in 2001 in Afghanistan -- what happened and what might have happened. How decisive action in Washington as far back as 1992 could have changed the course of American history, heading off the costly, bitter and prolonged War on Terror.

We have covered a lot of ground, but there is more to say. Johnny picks up the conversation:

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I remember Mike everyday and we commemorate his death everyday, and more importantly, his life. His two daughters of course live here. I don’t want them to ever forget their father, and I know they won’t. 

Emily was only four years old when Mike died. Alison was old enough that she remembers her dad really well. We’re not going to have any kind of special memorial anywhere. The tenth year doesn’t mean anything more to me than the first year. 

Will you bottom line this for me? What I’m seeing is your feeling that if there had been any courage in Washington, and if we had gone after bin Laden in 1992 and stood up for America, your son might be alive today.

Yes, not only Mike but many others. But I don’t want to come off as radical. In ten years of thinking about this, I'm reminded of  the old saying – fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. History keeps repeating itself, and what are we letting ourselves in for now? 

We’re pulling out of Iraq and we may not have a choice, but from where I’m sitting it seems like there should be more choices. I’m afraid we’re going to be doing the same thing in Afghanistan. And we’re going to leave and it’s going to be just like it was when the Soviets pulled out of there.We’re so vulnerable to the actions of all these radicals and the Taliban. It will just be done again. 

I am really proud of the fact that we were finally able to find bin Laden, but in my own mind I can’t see Obama getting all the credit for that. In the first interview, I was impressed that when the time and opportunity were right to take out bin Laden, the president didn’t say no. 

But as far as leading up to that point, I think all the things the Bush administration had put into effect through the years were very important in finally cornering and killing bin Laden. In any case, I’m still proud we got him, but the thing is, if we had gotten him in 1992 we could probably have abolished Al-Queda very easily..

 I have another question – are you not a Christian?

 

Yes I am. 

I know you are. I can hear it in your comments and thoughts. Has that faith sustained you through this long, terrible ordeal?

Well I think so. I’m not going to try to say that it’s just my faith in God. But I want to tell you one more quick story, and I don’t want to bore you.

Believe me that won’t happen.

Right after Mike died, people come up to you and say I’m really sorry, you know, you’ve just got realize it’s God’s will, it’s part of God’s plan, and you’ve just got to accept it. And that was just like taking a knife and sticking it right in my heart.
 

There was one particular lady -- she came by she said just to say hi. She sat down in my office and was talking about her faith in God, and her family’s faith in God, and that she was in God’s favor and her family was in God’s favor, and that God protected her and her family.  

I let her go on, and she talked about how she prayed every day and she let God take care of them and He did, and all. But I said, are you telling me that because I wasn’t a good enough person or Mike wasn’t a good enough Christian, that I didn’t pray hard enough or Mike didn’t pray hard enough? Then you are saying Mike was such a bad person that God just let him die?

She said well, I’m just telling you that God can move mountains if he wants to. 

I said yeah, okay, I believe that. And then she went through this thing about being in God’s favor, and I said, well I’ll tell you what – I think sin came into the world back in the Garden of Eden. Up until that time there wasn’t going to be any crime and there wasn’t going to be any death, and there wasn’t going to be anything but happiness. But we were given a choice, and man sinned. And when he sinned, a whole different set of rules came into play. 

And I said I don’t believe that God made those people kill Mike. I don’t believe that no matter how much we could have prayed, that Mike would have come out of that situation alive. Because you had 600 prisoners there and they all attacked one man. And I don’t believe there was a way that he could have survived, no matter how much we prayed, and how good he was. 

I told the church congregation I think Mike was over there doing something that had to be done. But I don’t think it was in God’s plan that He said I am going to send Mike Spann there and he’s going to get killed. I said I just can’t believe that because if I do I’ll be mad at God. 

Mike left three little kids – a six-month-old boy who will never remember his father holding him in his arms, and a four-year-old daughter who it’s doubtful will remember him, and a nine-year-old who cried her eyes out when I told her that her daddy was dead. I just can’t believe that. 

I said let’s walk out in front of my office, and we’re going to stand there, and when the first eighteen-wheeler comes down the road I want you to step out in front of it, and I want you to pray, as a matter of fact we’ll pray together that that truck won’t kill you. 

Well I can’t do that.

I said then you need to back up on what you’re saying. Then I got invited to a nice little prayer breakfast in Cullman Alabama, and it was preachers and Christians and all denominations held at one of the big auditoriums there. I guess there were three or four hundred people there. And I thought about it as I was driving over and wondered well what am I going to say? I thought they were going me to talk about just what you asked me here – did I think my faith in God is what got me through this, but I’d been told that so many times, this was God’s plan and this was God’s will, and I just need to accept it.

