Marine Lance Cpl. Victor A. Dew
Died October 13, 2010 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom
20, of Granite Bay, Calif.; assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Oct. 13 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations. Also killed were Marines Cpl. Justin J. Cain, Lance Cpl. Joseph E. Rodewald and Lance Cpl. Phillip D. Vinnedge.
4 Pendleton Marines killed in Helmand IED blast
By Gidget Fuentes
Staff writer
Four members of the Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, died Wednesday while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan, the Defense Department announced.
The Marines were killed by an improvised explosive device while they were conducting mounted operations, the 1st Marine Division said in statements that also expressed condolences to the Marines’ families.
The Marines killed:
* Cpl. Justin J. Cain, 22, of Manitowoc, Wis.
Cain, a machine gunner, had enlisted in June 2007. His military awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
* Lance Cpl. Joseph E. Rodewald, 21, of Albany, Ore.
The machine gunner, who enlisted in November 2007, was on his first combat deployment. His awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. His family told the Albany Democrat Herald newspaper that their son, a former high school wrestler and track-and-field athlete, was engaged to be married he would have turned 22 on Oct. 26.
* Lance Cpl. Phillip D. Vinnedge, 19, of Saint Charles, Mo.
The anti-tank assaultman joined the Corps in September 2009. His military awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
* Pfc. Victor A. Dew, 20, of Granite Bay, Calif.
Dew was an anti-tank assaultman on his first deployment since he enlisted in September 2009. He has been awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.