tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276267521101080166.post5703931658624883250..comments2023-10-02T11:21:50.310-04:00Comments on AROUND THE SCUTTLEBUTT: PFC JIMMY PHIPPSMachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02067844122370343813noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276267521101080166.post-40597196020470420092018-07-29T11:48:25.031-04:002018-07-29T11:48:25.031-04:00Hi there. I found this post through a google searc...Hi there. I found this post through a google search. I am trying to locate someone to connect my father-in-law, who works at MCAS Miramar, with someone from PFC Phipps family. A barracks dedicated to him was torn down and the dedication plaque was going to be thrown away. He rescued the brass plaque from that fate in hopes his family would want it. Please contact me directly so that I can share contact information. SDMikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05881588052801047989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276267521101080166.post-44388268384783762902011-06-08T00:49:46.759-04:002011-06-08T00:49:46.759-04:00I won't go into the fog of war and how that of...I won't go into the fog of war and how that often clouds the events of the past. The fact is that Jimmy Phipps was the best damn combat engineer I had seen then and to now. I stood by Jimmy that day assisting him with the C 4 and det cord. I recall the facts accurately burned into my psyche. A mix of awe and scar. Jimmy had an out. Just to his left was a paddie dike. He stood between the dike and myself the grenade directly between us. I thought he was going to dive over and reach the safety of the 6ft.deep plus paddie to his immediate left. I would have done it myself but I figured it would be 2 sets of ass & elbows scrambling for the same spot. It was closer to him. I didn't want two of us deterring the other from reaching the safety of cover resulting in no one making it. So I turned taking 3 long quick steps and the counting as I ran ( figuring I had about 5 seconds) thought I may get 2 more steps in prior to the grenade detonating). I stayed low. On the third step I glanced back expecting to see Jimmy ass and heels over the dike. What I saw stopped me cold in my tracks. Jimmy was watching me and dropping to his knees holding the edges of his flack jacket out as he covered the grenade with his body and flack jacket. Our eyes met, me frozen in my tracks. Jimmy broke the stare looking away likeley hoping it would set me running again. It did! One step, two. At first I didn't hear the the explosion. the blast came ahead of the sound. It drove over the ground me I don't know how many meters like I had been shot from a canon. I only heard the blast right before I went out. As I regained my senses I could hear the skipper Frank Saterfield ( best Frickin Line Commander Vietnam ever saw) barking out orders securing the perimeter. My name Is Martin Yancosky. I was Charlie 1/4 Air control & known as Sky. If that initial explosive had blown 20 of us would have been lost. PFC Jimmy Phipps was 18 years old. It was his watch as the ( combat engineer) he considered the situation his responsibility. Without hesitation Jimmy stepped up. Not a second thought. His only concern for the safety of his fellow Marines that trusted him. He refused to take the easy way out. He could have, it was right there to his immediate left ( a simple kick and a jump to safety). My injuries were only concussive. A bit of delay speech for the next month or so. I had been in Vietnam three weeks. I never allowed myself again to get emotionally close to any one . I think of Jimmy every day. I try to live my life so it is worth his loss although I know nothing can make up for it. I'm keenly aware of my responsibility and debt to Jimmy. I have had the honor of meeting his family. Better stock you could not find. It's easy to see where JImmy got his sense of responsibility and courage from. His Mom Verna Is an inspiration herself. May 27, 1969 maybe 1600 -1700 hours. We lost Jimmy in the Arizona at Thue Thien (spelling). It is burned in my mind & soul. That day is marked by tragedy and citation but there are countless times not documented that PFC Jimmy Phipps save countless lives even prior to his fatal injuries. Just in those short 3 weeks I cannot remember doing Medivac caused by bobby traps I had to do if Jimmy was our combat engineer. He was that good, the Best of the Best. He is sorely missed. He clearly taught us all a lesson in valor. The spirit of the Corps at its bestakaMarvinPlayerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04869946085510890539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276267521101080166.post-38153738800037048462010-02-24T17:41:33.123-05:002010-02-24T17:41:33.123-05:00my father was in Vietnam and he remembers Jimmy fr...my father was in Vietnam and he remembers Jimmy from high school. He remembers him joining as a buddy team with another really good friend Paul Russell was that one of the men that was saved by him??Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15872956943613436833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1276267521101080166.post-40356808183015671882009-06-04T04:43:02.104-04:002009-06-04T04:43:02.104-04:00Mac, that was again a moving story of heroism. One...Mac, that was again a moving story of heroism. One of the things I have really enjoyed about this series is the way in which you paint the men you served with. Hollywood loves to villify Vietnam vets. It is good to hear that they were as honorable as our soliders always have been.<br /><br />When you publish these, I want a signed copy!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02670804686736764846noreply@blogger.com