BROCKPORT, NY, U.S.A.
U.S. MARINE CORPS
CAPT, H&S CO, 2D BN, 3D MAR,(RCT-1, I MEF FWD), 3D MAR DIV, KANEOHE BAY, HI
06/26/2008, KARMAH, IRAQ
CPT Philip J. Dykeman, a decorated Marine from Brockport was killed Thursday in Iraq.
A man dressed in a police uniform detonated an explosive belt during a meeting of tribal sheiks and community leaders opposed to al-Qaeda in Iraq. The bombing occurred just two days before U.S. officials planned to formally hand over security responsibility for Anbar to the Iraqis, marking a major milestone in the transformation of a province that had been the most violent in Iraq.
CPT Dykeman graduated from P. V. Moore High School and earned his associate’s degree at Brockport Community College. He completed his B.A. degree at Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY in May 1999. In June 1999 Philip accepted a commission as a 2LT in the Marine Corps. CPT Dykeman, his wife and three children went to Hawaii in May 2007.
“I am not a Marine, but I Run for one.” These are the words of Andrew Bateman whose friend and cousin CPT Philip J. Dykeman USMC was killed in Iraq June 26, 2008. Phil died at the young age of 38 leaving behind his wife and 3 children, and an extended family stretching across the country that miss him dearly with every passing day.
‘Captain Phil’, as his troops called him, served as a Marine for 17 years. His service took him to over 20 countries across the world. CPT Dykeman gave his life for our country.
Philip was a wonderful husband and father, golfing buddy and soldier. The people of the Oneida Lake region welcomed home one of their sons with one of the most touching tributes anyone can remember. For 15 miles, hundreds lined Route 49 with red, white and blue. Firefighters, Boy Scouts, Veterans of Foreign Wards, the American Legion, the Patriot Guard, and many others waved American and Marine Corps flags waiting for Philip’s funeral procession to pass by.
Comments