William Arthur Kimsey, Jr
Chief Warrant Officer
220TH AVN CO (RECON), 212TH AVN BN, 16TH AVN GROUP, 1ST AVIATION BDE, USARV
Army of the United States
Reliance, Tennessee
January 09, 1947 to January 11, 1974
(Incident Date January 21, 1968)
WILLIAM A KIMSEY Jr is on the Wall at Panel 35E, Line 7

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William A Kimsey
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21 Nov 2001

I have worn the POW/MIA bracelet of CWO William Kimsey for many years
and I have never heard anything about him other than he was a
pilot and was shot down.

I think he originated from NC or Kentucky. I have tried to contact
his family through other internet means and nothing.
I can certainly understand the reluctance especially in this day and age.
But I would at least like to give a face to my bracelet.

I currently have it wrapped around the neck
of a TY Beanie Baby called Hope! This BB gave my Mother such
comfort when she was suffering from Ovarian Cancer that I thought
it only fitting to place my bracelet on it too.

God Bless Mr. Kimsey and the U.S.A.
Suzie Redner
suzierednr@aol.com


 
26 Jun 2006

I love you, dad, very much. You're in my mind every day. I visit the Wall every chance I get when its close to where I live. Next May I plan on visiting your grave and finally getting the chance to say goodbye even though we never met. My mom told me a lot about you as your mother and father did. Just wish I could have met you. I'm 40 now and have a wonderful husband and 3 beautiful daughters. Love and miss you very much. Love you always, your daughter TuesDay.

From his daughter,
TuesDay L. Henderson
tuty_38@yahoo.com


 

Notes from The Virtual Wall

On 21 January 1968, Warrant Officer William A. Kimsey of the Army's 220th Recon Aviation Company and a Marine artillery observer, Captain Charles J. Ramsay (HQ Co, HQ Bn, 3rd MarDiv), launched in an O-1D Birddog spotter aircraft (tail number 57-2930). Their job was to provide spotting for a naval gunfire mission directed against a North Vietnamese antiaircraft site within the Demilitarized Zone.

While directing the ship's gunfire, WO Kimsey radioed that his aircraft had been hit by enemy fire. No further transmissions were heard. Other aircraft in the area conducted immediate search and rescue operations, but were unable to locate either the downed aircraft or its two crewmen.

On 11 January 1974, almost a year after the US POW release, the Secretary of the Army approved a Presumptive Finding of Death for Warrant Officer Kimsey and his status was changed from MIA to Killed in Action, Body not Recovered. Charles Ramsay was carried as MIA until 20 June 1978 and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel while in that status.

On 01 January 1998 the Vietnamese government returned two sets of human remains, and on 19 July 2001 the United States government was able to announce that the remains were those of Warrant Officer Kimsey and Captain Ramsay.

Warrant Officer Kimsey is buried in Site 6414, Section 60, Arlington National Cemetery. According to the Veterans' Administration, LtCol Charles Ramsay rests next to him.

Photo courtesy of M. R. Patterson, 23 April 2004
arlingtoncemetery.net


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