KIA
Marine Corps Pfc., posthumously promoted to Lance Corporal, Phelps was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. Phelps was shot while battling insurgents in Ramadi west of Baghdad. Chance moved to Colorado with his mother while still in grade school. He often came to Dubois, Wyoming in the summer to see his father. He attended high school in Craig, Colorado before transferring to Palisade, Colorado as a senior, graduating in 2003. While in school, he joined the football team, earned a letter and joined the Marine Corps. In joining the military he knew the dangers but he said he absolutely had to go – he had to do something. He was deployed to Iraq just over a month ago. Chance drew people to him with his humor. He was very positive, very funny and loved to make people laugh. He was the biggest and toughest kid in school, but he didn't throw his size around. Easy going and with a smile on his face is how fellow students remember him. He loved to hunt, fish and spend summers with his dad in Dubois. Chance was an artillery cannoneer and his unit was acting as provisional military police. He had volunteered to man a .50 caliber machine gun in the turret of the leading vehicle in a convoy. The convoy came under intense fire but Chance held his position and returned fire, covering the rest of the convoy until he was fatally wounded. When he was killed on Good Friday, he was wearing his Saint Christopher medal. After he came home, his casket was opened and there lay Pfc Chance Phelps in his immaculate dress blues wearing six ribbons over his marksmanship badge, including his Purple Heart. Now he is home and lies on a hill overlooking his town.
Marine Corps Pfc., posthumously promoted to Lance Corporal, Phelps was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. Phelps was shot while battling insurgents in Ramadi west of Baghdad. Chance moved to Colorado with his mother while still in grade school. He often came to Dubois, Wyoming in the summer to see his father. He attended high school in Craig, Colorado before transferring to Palisade, Colorado as a senior, graduating in 2003. While in school, he joined the football team, earned a letter and joined the Marine Corps. In joining the military he knew the dangers but he said he absolutely had to go – he had to do something. He was deployed to Iraq just over a month ago. Chance drew people to him with his humor. He was very positive, very funny and loved to make people laugh. He was the biggest and toughest kid in school, but he didn't throw his size around. Easy going and with a smile on his face is how fellow students remember him. He loved to hunt, fish and spend summers with his dad in Dubois. Chance was an artillery cannoneer and his unit was acting as provisional military police. He had volunteered to man a .50 caliber machine gun in the turret of the leading vehicle in a convoy. The convoy came under intense fire but Chance held his position and returned fire, covering the rest of the convoy until he was fatally wounded. When he was killed on Good Friday, he was wearing his Saint Christopher medal. After he came home, his casket was opened and there lay Pfc Chance Phelps in his immaculate dress blues wearing six ribbons over his marksmanship badge, including his Purple Heart. Now he is home and lies on a hill overlooking his town.
KIA
Marine Corps Pfc., posthumously promoted to Lance Corporal, Phelps was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. Phelps was shot while battling insurgents in Ramadi west of Baghdad. Chance moved to Colorado with his mother while still in grade school. He often came to Dubois, Wyoming in the summer to see his father. He attended high school in Craig, Colorado before transferring to Palisade, Colorado as a senior, graduating in 2003. While in school, he joined the football team, earned a letter and joined the Marine Corps. In joining the military he knew the dangers but he said he absolutely had to go – he had to do something. He was deployed to Iraq just over a month ago. Chance drew people to him with his humor. He was very positive, very funny and loved to make people laugh. He was the biggest and toughest kid in school, but he didn't throw his size around. Easy going and with a smile on his face is how fellow students remember him. He loved to hunt, fish and spend summers with his dad in Dubois. Chance was an artillery cannoneer and his unit was acting as provisional military police. He had volunteered to man a .50 caliber machine gun in the turret of the leading vehicle in a convoy. The convoy came under intense fire but Chance held his position and returned fire, covering the rest of the convoy until he was fatally wounded. When he was killed on Good Friday, he was wearing his Saint Christopher medal. After he came home, his casket was opened and there lay Pfc Chance Phelps in his immaculate dress blues wearing six ribbons over his marksmanship badge, including his Purple Heart. Now he is home and lies on a hill overlooking his town.
Marine Corps Pfc., posthumously promoted to Lance Corporal, Phelps was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. Phelps was shot while battling insurgents in Ramadi west of Baghdad. Chance moved to Colorado with his mother while still in grade school. He often came to Dubois, Wyoming in the summer to see his father. He attended high school in Craig, Colorado before transferring to Palisade, Colorado as a senior, graduating in 2003. While in school, he joined the football team, earned a letter and joined the Marine Corps. In joining the military he knew the dangers but he said he absolutely had to go – he had to do something. He was deployed to Iraq just over a month ago. Chance drew people to him with his humor. He was very positive, very funny and loved to make people laugh. He was the biggest and toughest kid in school, but he didn't throw his size around. Easy going and with a smile on his face is how fellow students remember him. He loved to hunt, fish and spend summers with his dad in Dubois. Chance was an artillery cannoneer and his unit was acting as provisional military police. He had volunteered to man a .50 caliber machine gun in the turret of the leading vehicle in a convoy. The convoy came under intense fire but Chance held his position and returned fire, covering the rest of the convoy until he was fatally wounded. When he was killed on Good Friday, he was wearing his Saint Christopher medal. After he came home, his casket was opened and there lay Pfc Chance Phelps in his immaculate dress blues wearing six ribbons over his marksmanship badge, including his Purple Heart. Now he is home and lies on a hill overlooking his town.
Bio by: Brenda N
Inscription
Beloved Son and Brother
Sempir Fidelis
We'll always know you tall and free beyond the glowing sky
So fly away, Young Warrior, we'll see you by and by...
United States Marine Corps Bronze Star with Valor
KIA, Al Anbar, Iraq, April 9, 2004