So when I got there, and got to the podium, I told them I realize everyone has a right to their own opinion, and I have something I really want to talk to you about, and I want you to think about it. I said that if you’re guilty of saying this kind of thing, you might want to change your ways and the way you say it. 

The first thing I want to tell you is when you walk up to somebody like me that’s just lost their son, whether it be in war, or in a car accident, or whatever, the most fitting thing you can say to them is I’m so sorry for your loss. I wish I could change it, but I’m so sorry for your loss. 

God’s will in the Garden of Eden was nobody would die and nobody would be hurt and there would be no pain. But man made the decision himself to break God’s rule and sin and brought sin into the world. You can say He allowed this to happen, but no matter how much we had prayed, I don’t believe we could have brought Mike out of that situation alive. 

After the service, there were some who didn’t come by to shake my hand, but there were numbers of people that stood in line to shake my hand and tell me that they’d never thought about that, and that they realized what I was saying and where I was coming from.

All of them might have believed they were saying something good. But the truth is, what they were saying was just cutting me to the bone. They seemed to be suggesting that Mike just wasn’t a good enough person. He had just sinned too much or something. 

On this tenth anniversary I just want people to look back at all those who have given their lives – not only Mike, but so many more. These guys just keep going back and giving of themselves. At some point they’re going to give out, but we can learn from the experiences we’ve had. I believe that if we go back to 1992 to 2000, and how we handled our foreign affairs, and misused our money, and the things that we cut, was very poor judgement.

When Mike called me and told me he was going to go with the CIA, that night we had a long conversation, and one of the things he said to me was, Dad, the American people are going to be paying for the things that have gone on in this Clinton administration for many years to come. 

Mike was aware, and a thinking person, and that was his take on the follow-up to cutting back our military, (early 1999). Even with all he did putting himself in harm’s way, he seemed to feel that he wasn’t doing enough. But all of us – each one of us – needs to give and contribute to our country. I’m too old to go and fight, but any influence I can have by passing on these things that have happened, I think I need to say it.

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VS: Mike Spann was an extraordinary American. And I say that his father, Johnny Spann, belongs in the same elite company too. Both have sacrificed so much. May we be forever grateful. God bless these two heroes, and their families. Each and every one.

Email. Johnnyspann@hotmailcom.

ACCOUNTS OF MIKE SPANN'S BRAVERY UNDER SEIGE 'EMOTIONALLY WRENCHING' FOR HIS FAMILY.

