CPT Philip Stuart Menagh

courtesy of Chuck Metcalf

CPT Philip Stuart Menagh was born 20 Oct 1944 in Toledo, Ohio, the son of Harry Beresford Bateman and Margaret Hannah (Long) Menagh. His father worked as an associate professor and engineer at several places across the country.

He attended Franklin High School in Franklin, Indiana and Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. 

Philip entered the Marine Corps on 28 Mar 1966 and was commissioned on 1 Apr 1967. While serving with the United States Marine Corps in Vietnam, then 2LT Menagh was awarded the Silver Star.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Philip Stuart Menagh (MCSN: 0-103686), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Platoon Commander with Company F, Second Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces in the Republic of Vietnam. On 22 March 1968, during Operation WORTH in Quang Nam Province, Second Lieutenant Menagh's platoon suddenly came under heavy small arms, automatic weapons and rocket fire from an enemy ambush force, wounding several Marines and temporarily pinning down the platoon. Completely disregarding his own safety, he unhesitatingly moved across the fire-swept area to the point of heaviest contact to maneuver his men into effective firing positions, supervise the care of the wounded and direct a heavy volume of fire against the hostile emplacements. He then led his men in an aggressive attack against the enemy positions. When he located a hostile emplacement that had temporarily slowed the advance, he assaulted the position single handed, armed only with a pistol and hand grenades, killing four enemy soldiers. Inspired by his heroic actions, his men successfully assaulted through the ambush, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy, capturing numerous weapons and forcing the remainder of the hostile soldiers to flee. By his courage, bold leadership and selfless devotion to duty at great personal risk, Second Lieutenant Menagh was instrumental in the accomplishment of his unit's mission and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.

He left the USMC on 1 Jun 1970.  Philip married Nancy Jeanne Minor in Salem, Oregon on 6 Sep 1972. Philip re-entered military service 1 Sep 1972 to 1 Jun 1979 and again 2 Jun 1984. As with many officers from other branches, it was likely that military educational requirements for commissioned officers mandated Philip's entry into the Virginia Army National Guard as an enlisted soldier.  He served as a SSG with B Company 3rd Battalion 116th Infantry Brigade (Separate). On 9 Jun 1984 SSG Menagh was unintentionally shot and killed in a training exercise.

CPT (USMC) Menagh was interred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

His father served in WW2 as RT3C aboard the USS Lyon. His wife has not re-married. The couple had 5 children at least 2 of whom also served in the U.S. military.