A Minnesota PBS Initiative
MY BIG BROTHER KEITH
From the memory banks of his little sister, Karen Christophersen
I've heard it said that a person cannot really disappear as long as someone remembers their name. Keith Allen Christophersen is not only etched on a wall but lives in our hearts.
Rivers of tears were shed when we lost him at such a tender age, and now 45 years later, I can smile with gratitude because he was part of my life. Wishing I could have known him as an old man, he'll remain forever young in my memory.
As firstborn son to parents Chris and Nena Christophersen, he was the golden boy, doted on by Swedish and Danish grandparents and a wonderful role model to Kent and I, his siblings who followed. He will always be remembered as a smart, kind, big brother who could even do handstands! I was so proud to be his little sister and knew I could always run to him for comfort, or a smile or to just let me bend his ear.
He graduated from South St. Paul High School and went on to complete an engineering degree from the University of Minnesota. Always wanting to learn to fly, being a Navy Pilot was his next dream. Due to being unable to pass an eye exam, he became a navigator instead of a pilot. Now his nephew (Kent's son), Larry Keith Christophersen, carries on his dream as a pilot for Delta Airlines.
The rest of that time was a blur of sadness and unreality as we managed to navigate our way through a memorial service and face the daunting task of mending the enormous hole ripped into the fabric of our family.
Keith went through basic training in Pensacola Florida, and then he and his wife Anne, were stationed in California. After their- daughter Heidi was born, complications arose and Keith stayed behind with his wife and child while his unit left for Vietnam. When Heidi was out of danger, Keith flew to join his ship.
Sadly, not long after joining his shipmates, tragedy ensued. The pilot, the navigator (Keith) and an enlisted fellow were the three Navy men on board a plane when a catapult broke on take off from the ship and all was lost, the men went down with the plane into the Bay of Tonkin. Listing them as MIA was not exactly accurate, it was the bodies that were not recovered, their spirits lifted up and away, so no mystery about where they were.
That was the story delivered anyway to my parents who were devastated to see two Naval officers walk up to their front door with the news.
My best friend, Laurie, found me at Concordia College that evening to give me the news and bring me home. The rest of that time was a blur of sadness and unreality as we managed to navigate our way through a memorial service and face the daunting task of mending the enormous hole ripped into the fabric of our family.
Bethesda Lutheran Church lot became a veritable sea of cars as masses of friends poured forth to support and mourn with us, singing our hearts out with the hymn "Eternal Father, Strong to Save." It gave us such comfort and strength in the moment and in the days and years that continued to move forward.
Then, adding to such an already profoundly sad story, it turned out that Keith's daughter Heidi had cerebral palsy and lived for only 4 years, never able to walk or talk, but deeply loved by all of us who marveled at her beauty and the sparkle in her eyes.
Over time, thankfully, Anne was able to move on from the double whammy life had thrown at her, and remarried to start a new family. Time marched on for all of us, naturally, our broken hearts filled with love and memories.
Our mother Nena died at nearly 80 years old after suffering from Alzheimers Disease, our dad, Clarence (Chris) lived till almost 91 when his heart gave out. My brother Kent and his wife Barbarah lived in the SSP house we grew up in, after providing Keith with wonderful nieces and nephews; daughter Christy in Pennsylvania, Pete in Colorado, Larry in North Carolina and Beth, in Minnesota. Our aunt, Ruth Okeson, and cousins still live in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and I moved away to Fort Collins, Colorado where I live with my husband, Lex.
Keith would often tease me saying I would have a couple hundred kids, which in a way did come true for me via teaching and being involved in Children's Theatre for more than 30 years of a happy, charmed life. I think my big brother, my guardian angel, is smiling.
The pictures below are of the memorial ceremony taken on board his aircraft carrier- the Ranger CV-4, three days after Keith and his two crew members went missing. The plane they were flying was a Douglas EKA-3B Skywarrior. Charles Parker was from San Diego, California. Richard Wiehr was from Mankato, Minnesota and Keith Christophersen was from South Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Together on January 21, 1973, Keith and Richard Wiehr were the last Minnesotans to die in Vietnam.
Thanks to my SSP bandmate, Herb Reckinger, for inviting me to walk down memory lane and spend some time with my big brother again after so many years, and to share a bit of his story to go with the name on the Vietnam Memorial Wall, Keith Allen Christophersen.
Biographical Details
Submitted From: St. Paul, MN
Primary Location During Vietnam: Vietnam 
Story Subject: Military Service
Military Branch: U.S. Navy
Dates of Service: 1973 - 1973
Unit: Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 130, Detachment Four
Specialty: U.S.S. Ranger CVA-61
Name: KEITH A CHRISTOPHERSEN
Date of Birth: 10/22/1946
Date of Casualty: 1/21/1973
Home of Record: SOUTH ST PAUL
County of Record:DAKOTA COUNTY
State:MN
Branch of Service: NAVY
Rank: LTJG
Panel/Line: 1W, 111
Status: MIA
Casualty Province: NZ
Story Themes: Gold Star Family, Grief, Herb Reckinger, MIA, Pilot, The Vietnam Memorial, Wall of Faces
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