Remembering Johnny “Mike” Spann – CIA Officer And First American Killed In Afghanistan Post-9/11

Remembering Johnny “Mike” Spann – CIA Officer And First American Killed In Afghanistan Post-9/11

Killed during the the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi 23 years ago today: “So in these days in which we remember those who died on 9/11, let’s also remember Johnny “Mike” Spann, who died in the weeks immediately after 9/11 on a battlefield far from home….”

Every year we remember Johnny Micheal (“Mike”) Spann, the CIA Officer who was the first American killed in Aghanistan after 9/11, part of a small group of elite commandos who helped organize opposition to the Taliban.

You can view our posts, dating back to 2011, here. There are tons of videos, images, and stories about his family.

My first post about Spann was written on May 3, 2011, after the killing of Osama bin Laden, Remembering Johnny “Mike” Spann:

Hearing the news of Osama bin Laden’s death brought forward many emotions and memories.

One of those memories for me was the story of Johnny “Mike” Spann, from Winfield, Alabama, the first American killed in the Afghanistan war, on November 25, 2001.

Spann was a CIA operative, one of a small number of Americans who landed in Afghanistan, helped coordinate local forces hostile to the Taliban, and directed bombing and other military action.

The story of this small band of men has been told, but not told enough.

Spann was killed during the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi when Taliban prisoners gained access to weapons and attacked.

Spann was killed during that uprising (see video).  One of the prisoners was the so-called American Taliban, John Walker Lyndh, who Spann interrogated shortly before Spann’s death.

Spann’s wife Shannon also worked for the CIA.  In addition to his wife, Spann left behind two daughters and an infant son.

Spann’s family established a website to honor his life, and there is a wealth of information and photos at his Arlington National Cemetery page.

There is an interesting honor paid to Spann at the website of Afghan General and Warlord Abdul Radhis Dostum, including a link to a photo of the memorial to Spann at the site of the uprising in which he died.

So in these days in which we remember those who died on 9/11, let’s also remember Johnny “Mike” Spann, who died in the weeks immediately after 9/11 on a battlefield far from home, and who against seemingly impossible odds helped pave the way for the overthrow of the Taliban, and over nine years later, the justice delivered two days ago.

 

 

Each year I try to find something new to report, and each year I’m surprised to find out either history or recent events honoring Spann.

This year is no exception. His widow Shannon recorded this video message regarding the establishment of the Johnny Mike Spann Ally Program at the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation.

On 11/25/01, Johnny Micheal Spann became the first KIA of the Global War on Terrorism. The Foundation is proud to rename our Ally Program in his honor & outline our program with the words he used on his CIA application: Action, Responsibility, Leadership. https://t.co/yBQjgU88FU pic.twitter.com/jYhEOeGd9f

— Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation (@GWOTMF) November 25, 2024

The Johnny Micheal Spann Ally Page has more details:

Toby Harnden, who wrote the definitive account, First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11 , paid homage on X:

Remembering Johnny Micheal Spann, @CIA officer, Marine, son, husband, father. KIA 23 years ago today during an Al-Qaeda prisoner revolt at Qala-i Jangi, northern Afghanistan. Mike went down fighting the enemy at close quarters with his AKMS & Glock 17. He is commemorated by the… pic.twitter.com/srp6ehuqs0

— Toby Harnden (@tobyharnden) November 25, 2024

And also on Instagram with an excerpt from his book.

Remembering Johnny Micheal Spann, CIA officer, Marine, son, husband and father. Kill in Actuon 23 years ago today during an Al-Qaeda prisoner revolt at Qala-i Jangi. He went down fighting, using his Glock 17 and AKMS against the enemy at close quarters. Mike was inserted into Afghanistan with CIA’s Team Alpha on October 17, 2001. Mike is represented by the 79th star on CIA’s Memorial Wall and remains in the hearts of so many. His teammate Mark Rausenberger, who died in 2016, is represented by the 121st star. There are now 140 stars on the wall.

Many brave Afghans also died in 2001. One way Mike is honored is through Badger Six, a charity that helps Afghan allies and their families. Please consider a donation in memory of Mike at www.badgersix.org.

I was privileged to be able to tell Mike’s story in my book First Casualty:

Page 42

There was never any question in Mike Spann’s mind that he would be part of America’s response to the Al-Qaeda attack on 9/11. In his application to join the CIA, Mike had written: “I am an action person that feels personally responsible for making any changes in this world that are in my power because if I don’t no one else will.”…Mike had emailed a dozen pieces of advice to a member of a church youth group he had taught. Among them were “Don’t be a follower. Dread naught and NEVER quit”…”ALWAYS do the right thing, in the end all you have is your character.

[After 9/11] the country was experiencing a swelling patriotism, a yearning for vengeance, and an acknowledgment that there would be sacrifices… There was evil in the world, and Americans had to be sent to faraway lands to stamp it out so it did not reach home shores again. Mike had always felt this way. Suddenly, America was a lot more like him.

Page 191

Mike Spann, about five yards away…swung around to face the source of the noise, raising his AKMS rifle to his shoulder. Some of the prisoners still inside the Pink House were rushing out…Mike shot two or three of them with his Kalashnikov before the Qatari and others who close to the Pink House jumped on Mike from behind…Mike managed to pull out his Glock pistol and fire one or two shots before he was overwhelmed.

Strategy Central also had a tribute on October 12:

Others have remembered:

I met ODA 595 as they were going in to retrieve Mike’s body. It was the sad start of a beautiful friendship. I got to know Johnny Spann and others who were there. https://t.co/woYqg9hMrA pic.twitter.com/iP75ccmLdI

— Robert Young Pelton (@RYP__) November 25, 2024

I’ll never forget the death of Mike Spann – the first American to die in combat in Afghanistan after 9/11. Spann put a face to the unseen Americans fighting the terrorists who killed us on 9/11.

At Fox, news of Spann’s death struck us. We had covered the 9/11 attacks less than… https://t.co/kDoRIOpJy5

— heather nauert (@HeatherNauert) November 25, 2024

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