The story of the bench that once graced the Pacific Railroad Depot stirred up memories of a momentous day in the life of one Labadie resident.
Julie Dutton Jones was ten years old when she and her two brothers and two sisters were, in all probability, lined up on the bench to await the return of the flag-draped casket carrying their uncle. The youngsters were accompanied by their parents Julius and Edna Dutton and their grandfather James O’Brien.
Not only were the two benches filled, the entire depot lobby was a mass of humanity as was the area outside the depot. It seemed to the ten-year-old that everyone in the world was there.
George Phillips was the natural nephew of Julie’s grandmother Lilian O’Brien. When he was two years old, Lillian and her husband James O’Brien adopted George. In addition to his adopted sister Edna, he had two brothers, Arthur and Earl O’Brien.
George enlisted in the Marines when he turned 17 in 1945. He was an 18-year-old marine on Iowa Jima when a grenade was lobbed into the foxhole where he stood guard over his sleeping comrades. Lillian O’Brien died months after she learned of her son’s death.
The young marine shouted a warning and threw himself onto the grenade. He was killed instantly but all his comrades were saved.
His comrades never forgot his heroic act. And they made sure that he was never forgotten. They recommended him for the Congressional Medal of Honor, making him the only Franklin County medal of honor winner and one of the few in the nation.
On February 21, 1946 the entire eastern Franklin County community converged on the Pacific train station to honor the arrival of the fallen hero.
School was dismissed and hordes of school children joined the throng at the depot.
Members of the Labadie, Pacific and Gray Summit American Legion posts escorted remains to the Pacific funeral parlor. They were joined by discharged veteran soldier, sailors and marines who donned their uniforms for the day to honor their friend as he was honored by the nation.
In the funeral service at Old Bethel Church, Labadie a citation from President Harry S. Truman was read. The president’s citation related the hand grenade incident and said, “Private Phillips willingly yielded his own life that his fellow Marines might carry on the relentless battle against a fanatic enemy and his superb valor and unflattering spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.”
One might have thought that such a heart-warming send off wold have laid Pvt. Phillips to rest, but far from it.
Some of his fallen comrades formed the George Phillips Detachment 1214 of the Marine Corps Leagues. To this day, every July on the young hero’s birthday, the George Phillips Detachment honors him with a ceremony in Labadie at the home of his surviving relatives.
“There are quite a few Labadie residents still around who knew him,” Julie said. “It’s amazing to our family, really, that they continue to honor him. They always ask us to join the ceremony and treat us to lunch. At the end the old marines stand and sing the Marine Corps Hymn.”
“The day he was brought home lingers as a faint memory but the story about the depot bench brought it all back.”
Pvt. George Phillips is buried at Old Bethel Cemetery in Labadie.
Enjoyed your article about my Uncle very much! He was only 18 years old when killed.