Commander George Philip, Jr.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Philip_Jr.

George Philip Jr. (14 April 1912 – 16 June 1945) was a United States Navy Commander and recipient of the Navy Cross and Silver Star. He died during a kamikaze attack while commanding USS Twiggs (DD-591). The Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS George Philip (FFG-12) was named in his honor.

Biography

George Philip Jr. was born in Fort Pierre, South Dakota, on 14 April 1912 to George Philip (1880 – 1948), a Scottish immigrant from Morayshire, Scotland and Alice Island "Isle" Waldron (1890 – 1972), of part Oglala Lakota descent and also born in Fort Pierre. He was known as Geordie. He attended the South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City, South Dakota before his appointment to the United States Naval Academy. After completion of the course of instruction at the Naval Academy, he was commissioned an Ensign on 6 June 1935. Ensign Philip continued to progress in grade until his promotion to Commander on 4 September 1944. During this period he served under a variety of commands including: USS Mississippi (BB-41) (1935–37), USS California (BB-44) (1937–38), USS Ellet (DD-398) (1938–40), USS O'Bannon (DD-450) (1942-43), and Operational Training Command, Pacific Fleet, San Diego, California (1943–44). He then served as Commanding Officer of USS Twiggs (DD-591) (1944–45).

Commander Philip established a skilled fighting reputation while simultaneously serving as the Executive officer, Navigator and Combat Intelligence Officer of the famed O'Bannon. For his conspicuous gallantry during the crucial stages of the Solomon Islands campaign, Philip was awarded the Silver Star Medal and O'Bannon received the Presidential Unit Citation.

USS Twiggs

Commander Philip was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism while commanding Twiggs during an 84-day period of combat near Okinawa. He died following a dusk attack by a Japanese kamikaze aircraft on 16 June 1945. There were 152 dead and missing when Twiggs sank. According to eye witness Chief Machinist's mate Charles F. Schmidt, Commander Philip was last seen mortally wounded, grasping the railing of the bridge trying to stand. Commander Philip went down with the ship along with many of his shipmates and was lost at sea.

On 12 March 1946, Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal stated, during the presentation of the Navy Cross to his widow, Margaret Taussig-Philip:

His courage, fortitude and initiative in the performance of a difficult and hazardous duty characterized Commander Philip as a brilliant leader and seaman, reflecting the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service, he gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.

"Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9V-9451 : 20 August 2018), George Philip and Margaret Stewart Taussig, 24 Jun 1939; from "Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing Norfolk, , Virginia, United States, certificate 16644, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.