World War II Honoree

John Lester Phillips

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Taylor, Mississippi

Honored By

Larry E. Carpenter

Relationship

Aviation Historian

SERVED AS A B-24 ‘LIBERATOR’ BOMBER FLIGHT ENGINEER, WHO WAS KILLED OCTOBER 4, 1943 ALONG WITH EIGHT OTHER CREWMEN. WHILE RETURNING TO BASE FROM AN OVER-WATER TRAINING MISSION, THE BOMBER CRASHED DURING AN ATTEMPTED LANDING IN A RAINSTORM AT THE GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI ARMY AIR FIELD. THE BOMBER AND CREW WERE BASED OUT OF PUEBLO ARMY AIR BASE, PUEBLO, COLORADO AND WERE ON A TEMPORARY DUTY ASSIGNMENT (TDY) TO GULF PORT.