Sidney Phillips
Sidney Phillips was born Sept 2, 1924, and enlisted in the USMC the day after Pearl Harbor because the Marines promised to put him “eyeball to eyeball” with the Japanese. Passing beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, he departed his land a nervous 17-year-old. Two years later, when he kissed the docks in San Diego, he had come home a hero. Together Sid and his brothers in the legendary 1st Marine Division won the first epic victory of the war, saved Australia, and stopped the Japanese juggernaut in the Pacific.
Today, Sid enjoys his golden years surrounded by his family. He and his sister, Katharine, have become internationally-known after their notable roles in Ken Burns’ documentary, The War, and the Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg miniseries, The Pacific.
Dear Dr. Phillips:
My family and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing your story in The War. My father Ernest Dennis also fought at Guadalcanal and Pelilue with the First Division. Your story and Eugene Sledge’s were very meaningful to our family.
Thank you so much,
Teresa Harris
Cave Spring, Georgia
SID PHillips I need your help,My father was in THE FIRST DIVISION 7BN . HE WAS 19 WHEN HE LANDED ON PELELIU AND 20 ON OKINAWA. AS HIS SON MY FATHER NEVER TALK ABOUT WAR. I LEAN ABOUT MY DAD FROM HIS FATHER AND MOTHER HIS SISTER.IN O2 MY FATHER WENT A FIRST MARINE DIVISION REUNION WERE HE CAME HOMR WITH CAST TAPE PELELIU IN THE TAPE THER FIVE MARINES .HE KNEW EUGENE SLEDGE AND FOR THE FIRST TIME I GOT MY DADS WAR.MY DAD BROUGH BACK A JAP OFFICER SORD AND PICTURES.MY GRAND FATHER GRAND MOTHER WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10 YEARS OLD SHOW ME AND MY BROTHER IS PICTURES THE SORD.MY DAD ALSO KNEW RVBURGIN.WHEN THEY TOOK THE AIR STRIP IT WAS THAT NIGHT THE JAPS WANTED IT BACK.HAND FULL MARINES IT ALL NIGHT TILL REINFORMENTS NEXT DAY. PLEASE IF YOU COULD FIND OUT ABOUT THAT NIGHT AND THE JAP SORD.MY DAD PASS ON IN 10/12/05,I HOPE THAT TOM AND STEVE GOT IT PACIFIC. LIKE HIS SON 60 YEAR OLD MARINE I WISH YOU BEST.MY DAD CLP EDWARD SINCLAIR PH 973 279 4434 CEL 201 745 1218