To Live with Honor

National Review ^ | 23 May 2008 | Joseph Morrison Skelly

[Plainsman]

‘My son died with honor.”

These words struck this writer like a bolt from the blue. Captured by a television news crew, they were spoken with quiet dignity by Johnny Spann to reporters at the front gate of his home in Winfield, Alabama, upon learning of the death of his son, Johnny Mike Spann, the first American to die on a foreign field of battle in the War on Islamic Terror. Mike, as he was known to his friends and family, was killed on November 25, 2001, during a combined al-Qaeda–Taliban uprising at a temporary prison in Qala-i Jangi, not far from the town of Mazar-e Sharif in Northern Afghanistan. He was 32 years old. He is survived by his wife, Shannon, and three young children.

“THE WAY HE LIVED”

In Mike Spann’s gallantry resides a lesson for us to consider as we commemorate Memorial Day. While he died with honor, what is now incumbent upon us is to live with honor. By so doing, we will venerate his sacrifice, as well as the memory of countless men and women extending back to the Revolutionary War who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. How to live with honor is a path we must blaze each in our own personal way. Fortunately, wellsprings exist that we may draw upon for guidance. One of them is the example set by Mike Spann himself. As his wife, Shannon, poignantly recalled at his funeral in Arlington Cemetery, “Mike is a hero not because of the way he died, but because of the way he lived. Mike was prepared to give his life in Afghanistan because he already gave his life to us everyday at home.” In the soul of this one warrior we can discern the meaning of Memorial Day.

[girlangler]

I’ll never forget this soldier, was watching as the news broke of his death. He was one of the first to go into Afghanistan, a very dangerous situation.

Thank God this country has men like him to defend her.

[A.A. Cunningham]

I’ll never forget this soldier,

Johnny Mike Spann was a former Marine Corps Captain serving as a CIA officer in Afghanistan. He was not a soldier.

[girlangler]

Yes, now I remember he was with the CIA.

Sorry for the mistake, but I still consider him a soldier in the WOT.

I remember watching the news when he was killed, seeing his beautiful little family on TV.

I have a friend with a husband in the CIA, my husband is former NSA (he was also retired USAF).

I had the honor of speaking with a U.S. Army special ops soldier in Afghanistan on the phone today. They are all America’s finest.