Last Known Activity:
TSgt. O'Kieff was interred in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, in Section 37, Site 39.
A Fairchild C-123K Provider (tail number 55-4574) call sign "Bookie 102" was en route to Nha Trang AB from Tan Son Nhut ABwhen it struck trees on a ridge at an elevation of 4600 feet, some 500 feet below the top. It crashed at 1330 in the hills west of Cam Ranh Bay, 25 km (15.6 mls) SW of Nha Trang Airport. Weather was poor with a broken overcast at 2000 feet and 1500 m visibility. The wreckage was found nine days after the accident.
79 people were killed in the crash,
5 USAF personnel from the 19th Tactical Airlift Squadron:
Major Robert L. Baker
1st Lt. Marvin S. Arthington
1st Lt. Frederick M. Rader
TSgt. William B. O'Kieff
Sgt Allen J. Bodin
1 USAF from the 600th Photographic Squadron:
A1C Frederick R. Neef
South Vietnamese Troops:
73 ARVIN soldiers
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Comments/Citation:
Update From Admin 6/13/2017
Admin was notified by a family member that the remains have been found and returned
William Brandon O'Kieff was born on the 26th of October, 1932, one of three children born to Raymond and Myrtle O'Kieff, who both passed in 1989. His sisters, Cornelia "Jo" Johnson of Texas passed in 2012, and Jane Arnold of Murfreesboro, passed in 2016. He was a graduate of Central High School, Murfreesboro where he sported the number 28 for the Tigers Football Team, and was a member of the Boys Glee Club. As a young boy he delivered newspapers that were carefully folded and made ready for him by his sisters.
In 1958, he married Margaret Adair O'Kieff of Ayrshire, Scotland, who passed in 2016. They are survived by their two children, Alexander O'Kieff and Dawn O'Kieff; and a ten year old grand-daughter, Aislin O'Kieff. He had many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
After high school, he joined the United States Air Force and was stationed at many bases across the US, as well as overseas in Scotland, Japan, and the Philippines. While in the Air Force, he received numerous awards and accommodations, and enjoyed a few bouts in a boxing ring. Meeting Margaret in Scotland brought him into contact with Scottish music which he loved, especially the bagpipes.
He was stationed in Vietnam in 1969, and on his very last flight (fini flight) on November 27, 1970, his plane crashed and he along with the three other members of the crew were killed. Due to the circumstances of that crash, he and the other crew members were unable to be positively identified and in 1971 they were buried with military honors in a mass grave in Arlington National Cemetery.
Our family recently received word from the military that additional remains had been discovered and had been positively identified as belonging to him. As a result, these remains will be coming home to Murfreesboro to be laid to rest beside his wife, parents, and grand-parents.
After 47 years, a son of Murfreesboro is finally coming home! Graveside services with full military honors will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, June 17, 2017 at Roselawn Memorial Gardens under the direction of Woodfin Memorial Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations made in his memory to the following associations as they have special meaning to our family. They are the Alzheimer's Association Mid-South Chapter and the Lymphoma and Leukemia Association.
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