He graduated from the academy in 1940 and was commissioned a
Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery branch of the United States Army (ASN: O-22939). In 1941 he served as a battery officer at
Fort Stotsenburg on
Luzon in the
Philippine Islands. As a prisoner of war he survived the sinking of two ships that were bombed by allied aircraft that were unaware that the ships were carrying prisoners. In the late 1950s he would serve as the action officer for the implementation of the 1958 DoD Reorganization Act, was assigned to the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, and then as special assistant and executive to the Director of the Joint Staff. He attended and graduated from the
National War College in 1960 and then served as Deputy Commander of
I Corps Artillery in Korea until 1961. He retired from the army in 1966.
Dates of Rank and his staff in 1942. Phillips is standing in the middle of the photo on the left. • June 11, 1940: Second Lieutenant (
RA) • October 10, 1941:
First Lieutenant (
AUS) • December 19, 1941:
Captain (AUS) • April 13, 1942:
Major (AUS) • August 20, 1945:
Lieutenant Colonel (AUS) • July 15, 1948: Captain (RA) • August 29, 1952: Major (RA) • June 7, 1957:
Colonel (AUS) • June 11, 1960: Lieutenant Colonel (RA) • May 30, 1964: Brigadier General (AUS) • June 11, 1965: Colonel (RA) • June 1966: Brigadier General (retired) ==Post military service==