Johnny Micheal "Mike" Spann was a paramilitary operations officer in the Central Intelligence Agency's Special Activities Division. He was the first American killed in combat during the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. The tenth anniversary of Mike's death is November 25, 2011. This is a written account of a fact-finding trip which Mike's father took to Afghanistan one year after his son died in an intense fire fight with 300 Islamic radicals. Some would say the jihadists were outnumbered but got lucky.   Dec. 8, 2002 We left to travel to Afghanistan to visit the Qala I Jangi fortress outside Mazar E Shiref where Micheal Spann was killed November 25, 2001. and to attend a dedication of a memorial that was erected there by General Dostum (Afghan military leader) and the Afghan people honoring Mike for his heroism in the war on Terrorism.  We arrived at the fortress 0n Wednesday night, December 11, and were greeted by approximately 100 people. There were workers there that worked through the night finishing the large copper dome that was erected to shelter the large marble memorial. The following day, December 12, 2002, there was a memorial service attended by approximately four hundred people, including many dignitaries. The service was held in front of the memorial, which was erected about 25 feet from the Pink house that housed the Al Qada and Taliban prisoners that killed Mike. This memorial is also about 10 feet from where Mike took his stand to fight. We were able to talk to eyewitnesses that were with Mike that gave us first hand information as to what happen step by step as they saw it. I asked if they had been interviewed by anyone, including reporters, as to what they saw and they said ‘ NO’. I thought this was strange that no one had. Instead they were reporting second hand information. Witness’s included, a Afghan fighter that was within 30 feet when the fight broke out. He said he heard an explosion, saw prisoners rush out and kill an officer and four of his guards at the entrance to the pink house, then immediately rush Mike, (Mike was within 25 feet from the front corner of the pink house. His position was between the raging prisoners and the eye Witnesses).  The Afghan fighter said that he fell to the ground and watched as Mike fought them. Stating that he was afraid to run, thinking that if he did he would be shot. He said Mike took a stand firing with his A K rifle until it was out of ammo, then his pistol until it was out of ammo, then fought hand to hand until he was overcome by the rage of prisoners.  The Afghan was captured and taken into the pink house.  He told them he was one of them so they would not kill him. They all looked alike and dressed the same. According to the Afghan fighter "the prisoners wanted to go back out to get Mike to bring him inside to shoot him to be sure he was dead. They wanted be able to take credit for Mike’s death so when they were killed they could go to heaven for killing an American."  The Afghan recounted how he was taken into the basement and did not know if the enraged group went back outside for Mike or not.  The fighter himself was injured and lost his right leg.  Another witness was a Afghan intelligence officer who also was within a few feet of Mike. He said his job was to talk to the prisoner’s, to record where they were from and to take a head count. He said there were 538 prisoners.  He fell to the ground watching Mike fight and was able to retreat back and escape while Mike engaged them alone. He said as they fell the ones behind kept attacking and he did not know how many Mike killed before running out of ammo. He said Mike first used his AK rifle, then his pistol, then his fist until he was overcome by the crowd that was attacking him. Also on the scene were two doctors that were treating the injured prisoners as they were brought out of the pink house. Their account was the same. They recounted that there was an explosion.  Then the prisoners rushed out the front door and immediately killed an Afghan officer and four guards who had been sent there to search the prisoners, tie their arms and take their weapons.   After the prisoners massed upon the Afghan officer and guards they rushed Mike.  As the Afghan  Intelligence officer stated previously, there were 538 prisoners there with some 150 of them already searched and in the court yard. The remaining prisoners were in the pink house, the main floor and in the basement.   Doctors said that they lay on the ground between the prisoners and witnessed the fight. They said they thought Mike might run and retreat, but he held his position and fought using his AK rifle until out of ammo, and then draw and begin firing his pistol. While watching Mike fight they were able to jump up and run to safety.  They said the only reason that they, and several others, were able to live was because Mike stood his position and fought off the prisoners while enabling them the time to run to safety.. The doctors stated that as they fled toward a safe haven they saw Mike run out of ammo and then witnessed him fighting hand to hand until he was overcome by the numerous Al Qada and Taliban prisoners.  The doctors escaped to the guard house at the north end and then to the outside. They said the fight worsened as the prisoners were able to take the arms and ammo depot to supply themselves with more weapons. Hearing these accounts was emotionally wrenching for my family and I, but we are so very proud of our son, brother, husband... of Mike... that, when put in that position, he had the guts to try to hold his position and fight at all costs. His supreme bravery and selflessness allowed several others to save their lives, even at the expense of his own.   While there, we were met with a group of women, some 120 in number,  that wanted to show their gratefulness to Mike. This was a very emotional experience as well. We had been told that Afghans were carrying pictures of Mike with them.  At this meeting they told us how thankful they were for what Mike and other Americans had done for them and their country. They told us how they were beat and whipped; how some were killed under the Taliban rule. Then they would take a picture of Mike from their purse and show it to us...Putting it to their heart and weeping they would tell us of the respect and love they had for Mike. They said they would never forget him.  They are not alone. While in Afghanistan we had an opportunity to visit an orphanage for children that had lost their mother and father in this conflict. So many lives lost and so much sorrow.  We understand their loss as it is our loss as well. This trip was very important to all of Mike's family members. Personally, I knew that there were so many conflicting reports of what had happened. When I talked to reporters that had written stories none of them had talked to eyewitnesses that had been on the scene. I was told that I should merely accept what I had been told and move on.  I knew that anyone who loses a loved one wants to know all the circumstances around their death. I knew that if Mike had been killed in a car accident that I would want to know how or what time or if it was his fault or did anyone try to help him or why the accident happened, and many, many more things. It's natural to want to know the circumstances surrounding a loved ones death.  It helps us feel like they were not alone when they died - that we were - in some way - there with them to understand and love them.   There are still things I have not found out. There are still other things that are not clear, as more and more people contact me to tell me things that they know and that they were a part of.  But I am getting closer to the truth and will keep striving to discover all of the details of my son's last moments on this earth. I realize that Mike is not the only one that has lost his life and my heart goes out to all the families who have lost, as we have.  I am so very grateful for their sacrifice for freedom. For the freedoms of all Americans and peace-loving people.   I am also very thankful for all of our military, CIA, and all other government personal involved in preserving our freedom and freedoms around the world.  You are all heroes to me. May you stay safe.  God bless you and God bless America.  Johnny Spann P.O. Box 308   |  Winfield Al. 35594 Email Mr. Spann NEXT: THE AMERICAN TRAITOR WHO COULD HAVE SAVED MIKE SPANN -- BUT DID NOT.

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