Missing Vietnam vet to get funeral 46 years later

FLORENCE, S.C. (AP) — A Florence native will finally be laid to rest next month, more than 46 years after he went missing during the Vietnam War.

The Morning News of Florence reports (http://bit.ly/KmUdjq ) reports U.S. Air Force Col. Derrell Jeffords was identified by a special military team that found remains around where the AC-47D aircraft he was flying went down on Christmas Eve 1965 in Laos. Four other missions only found equipment from the airplane.

Jeffords’ daughter Deryl Ford had just turned 13 when her 40-year-old father disappeared. She says the family is very relieved to have a funeral for her father.

Jeffords and other crew members from the plane will be buried July 9 in a group ceremony at July Arlington National Cemetery.

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Information from: Morning News, http://www.scnow.com