World War II Honoree

Claude B. Phillips

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Mililani, Hawaii

Honored By

Douglas & Pearl Nagoshi

Relationship

Friends

SERVED FROM 1937 TO 1964. PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR, MANNING A MACHINE GUN TO DOWN ONE OF THE JAPANESE ATTACKING PLANES, AWARDED THE SILVER STAR. PART OF A VOLUNTEER ARMY AIR CORPS B-17 BOMBER CREW WHO SUCCESSFULLY PHOTOGRAPHED IN DETAIL JAPANESE MILITARY POSITIONS AT WAKE ISLAND AS WELL AS SHOOTING DOWN SEVERAL ENEMY FIGHTERS, EARNED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS. AS A B-17 FLYING FORTRESS BOMBARDIER AND NAVIGATOR IN THE GUADALCANAL CAMPAIGN, THE SECOND BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA AND 82 OTHER PACIFIC COMBAT MISSIONS, HE WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION AND AIR MEDAL WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER AND OTHER CITATIONS. INDUCTED DECEMBER 5, 1997 INTO THE U.S. ARMY MUSEUM OF HAWAII GALLERY OF HEROES.