Missing in action

Missing In Action, better known as MIA, is a casualty classification used by the United Nations Space Command that refers to a member of the UNSC who has been reported missing following a combat mission and whose status as to injury, capture or death is unknown. The missing combatant must not have been otherwise accounted for as either killed in action or a prisoner of war.

When SPARTAN-IIs are killed, they are reported Missing in Action or Wounded in Action to create the illusion that Spartans never die. This apparently helped boost morale for the UNSC.

Trivia

 * Randall, Kurt-051, James, John-117, and Gray Team are the only Spartans who truly became missing, but Kurt was later found training the Spartan-IIIs with an identity of Lieutenant Commander Kurt Ambrose. Kurt-051 was then killed in the events on Onyx and was once again listed as Missing in Action.
 * The Master Chief was 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".

Related Pages

 * Killed In Action (KIA)
 * Wounded In Action (WIA)

External

 * Wikipedia's article on "Missing In Action"