Corporal Phillips was a member of Company H, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was Killed in Action while attacking Hill 338 on northern edge of Seoul, South Korea, on 27 September 1950.

Phillips was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.