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In Memoriam

Captain Keith A. "Sandman" Sands

Main menu | F-16 Pilots - Tribute to the Fallen | F-16 Community - In Remembrance
Captain Keith A. "Sandman" Sands

25 March 1998




Visitor Comments
Friend
bulldawg, Jan 08, 2007 - 07:01 PM

Captain Sands gave me my first ride in an F-16. Great Guy!!!! Our loss, but you will not be forgotten.

MSGT Don Easley (RET)

Anonymous, Mar 23, 2007 - 07:26 AM

I knew Keith when he flew F-111's he was a great guy and will be missed by everyone who knew him.

McVay, Apr 11, 2007 - 09:11 PM

CPT Sands was a graduate of Oklahoma State University where there is a tree planted in his honor on the south side of Thatcher Hall, the ROTC building. His sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Memories
MR. Austin, May 21, 2008 - 09:31 PM

I worked with Captain Sands a few nights before we lost him. He was a true worrior.

Divot, Feb 12, 2009 - 02:46 AM

Wow, almost 11 years now since we got the bad news at the Ops Desk that they had found Sandman in the water. What a classic fighter pilot and truely funny human being. We miss ya brutha

Old Friend
Kyle Linehan, Apr 08, 2009 - 05:04 AM

Keith was one of my best friends in high school. I just heard this tragic news this evening for the first time.--It is hard to believe. He was one of the funniest people I ever met and a great human being. We'll miss you.

Dana Walker Morgan, Mar 16, 2010 - 01:26 AM

Keith and I went to school together from first grade until OSU. I miss his smile and his great sense of humor. He was a a soldier through and through. I still think of him often.

Brother in arms
Sean "O'D" O'Donnell, May 25, 2010 - 11:10 PM

12 years now and i still remember what I was doing when I got the sad sad news. He was 1 in a million....miss you bro!!!!!!!

Friend/Fellow Warrior
Billy Garst, Nov 20, 2010 - 11:59 AM

Went to Carnegie Grade School and Nimitz Jr High with Keith. He was a great guy - we played a lot of "Pong" at his house - think he had all the Monte Python skits memorized. I moved away and didn't realize till a few years ago he was a pilot in the Air Force and killed in an F-16. Would have liked to have met up with him again. He was one of a kind and is missed.

Maj Billy Garst

Ed Yuhasz, TACP ETAC, Mar 09, 2011 - 07:19 AM

Keith was my ALO at TROKA ASOC in Yongin, ROK in 1994. He always found humor in any situation, especially in dealing with the ROKAF ASOC staff and allowed me to handle business in the old NCO way of getting things done, and he never questioned how it got accomplished. I was in a deep funk when I heard of his death, he was one of the "good ALO's" that made it memorable. God Speed Bro

Brother in arms
Ron, Jul 06, 2011 - 05:17 AM

I worked with Sandman back in the F-111 days in England. It was a pleasure to be his friend and a pleasure to have known and worked with him. I'll never forget meeting up with him a few years later in Korea. He was an ALO and I was there TDY. Since he was out in the field, he gave me his room so I didn't have to sleep in a tent! We had a great time kicking some Marine aviator butts in cricket (darts) out on the town after the exercise....You are truly missed Sandman and I think about you now and again when I re-tell that story.

Rest in Peace Sandman
Joe, Aug 21, 2011 - 04:57 AM

Flew with Keith in 89/90 ... his joy, enthusiasm, and skills were readily apparent. I'll never forget his excitement of getting that F111 on Assignment Night. God Speed Sandman ... you remain in my thoughts and prayers ...

A fine unique gentleman
Daniela-Buzzardoia, Mar 10, 2012 - 12:24 AM

I'm Italian and knew Him when my son Patrick was born back in 1996. Still have the Baci Perugina Blu Box He gave me as a gift for His birth.

I remember Him like a gentle and smiling very good person!!!!! Funny that I've found this page on this month, a few days before His death anniversary....I'll never forget you sweetheart.....Baci. Daniela.

