Christopher Speer
Christopher Speer | |
---|---|
War in Afghanistan | |
Awards | Soldier's Medal Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart |
Relations | Todd Speer (brother) Tabitha Speer (widow) Taryn and Tanner Speer (children)[2] |
Christopher James Speer (September 9, 1973 – August 6, 2002)[3] was a United States Army combat medic and an armed member of a special operations team who was killed during a skirmish in Afghanistan on July 27, 2002.[4] Speer, who was not wearing a helmet at the time because the mission called for indigenous clothing, suffered a head wound from a grenade and succumbed to his injuries approximately two weeks later. Omar Khadr was charged and convicted of throwing the grenade that killed Speer.[5][6]
Training and deployment
Speer enlisted in the United States Army in July 1992 and after initial training as a combat medic, was assigned to the Army Hospital at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, until 1994.[1] He received 18 Delta combat medic training at the Joint Special Operations University at Hurlburt Field, Florida.[citation needed]
Speer was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group upon completing training as a Special Forces medic in 1997. As part of the
Death
On July 27, 2002, Christopher Speer and a group of four other soldiers on reconnaissance patrol were injured during a firefight upon attacking a building in Khost Province, Afghanistan.[1] SFC Christopher Speer was part of a squad assigned the task of going through the ruins of the building after it had been destroyed.[7]
The injured Speer was evacuated by air to
The incident received widespread attention as fifteen-year-old
The charges against Khadr were filed under the
Prior to his plea of guilty to Speer's death, Khadr became the focus of several legal disputes. On February 4, 2008, American officials accidentally released an unredacted version of testimony which—according to Khadr's lawyers—showed that Khadr was not responsible for Speer's death.[15] In January 2006 Colonel
Aftermath
On the second anniversary of Speer's death, SFC Speer's widow Tabitha and a comrade of his, Layne Morris, initiated legal proceedings to claim compensation from the estate of Omar Khadr's father Ahmed Khadr.
On October 25, 2010, Khadr pleaded guilty to and was convicted of the murder of Speer in violation of the laws of war, attempted murder in violation of the laws of war, conspiracy, two counts of providing material support for terrorism and spying in the United States.[11]
On October 29, 2010, after taking the stand, Khadr apologized to the widow of Speer stating "I'm really sorry for the pain I caused to your family. I wish I could do something to take that pain away.", and further stating that his eight years in prison had taught him "the beauty of life".[18]
Legacy
Speer was awarded the Soldier's Medal for risking his life to save two Afghan children who were trapped in a minefield on July 21, 2002, two weeks before his death.[6]
The infirmary at a special forces base in Kunar Province was named the "Christopher J. Speer Medical Clinic" in his memory.[1]
Awards and decorations
Speer's awards include:[19]
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References
- ^ ISBN 9780160818523. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
- ^ "BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Sgt. 1st Class Christopher J. Speer" (PDF). USASOC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ "United States v. Omar Ahmed Khadr Defense Motion to Dismiss for Violation of the Sixth Amendment Right to a Speedy Trial Government Response D-068" (PDF). U.S. Department of Defense. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2009.
- ^ Khan, Mohammed Azhar Ali (2012-08-03). "Canada: An ominous trend". Saudi Gazette. Archived from the original on 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
- ^ House, Dawn (26 January 2008). "Feds fight order to turn over terrorist funds". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022.
- ^ a b "Dedication SFC Christopher J. Speer" (PDF). Journal of Special Operations Medicine. Fall 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-22.
Six days before he received the wound that killed him, Sgt. 1st Class Christopher J. Speer walked into a minefield to rescue two wounded Afghan children, according to fellow soldiers. He applied a tourniquet to one child and bandaged the other, they said. Then he stopped a passing military truck to take the wounded children to a U.S. Army field hospital. Speer saved those children, his colleagues said.
- ^ Shephard, Michelle (April 29, 2007). "Khadr goes on trial". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 13 January 2014. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
- ^ Alberts, Sheldon (June 29, 2007). "U.S. Supreme Court reverses stance, will review terror suspects appeal". Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
- Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the originalon 7 October 2008. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
- ^ "No Khadr return deal in place: Cannon". CBC News. October 28, 2010. Archived from the original on November 1, 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ a b Meserve, Jeanne (October 25, 2010). "Khadr plea". CNN. Archived from the original on October 26, 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ Rona, Gabor (May 2008). "Legal Issues in the 'War on Terrorism' – Reflecting on the Conversation Between Silja N.U. Voneky and John Bellinger" (PDF). German Law Journal. 9 (5): 711–736. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-04-20. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ Shephard, Michelle (13 December 2013). "Omar Khadr: No memory of firefight in Afghanistan". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013.
- ^ "Omar Khadr explains war-crimes guilty pleas in court filing". CBC News. 13 December 2013. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013.
- ^ "New witness account shows Khadr charges should be dropped: lawyers". CBC News. February 5, 2008. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ^ "U.S. prosecutor's comments on Khadr reviewed". Toronto Star. January 12, 2006. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011.
- ^ "Terrorism charges reinstated against Khadr". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. September 24, 2007. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
- ^ Montet, Virginie (October 29, 2010). "Khadr says sorry to slain soldier's widow". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 31 October 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ "CHRISTOPHER J. SPEER, Green Beret Foundation". Green Beret Foundation. August 7, 2002. Archived from the original on 28 April 2015. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
External links
- Biographical Sketch at SOC.mil Archived
- Honor the fallen Archived from MilitaryCity
- SFC Christopher J. Speer Archived from Special Forces Association