Captain Phillips was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in Korea on 27 November 1950.

For his leadership and valor, Captain Phillips was awarded the Navy Cross, 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.