Background
George Phillips was born in Bates County, Missouri on July 14, 1926, and worked on the railroad before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps on April 25, 1944.
George Phillips was born in Bates County, Missouri on July 14, 1926, and worked on the railroad before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps on April 25, 1944.
During the Battle of Iwo Jima, the night of March 14, 1945, Private Phillips was standing guard as the other Marines in his unit were resting. A Japanese soldier tossed a hand-grenade toward the group. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Phillips sacrificed his life by smothering the hand grenade to save the lives of his fellow Marines.
Initially buried in the 5th Marine Division Cemetery on Iwo Jima, Pvt Phillips" remains were reinterred in Bethel Cemetery, Labadie, Missouri, in 1948.
Standing the fox-hole watch while other members of his squad rested after a night of bitter hand grenade fighting against infiltrating Japanese troops, Private Phillips was the only member of his unit alerted when an enemy hand grenade was tossed into their midst.