Editing Missing in action

{{Status|Canon}}
'''Missing in Action''', better known as '''MIA''', is a casualty classification used by the [[United Nations Space Command]] that refers to members of the UNSC who has been reported missing following a combat mission and whose status as to injury, capture, or death is unknown. Missing combatants must not have been otherwise accounted for as either [[Killed in action|Killed in Action]] or a [[prisoner of war]].

When [[SPARTAN-II]]s are killed, they are reported as Missing in Action or [[Wounded in Action]] to create the illusion that [[Office of Naval Intelligence Directive 930|Spartans never die]]. This helped boost morale in the UNSC.{{Ref/Novel|FS|Page=249}} [[SPARTAN-III Program|SPARTAN-IIIs]] are not normally subject to this, as the very existence of the program remains classified. However, at least two were listed as such in accordance with the tradition by [[Kurt Ambrose]].

==Notable examples==
*[[James-005]] - Sent spinning into space during the [[Fall of Reach]]. Lost contact shortly thereafter and no sign of him was detected ever again. Presumably deceased.{{Ref/Novel|FoR}}
*[[Alice-130]], [[Jerome-092]], [[Douglas-042]] - Declared Missing in Action after the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} was left stranded in space following the [[Battle of Trove]].{{Ref/Game|Id=HW|HW}} The ''Spirit of Fire'' eventually declared "lost with all hands" on February 10, [[2534]].{{Ref/Book|Id=enc71|Enc09|Page=71}} As of [[2559]] are active on [[Installation 00]].{{Ref/Game|Id=HW2|HW2}}
*Crew of the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} - Went Missing in Action following the [[Battle of Trove]] when the ''Spirit of Fire's'' FTL reactor was sacrificed to destroy [[Trove]] and its fleet of {{Class|Sojourner|dreadnought}}s.{{Ref/Reuse|HW}} Declared "lost with all hands" on February 10, [[2534]].{{Ref/Reuse|enc71}} As of [[2559]], active at [[Installation 00]].{{Ref/Reuse|HW2}}
*[[Kurt-051]] - Went Missing in Action during a mission in [[2531]]. In reality abducted for the [[SPARTAN-III program]]. Died during the [[Onyx Conflict]] in [[2552]].{{Ref/Novel|GoO}}
*[[Randall-037]] - Went missing in [[2532]]{{Ref/Novel|Id=HGO173|GoO|Page=173}} during the [[Battle of Vodin]]. Survived a fall from the planet's [[skyhook]]s and settled on the planet for the next ten years until the UNSC reestablished contact with [[Vodin]]. Refused to rejoin the Spartan program and had many of his augmentations reversed. Died during the [[Mission to Alpha Shard]] in [[2556]].{{Ref/TV|Nightfall}}
*[[Sheila-065]] - Declared Missing in Action in [[2544]]. Died in the [[Battle of Miridem]], witnessed by Doctor [[Catherine Halsey]].{{Ref/Reuse|HGO173}}
*Sergeant [[Ghost (Marine)|Ghost]] - Declared Missing in Action during the [[Algolis Invasion]] after sacrificing himself to use the [[HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark I ADS|prototype powered armor]] to hold off the attacking Covenant forces. Killed when the armor [[self-destruct]]ed per his orders.{{Ref/Film|HLeg|Detail=''[[Prototype]]''}}
*[[Kelly-087]] - Declared Missing in Action by [[John-117]] after she was abducted by Doctor [[Catherine Halsey]].{{Ref/Novel|FS}} No longer considered to be MIA after the UNSC gained control of the [[Sarcophagus]] [[shield world]] where she had been taken.{{Ref/Novel|Gla}}
*[[John-117]] - Disappeared after the [[Battle of Installation 00]] when the {{UNSCShip|Forward Unto Dawn}} split in half, leaving him trapped in deep space in the rear half of the ship.{{Ref/Game|H3}} Considered Missing in Action due to the fact that there was no evidence that he died, despite [[Terrence Hood]]'s quote, ''"hard to believe he's dead."''{{Ref/Book|Enc09|Page=104-105}} Resurfaced in [[2557]] during the [[Battle of Requiem]] to help the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} against [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]]. Returned to Earth following the [[New Phoenix Incident]] and was no longer declared Missing in Action.{{Ref/Game|H4}}
*Doctor [[Henry Glassman]] - Activated one of the [[Requiem slipspace artifacts]], was pulled in and vanished, apparently killing him.{{Ref/Reuse|Artifact}} In reality, transported to the surface of [[Requiem]] where he was captured by Covenant forces and put to work at "[[Librarian's Rest]]."{{Ref/Reuse|Catherine}} [[Escape from Librarian's Rest|Escaped]] after inadvertently activating a protective shield at the shrine and fled with [[Spartan-IV|Spartan]] [[Gabriel Thorne]] who had suffered a similar fate.<ref name="Scattered">''Spartan Ops'', [[Scattered|S106 Scattered]]</ref> Both later rescued by [[Fireteam Majestic]]<ref name="Expendable">''Spartan Ops'', [[Expendable|S108 Expendable]]</ref> with Glassman later being returned by Pelican to the ''Infinity''.<ref name="Key">''Spartan Ops'', [[Key|S109 Key]]</ref>
