PRIVATE FIRST CLASS
JIMMY W. PHIPPS, USMC (DECEASED) 
 

Medal of Honor Citation

Jimmy W. Phipps, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam in May 1969, was born 1 November 1950, in Santa Monica, California. He attended Marina Del Ray Junior High School in Culver City, California and Venice High School in Venice, California.

He left high school to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 3 January 1968, and was discharged 7 January to enlist in the Regular Marine Corps.

He completed recruit training with the 2d Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California, on 14 March 1968. Transferred to the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California, he underwent individual combat training with Company L, 2d Battalion, 2d Infantry Training Regiment, followed by basic infantry training which he completed in May 1968.

From June until August 1968, he was a student with the Marine Aviation Detachment, Naval Air Technical Training Command, Memphis, Tennessee. Transferred to Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, he attended the Marine Corps Engineer Schools, until the following October. He was promoted to private first class, 1 October 1968.

In December 1968, he was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam where he served as a combat engineer with Company B, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division. While participating in combat in the vicinity of An Hoa on 27 May 1969, he was killed in action.

A complete list of his medals and decorations include: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart with Gold Star in lieu of a second award, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze star, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Vietnam War Medal of Honor