Town Set To Honor LI Airman Who Died In Iraq Crash

CENTER MORICHES, NY — Brookhaven Town officials will gather Saturday to pay tribute to a hometown here who died in service to the United States.

Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine and Councilman Dan Panico will unveil a memorial street sign in honor of late Air Force Major Andreas Brian O’Keeffe, a member of the 106th Rescue Wing in Westhampton, and resident of Anderson Street, in Center Moriches, who died in a helicopter crash in March, 2018, during a combat mission in western Iraq.

The unveling event will take place on Saturday, September 17 at 10 a.m. at the corner of Anderson Street and Winnie Road in Center Moriches.

O'Keeffe, 37, was an HH-60G Pave Hawk pilot. He was a full-time federal civilian employee and an Air Guardsman with the wing's 101st Rescue Squadron. He joined the 106th Rescue Wing in 2013, after serving as an armament systems specialist with the 113th Wing, District of Columbia Air National Guard, and RC-26 pilot with the 174th Attack Wing, Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse. He deployed to Iraq three times, and to Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, and Texas during Hurricane Harvey.

He was one of four heroes from the NY Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing, located at Gabreski Airport in Westhampton, who died in the tragic helicopter crash in Iraq that killed seven airmen.

The airmen killed were identified on March 17; three of them were from Long Island and all were assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing.

The seven-member team died in 2018 when the HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopter they were flying crashed near the city of Al-Qa'im in western Iraq. There was no evidence of enemy action involved in the crash, according to the Department of Defense at the time.

"It is with great sadness that I report the loss of four of our wing members," said Col. Michael Bank, the commander of the 106th Rescue Wing, after the crash.

"All four of these heroes served their nation and community. Our sincerest condolences and sympathies to the families and friends that have been touched by this tragic event," Bank added.

"Our National Guard family mourns the loss of the seven combat search and rescue Airmen in the HH-60 crash, including four members from the 106th Rescue Wing," said Major General Anthony German, the Adjutant General of New York. "This loss reminds us of the tremendous risks we take in serving our nation every day."

"We honor their service, their professionalism, and their sacrifice as we mourn their loss," German added.

The other three heroes from the 106th who lost their lives were:

• • Tech Sgt. Dashan Briggs, 30, a former Riverhead High School football star who lived in Port Jefferson Station. He was an HH-60G special missions aviation flight engineer. He joined the 106th Rescue Wing in 2010. He was a full time military member with the wing and assigned to the 101st Rescue Squadron. He previously deployed to Afghanistan as a munitions system specialist with the 106th Maintenance Group, and to Texas and the Caribbean for hurricanes Harvey and Irma as a member of the 101st. Hundreds turned out in Westhampton Beach for his services, and to pay tribute to his life of service.
• • Master Sgt. Christopher Raguso, 39, of Commack, who was an HH-60G special missions aviation flight engineer. He joined the 106th Rescue Wing in 2001 and was a member of the New York City Fire Department. He was assigned to the wing's 101st Rescue Squadron. He previously deployed to Iraq as a fire protection specialist with the 106th Civil Engineering Squadron, twice to Afghanistan with the 101st, once to the Horn of Africa, and to Texas and the Caribbean for hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
• Capt. Christopher Zanetis, 37, a resident of Long Island City, who was an HH-60G Pave Hawk pilot. He joined the 106th Rescue Wing in 2008 and was assigned to the wing's 101st Rescue Squadron. Zanetis was a member of the New York City Fire Department in civilian life and had recently joined the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton in New York City as an associate. He previously deployed to Iraq in 2011, supporting another HH-60G squadron, and Afghanistan with the 101st.

The other three heroes killed in the crash were identified as Master Sgt. William R. Posch, 36, of Florida; and Staff Sgt. Carl Enis, 31, of Florida, and Capt. Mark K. Weber, 29, of Colorado.