Major General Richard J. O’Keefe’s S&W Victory model
- Thread starter Göring's S&W
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H P Bushrod
Absent Comrade
A great story, a great gun, and a great man. Thanks for sharing.
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Wonderful post, thoroughly enjoyed it!
Probably welded and then polished.
sureshotbob
Member
Great history on the revolver and on the General!!!!
Thanks for the post.
Thanks for the post.
Hello. I am F. Robin O’Keefe, grandson of General Richard Joseph O’Keefe. Joseph Kirk O’Keefe, who sold you this weapon, was my Uncle. A couple of things:
J. K. O’Keefe was known universally as Kirk, both within the family and professionally. He was never called Joe.
The color photograph with the buck is of Kirk, not general O’Keefe
The photograph of the general and his wife Louise (née Shinn, known universally as Mo) was probably taken at the generals home in Alexandria, VA in the late 50s. The lamp in the photograph is mounted on an elephant tusk, shot by General OKeefe on safari in the late 1940s. The lamp is in my possession.
General O’Keefe had a massive gun collection and was an avid hunter, as was Kirk O’Keefe. Incidentally Kirk was nearly killed baling out of a B-17 over Libya in 1948. Kirk had to brothers, my uncle Terrence O’Keefe, and my father, Richard Dennis O’Keefe. Terry was killed in a car accident by a drunk driver in the early fifties. I never knew him.
My father, R. Dennis O’Keefe USAF Lt. Col. (retired), graduated from the Air Force Academy, 1961. He deployed to Vietnam 1964-1965 and flew O-1s as a FAC (forward air controller), receiving two distinguished flying crosses among other decorations. He later worked on the F-15 and ALCM missle programs before retiring in 1981. He had a successful second career at Boeing in Seattle. The ivory-handled .45 1912 Colt he carried in Vietnam is currently in my possession.
Lt. Col. O’Keefe was estranged from his parents and from Kirk from about 1980 on. Kirk had two children, Katherine, who died at 25 due to psychiatric disorder, and Richard O’Keefe, who is a successful medical doctor in New York. As a doctor he has little interest in firearms, having sown up too many trauma patients.
After the death of General O’Keefe there was a reproachment of sorts, and many heirlooms made it to the next generation (like the tusk lamp). However, Kirk was never able to release my grandfathers guns. I and my brother were both interested in this important piece of our heritage, however Kirk chose to liquidate the collection rather than pass it on to us. I attribute this to the deep animosity between Kirk and his brother, my dad Lt. Col. R. D. O’Keefe.
While it saddens me to see this weapon out of the family, this was Kirk’s choice and I respect it. I also deeply appreciate your efforts at establishing provenance of the weapon. This message will assist you in that regard.
Kirk O’Keefe died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the last week of December, 2017.
F. Robin O’Keefe, Ph.D.
Professor
Drinko Distinguished Research Fellow
Marshall University
Huntington, WV
J. K. O’Keefe was known universally as Kirk, both within the family and professionally. He was never called Joe.
The color photograph with the buck is of Kirk, not general O’Keefe
The photograph of the general and his wife Louise (née Shinn, known universally as Mo) was probably taken at the generals home in Alexandria, VA in the late 50s. The lamp in the photograph is mounted on an elephant tusk, shot by General OKeefe on safari in the late 1940s. The lamp is in my possession.
General O’Keefe had a massive gun collection and was an avid hunter, as was Kirk O’Keefe. Incidentally Kirk was nearly killed baling out of a B-17 over Libya in 1948. Kirk had to brothers, my uncle Terrence O’Keefe, and my father, Richard Dennis O’Keefe. Terry was killed in a car accident by a drunk driver in the early fifties. I never knew him.
My father, R. Dennis O’Keefe USAF Lt. Col. (retired), graduated from the Air Force Academy, 1961. He deployed to Vietnam 1964-1965 and flew O-1s as a FAC (forward air controller), receiving two distinguished flying crosses among other decorations. He later worked on the F-15 and ALCM missle programs before retiring in 1981. He had a successful second career at Boeing in Seattle. The ivory-handled .45 1912 Colt he carried in Vietnam is currently in my possession.
Lt. Col. O’Keefe was estranged from his parents and from Kirk from about 1980 on. Kirk had two children, Katherine, who died at 25 due to psychiatric disorder, and Richard O’Keefe, who is a successful medical doctor in New York. As a doctor he has little interest in firearms, having sown up too many trauma patients.
After the death of General O’Keefe there was a reproachment of sorts, and many heirlooms made it to the next generation (like the tusk lamp). However, Kirk was never able to release my grandfathers guns. I and my brother were both interested in this important piece of our heritage, however Kirk chose to liquidate the collection rather than pass it on to us. I attribute this to the deep animosity between Kirk and his brother, my dad Lt. Col. R. D. O’Keefe.
While it saddens me to see this weapon out of the family, this was Kirk’s choice and I respect it. I also deeply appreciate your efforts at establishing provenance of the weapon. This message will assist you in that regard.
Kirk O’Keefe died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the last week of December, 2017.
F. Robin O’Keefe, Ph.D.
Professor
Drinko Distinguished Research Fellow
Marshall University
Huntington, WV
Welcome to the Forum, Dr O'Keefe.
Thank you for updating this post. I know you must be very proud of your family.
Thank you for updating this post. I know you must be very proud of your family.
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