Wesley Speakman, a veteran Miami police officer, died on July 30 of complications from a stroke. He was 78.
Born and raised in South Florida, Speakman dropped out of high school in his junior year to enlist in the Navy. He served his country in World War II as an aviation machinist mate on the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier.
Speakman joined the Miami Police Department when he returned to America in 1948. During his 27 years on the force, Speakman secured the waters around Miami and coordinated rescue efforts as part of the Harbor Patrol. He was also the department's first licensed pilot.
Speakman retired in 1975, then took a job monitoring motion sensors in the Sinai Desert region between Egypt and Israel.
Posted on August 18, 2003 11:18 PMThanks for your patience, and all those great spots where the cans were buried out in the bay.
Posted by Ken Kemp on July 21, 2004 6:23 PMThis is my grandpa and I loved him.
Posted by Libby Speakman on August 21, 2008 2:38 PM