Willis Junius Phillips was born on May 5, 1920, in Laurens County, South Carolina. He was the son of Willis R. Phillips and Lila Owens Phillips. He was married to Ruth Starnes Wherry. He attended Clinton High School. He served in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, as a Sergeant during World War II.

On September 17, 1944, paratroopers were deployed to seize key bridges before German forces could destroy them. Company D of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which had previously taken part in the D-Day landings in Normandy on June 6, was dropped near Son with orders to secure the bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal and then push south toward Eindhoven. As they approached, the Germans demolished the bridge. Sergeant Phillips was killed in action that day near Son. He is now buried in the Rosemont Cemetery, Clinton, Laurens County, South Carolina, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.honorstates.org