Schoener, Richard Phillip
Male
Verified Cpl. Richard Phillip Schoener, 22, of Hayes, Louisiana, was a U.S. Marine killed in action in Afghanistan on May 8, 2005. He served with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
Their Story
Richard Phillip Schoener was a 22-year-old Marine corporal from Hayes, Louisiana. He was assigned to Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, which was operating in Afghanistan's Laghman Province as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
On May 8, 2005, Schoener was killed during combat operations in the Alishang district. The Department of Defense announced his death the following day. A Marine Corps press release stated he died from wounds sustained while his unit was engaged by enemy small-arms fire.
His battalion was conducting counter-insurgency operations in eastern Afghanistan at the time. The area was known for militant activity, and U.S. forces frequently patrolled to disrupt enemy networks and improve security.
Schoener's death was one of several suffered by the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines during their 2004-2005 deployment. The unit lost a total of 14 Marines and a Navy corpsman during that tour, which included intense fighting in regions like Laghman and Kunar provinces.
He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. His name is inscribed on Panel 10, Line 99 of the Afghanistan War Memorial at the Marine Corps Museum and on other memorials honoring the fallen from Louisiana.
Explore Further
Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led combat mission in Afghanistan, began in October 2001 and concluded in December 2014. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy.
