On This Day, 13-OCT 2010, We Honor a Fallen Hero
Philip Vinnedge was born 2-22-1991 in Spokane WA. The family later moved to St Charles. His parents were Dave and Julie Vinnedge. He had two brothers; Corey and Jason. He graduated from Francis Howell Central High School in 2009 and attended Lewis and Clark Technical School while in high school.
Philip joined the Marines right after graduation in SEP-2009. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. He attended basic training at Camp Pendleton, CA.
Vinnedge tackled everything with a special focus: Boy Scouts, wrestling, skydiving, welding, trap shooting. They said, he displayed the same drive as a Marine.
Marine Lance Cpl. Phillip D. Vinnedge, 19, of Saint Charles, MO was killed along with three other 3/5 Marines 13-OCT in Helmand province, Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Philip was part of combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. It was his first deployment and he had been there for only two weeks. The four Marines were killed by an improvised explosive device, roadside bomb while they were conducting mounted operations.
The other three Marines killed:
- Cpl. Justin J. Cain, 22, of Manitowoc, WI, was machine gunner, who enlisted in June 2007. His
- Lance Cpl. Joseph E. Rodewald, 21, of Albany, OR. Was a machine gunner, who enlisted in NOV 2007 and was on his first combat deployment.
- Pfc. Victor A. Dew, 20, of Granite Bay, CA. was an anti-tank assault man on his first deployment since he enlisted in September 2009.
Philip was been awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Philip is buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
For more of Philip’s story, click on the pdf below.