*Science Team Gagarin - Vanished without a trace after activating Forerunner technology at "[[the Refuge (Requiem location)|the Refuge]]." Despite clues being found on Gagarin's computers by [[Fireteam Crimson]], Gagarin was never located again and remains Missing in Action. Spartan [[Jared Miller]] speculated that they had suffered the same fate as Doctor [[Henry Glassman]]<ref name="Gagarin">''Spartan Ops'', [[Artifact (Spartan Ops)/Gagarin|S102 Gagarin]]</ref> who had similarly vanished after activating one of the [[Requiem slipspace artifacts]].<ref name="Artifact">''[[Spartan Ops]]'', [[Artifact (Spartan Ops)|S102 Artifact]]</ref> However, Glassman had been found and captured by the Covenant on Requiem<ref name="Catherine">''Spartan Ops'', [[Catherine|S103 Catherine]]</ref> while Gagarin was never seen again.
*[[Spartan-IV|Spartan]] [[Gabriel Thorne]] - Went Missing in Action after activating one of the [[Requiem slipspace artifacts]]{{Ref/Reuse|Memento Mori}} like Doctor [[Henry Glassman]]{{Ref/Reuse|Artifact}} which transported him to "[[the Cauldron]]."<ref name="Memento Mori">''Spartan Ops'', [[Memento Mori|S105 Memento Mori]]</ref> Captured by two [[Sangheili Storm]] after a fight.{{Ref/Reuse|Scattered}} [[IFF]] tag found by [[Fireteam Crimson]] at "the Cauldron" along with signs of the struggle.<ref name="The Cauldron Base">''Spartan Ops'', [[Memento Mori/The Cauldron Base|S105 The Cauldron Base]]</ref> Tracked to the "[[Quarry]]" where the trail vanished.<ref name="Spartan Thorne">''Spartan Ops'', [[Memento Mori/Spartan Thorne|S105 Spartan Thorne]]</ref> Eventually detected again by [[Roland]] as he was transported to "[[Librarian's Rest]]" where Thorne managed to break free and [[Escape from Librarian's Rest|escape]] with Glassman.{{Ref/Reuse|Scattered}} Eventually rescued by [[Fireteam Majestic]] from [[Gek 'Lhar]] and no longer declared Missing in Action.{{Ref/Reuse|Expendable}}
*[[Icebreaker squad]] - Declared Missing in Action at some point during the [[Requiem Campaign]]. Found alive by [[Fireteam Crimson]] in "[[Lockup]]" and rescued during Crimson's [[Escape from Lockup|own escape]]. Those who survived the following fight with Covenant forces fled "Lockup" in a stolen [[Ru'swum-pattern Phantom|Phantom]].<ref>''Spartan Ops'', [[Scattered/Escape Plan|S106 Escape Plan]]</ref>
*[[Fireteam Switchback]] - Vanished without a trace while investigating a Covenant [[Harvester (location)|dig site]] during the [[Requiem Campaign]], leaving behind only their blank [[IFF]] tags.<ref>''Spartan Ops'', [[Scattered/Switchback|S106 Switchback]]</ref> Later found alive, aside from Spartan [[Cara Costabile]], after broadcasting an SOS over Covenant frequencies for some time in the "[[Warrens]]." Rescued by Fireteam Crimson and [[Fireteam Lancer]] during [[Assault on the Warrens|a mission]] in the area and extracted to the ''Infinity'' by Pelican.<ref>''Spartan Ops'', [[Expendable/Lancer|S108 Lancer]]</ref>
*[[Gray Team]] - Considered Missing in Action by [[Frederic-104]] in [[2552#November|November 2552]] after they had been out of contact for over a year on a mission far outside the reaches of UNSC space.{{Ref/Novel|GoO|Page=221}} Actually went Missing in Action in December 2552 following [[Operation: SUNSPEAR]] where they destroyed the planet [[Glyke]] and were left adrift in its ruins in [[cryo chamber]]s in [[Whiskey Tango Foxtrot One|their lifeboat]]. Recovered in [[2558]] by [[Fleetmaster]] [[Rojka 'Kasaan]] then freed from their cryo chambers by [[Melody Azikiwe]] during the [[Carrow Conflict]]. Reestablished contact with UNSC forces aboard the {{UNSCShip|Welcome to the Snipehunt}} following the battle and were no longer Missing in Action.{{Ref/Novel|Env}}
*[[Ferret]]s - Missing in Action and presumed dead for more than two years before reappearing during [[Operation: WOLFE]]. In reality working deep undercover in the [[Keepers of the One Freedom]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=Chapter 21|HSoR|Chapter=21}}
*[[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Amalea Petrov]] and seven others - Effectively went Missing in Action after they were left stranded on [[Netherop]] in [[2526]]{{Ref/Novel|Oblv|Epilogue}} and after three failed rescue missions for them.{{Ref/Novel|Out|9}} Survivors and their families rescued after thirty-three years in [[2559#November|November 2559]] by Spartan [[Olympia Vale]], [[Rosa Fuertes]], forces from the {{UNSCShip|Hidden Point}}, and forces from the [[Swords of Sanghelios]].{{Ref/Novel|Out|24}}{{Ref/Novel|Out|26}}

==Trivia==
*During the video log in the level ''[[343 Guilty Spark (level)|343 Guilty Spark]]'', the automated video recorder regards [[Wallace A. Jenkins]] as possibly MIA due to the sudden termination of his recording as a result of his infection by the [[Flood]].

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

==See also==
*[[Killed in action|Killed in action (KIA)]]
*[[Wounded in action|Wounded in action (WIA)]]

==External links==
*[[Wikipedia:Missing in action|'''Wikipedia''''s article on "Missing in action"]]

[[Category:Terms and phrases]]
[[Category:Military terminology]]