Born: August 18, 1984
Died: May 4, 2013, Maiwand, Afghanistan
Staff Sgt. Francis G. Phillips, IV, 28, of Meridian, N.Y., died at age 28 in Maiwand, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when his vehicle was attacked by an enemy improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. Frankie enlisted in the Army on 29 April 2004 in Syracuse, New York. He attended the fourteen-week long Infantry Training Course and Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. Sergeant Phillips’ first duty assignment was to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where on 16 August 2004, he was assigned to 2/504 Infantry Battalion as a Gunner. In September 2005, he deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In January 2007, he served in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom for fifteen months. In August 2009, he returned to Afghanistan as a Section Leader for twelve months. Staff Sergeant Phillips completed Ranger School in January 2011 prior to arriving at Fort Bliss, Texas. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment and was immediately selected to be a Team Leader in the Reconnaissance Platoon. He deployed in December 2012 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal with Honor, the Army Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, the Afghan Campaign Medal with a Campaign Star, the NATO Medal, Expert Infantry Badge, Parachutist Badge and Combat Infantry Badge. ANC
Sources:
(1) Freedom Remembered:
freedomremembered.com/
(2) Obituary with Photo: El Paso Times, El Paso, Texas, May 6, 2013
