The Marine Corps household misplaced one in all its personal when veteran Steven M. Lipscomb, who had survived a roadside bomb whereas serving in Iraq, was killed attempting to avoid wasting a crew of coal miners in West Virginia.
An Act of Bravery
The accident occurred on Nov. 8 on the Rolling Thunder Mine in Nicholas County. In accordance with the Division of Battle, the incident occurred whereas miners had been conducting routine work on the mine. Instantly, a considerable amount of water rushed into the shaft, trapping crew members inside. Lipscomb, managing the crew, jumped in to rescue his staff and was final seen attempting to make them security. Whereas all different miners had been capable of escape with their lives, Lipscomb didn’t make it out.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey stated a search and rescue group spent 5 days on the lookout for Lipscomb to no avail. Upon affirmation that the veteran had died, Morrisey ordered the state’s flags to fly at half-staff to honor the fallen Marine.
“All of West Virginia mourns the lack of this brave man,” Morrisey stated in a Nov. 14 proclamation. “He spent his closing moments making certain his males may escape to security.”
Lipscomb embraced the Marine Corps credo of “no man left behind” till his closing moments.
“Lipscomb, the foreman, stood his floor till each member of his crew was evacuated,” Morrisey stated. “The water crammed the shaft, making escape not possible. For 5 days, crews labored across the clock to rescue Lipscomb, however sadly, he didn’t survive,” Morrisey stated.
He went on to say, “Our coal miners symbolize among the most brave amongst us, and Steve was a testomony to that.”
Injured in Iraq
Within the navy, Lipscomb made it via the First Battle of Fallujah in April 2004 unscathed, solely to be wounded per week later when a Humvee he was in struck a roadside bomb, in line with his obituary.
His spouse Heather Lipscomb stated he acquired a medical discharge from the Marine Corps as a lamce corporal within the spring of 2005 as a consequence of extreme accidents suffered from the blast. The couple married quickly after he returned residence to West Virginia and so they celebrated their twentieth marriage ceremony anniversary earlier this yr.
Following information of his tragic demise, reward for Lipscomb’s closing act of heroism unfold all through the navy.
“Retired Marine Steve Lipscomb represents the perfect of our American navy and embodies the hero spirit,” Secretary of Battle Pete Hegseth stated in a press release. “This Purple Coronary heart recipient and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran protected his nation and group till the final day.”
Hegseth stated Lipscomb’s sacrifice ought to function a mannequin for others.
“Steve’s life will eternally be an instance of service and sacrifice for myself and for all who serve. My prayers stay with the Lipscomb household; your father, husband and son won’t ever be forgotten,” he stated.
Vice President JD Vance, who served as a Marine from 2003-2007, referred to as Lipscomb a “nice American.”
“Semper Fi, Steve,” Vance posted on social media.
Semper Fi or Semper Fidelis is a Latin time period that means “All the time Devoted,” which turned the Marine Corps motto.
Name to Serve After 9/11
Following the footsteps of many People, Lipscomb seen the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist assaults as a name to motion.
He signed up for the Marine Corps and was assigned to the infantry in 2002 the place he turned a rifleman.
His spouse Heather stated his Marine coaching ready him to face dire conditions, all the time striving for a solution to succeed. On Nov. 8, whereas he was capable of save his complete crew, it value him his life.
“I feel Steven was a really selfless individual,” she stated. “He had 17 males on his crew within the coal mines. He was extra frightened about all people else getting out and attending to security, greater than he was involved about himself.”
Along with his navy profession wrapped up, Lipscomb joined his brother, Joseph, within the coal mines in 2006. Actually not a simple job, however steeled from his time within the Marines, Lipscomb carried out nicely, incomes a promotion to foreman in 2015.
“Steve constructed a distinguished profession and earned the deep respect of his fellow miners,” his obituary states.
Alongside together with his Purple Coronary heart, Lipscomb earned a International Battle on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Nationwide Protection Service Medal and several other different honors.
Lipscomb, who would have celebrated his forty third birthday on Nov. 28, leaves behind his spouse and two teenage daughters, 13 and 17.
A funeral service shall be held Nov. 22 in Lipscomb’s hometown of Elkview, West Virginia.
