Corporal Phares was a member of the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously Wounded in Action by the enemy in South Korea on 9 March 1951 and returned to duty on 2 April 1951. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 27 August 1951.

Phares was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman Badge, 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.