"Lt Sands you have the aircraft"
SweetPea, Mar 19, 2012 - 02:38 AM

Went to pilot training with Keith at Willie. He had a bad week in the T-37 and always wore the sandals. Had our 20th UPT reunion not so long ago. He is the missing link from our class. Not forgotten at all.

March 25 2012
SweetPea, Mar 25, 2012 - 05:08 PM

Throwing a nickel on the grass for you today buddy.

Duck, Mar 25, 2012 - 05:32 PM

Keith and I were in LIFT and H20 Survival together. I later ran into him while at FTU. Great guy, Great Warrior, Greatly missed!

Great friend
butchf16, Mar 27, 2012 - 02:30 AM

Sandman was a great person to go through pilot training with. He was always funny and ready for a good time on the weekends when it was time to blow off steam! We would hit the pilot bar at Willie on Friday and Mill avenue on Saturday! His unique taste in women was a challenge for him in Phoenix, but he always found a way. I was flying yesterday and thought about you often. I miss those fun times, and I miss you buddy. Cheers!

Lt Sands
SweetPea, Mar 27, 2013 - 03:03 AM

And another nickel...

God speed, Keith!
Cliff L. Higgs, Jul 07, 2015 - 07:37 PM

I met Keith in Stillwater while we were both students at Oklahoma State University. He lived in the same apartment complex I did and we played on the same floor hockey team. He was always in a great mood, laughing and joking around and we hit it off reallly well.

When I found out he was gone, I couldn't believe it. He had accomplished his goal of becoming a pilot in the USAF and didn't get to enjoy it like he should have. Farewell, Keith. You were a great guy and are truly missed.

Go Pokes,

Cliff Higgs, OSU Class of 1988

Cole, Feb 22, 2018 - 11:49 PM

Lost but not forgotten.

You the man.....in heaven.......
Ssgt Jeff Alexander, Apr 04, 2018 - 11:15 PM

I just heard our jam-pump up the volume by M.A.R.R.S, I really miss you Keith. you knew how to party fo sho!! I keep thinking I'm going to see you driving around Tulsa,ok and ill hear ya say lets roll!! RIP.

OSU Days and ROTC
Steve Nichols, Jan 06, 2019 - 10:38 PM

Just thinking of you today buddy! What a loss. We had a great time at OSU. Same major and a lot of classes together and many laughs. Will never forget those low levels we flew together in the 152 and how we dreamed of becoming Air Force pilots. Only you could figure out a way to float from the front seat of a 152 to the back and then to the front again. We had a lot of good times for sure! Will never forget making our presentation together in a college class and could not stop laughing at each other doing it! Still got an A on it because the instructor liked us so much. Who could not like Kieth? He always had me laughing!!!! What a joy to have known you! You will never be forgotten.

Final Mission Brief
SSgt Henry, Feb 13, 2019 - 02:50 AM

I remembered briefing Capt Sands that night. He was a very cool dude, respectful, funny and bright. I still think about you brother....Rest in Peace.

Kramer gets me through Memorial Day
Jim “Bug” Spray, May 28, 2019 - 02:28 PM

Sandman handed off Snacko to me when I got to the 55 FS. We flew together. We lost track of each other as you do living a life that is hard. We ran into each other at SOS, where we were suite mates. By then he was Kramer. When I get morose and flirt with survivors guilt, I can see him slide though the door wearing those funny fake teeth, hair flipped up, doing his Kramer persona, smiling and telling me “Fuck this sad bull shit, let’s go do something.”

Lost cousin
Shaun M Porter, Mar 26, 2021 - 09:39 AM

Never new Keith but all I know about him is that he is my cousin. Would have loved to meet him and as he is now 23 years passed I wanted to try find as much info about him as possible. If anyone reads this and new Keith would you contact me via email if possible. portershaun35@gmail.com. I also want to thank you all for your kind words.







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