Lieutenant Colonel David S. Keith U.S. Army, Retired

Was 75, when he passed away on October 13, 2019 in Spring Hill Florida. Dave was a very active Post 7916 Life Member during the ten years he and the family lived in Fredericksburg.

His burial service was at Arlington...May 27 2020

He was born in Great Bend and raised in Dodge City Kansas. He often boasted that he had his first horse by the age of three and his first gun by the age of five.

His life's military journey was shaped by the shadows of the history all around his youth in the Wild West….peace keepers Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp and Boot Hill...

Dave was Army SF with the elite group MACVSOG.  This was his lifelong identity.  He loved his unit, his beret and his halo wings.

He served with the 8 SFG in Panama.  He was a Master Parachutist. 

He served two tours in Vietnam.  During the 1969 TET Offensive he was wounded by a B40 rocket and left for dead.  He carried a zipper like scar, shrapnel and PTS with him for the entire rest of his life. 

As a civilian, he remained in the reserves where he taught at the Command and General Staff College.  The next several years of his career were with the Department of the Army.  He served at the Pentagon during Desert Storm.  His last assignment was Joint Ops with the State Department in southern Mexico. 

His many commendations include: BSM, Purple Heart, Air medal, Soldiers Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, ArCom with V, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star, four overseas bars and Senior Parachutist Badge.

He is survived by his devoted Army Wife of 52 years Pamela, and his loving family: daughter Stephanie Keith, grandson Cooper Keith, granddaughter Gabriella Taylor, and two brothers William G. Shafer and Zachary Keith.