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 USS O'Bannon (DD-450). For his conspicuous gallantry during the crucial stages of the Solomon Islands campaign, Philip was awarded the Silver Star Medal and USS O'Bannon (DD-450) received the Presidential Unit Citation.

USS Twiggs
Commander Philip was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism while commanding USS Twiggs (DD-591) 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 USS Twiggs (DD-591) 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 and 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:

Family
Commander Philip had a sister, Jean (b. 1914) and a brother, Robert (1915 – 1943). His brother, Major Robert Philip, was a United States Marine Corps Aviator in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Robert was also lost at sea when his aircraft went down 24 June 1943 in the Samoan Islands near Manono Island.

Commander George Philip Jr. was survived by his parents, George and Isle Philip, his wife Margaret Taussig-Philip (daughter of Vice admiral Joseph Taussig), his daughter Margaret "Snow" Philip and his son George Philip III. His daughter Snow Philip was the ship sponsor of USS George Philip (FFG-12) at the ceremonial ship launching on 16 December 1978. In June 1999, Snow Philip and George Philip III joined with a group of USS Twiggs (DD-591) survivors aboard USS George Philip (FFG-12) in Okinawa. The group sailed on the frigate to the USS Twiggs (DD-591) wreck site and held a memorial ceremony for the sailors lost in 1945, at the site of the sinking. At the end of the ceremony, Commander Philip's children left their mother Margaret's ashes at the site where their father had been lost at sea over 50 years earlier.

Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron (1900 – 1942) was the brother of Alice Island Waldron-Philip and an uncle of George Philip Jr. LCDR Waldron was lost at sea 4 June 1942 during the Battle of Midway.

Awards
Commander George Philip Jr. received the Navy Cross, Silver Star Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, American Defense Service Medal, and the Purple Heart.

Navy Cross Citation
The Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet awarded Philip the Navy Cross for actions as Commanding Officer, USS Twiggs (DD-591) from 25 March 1945 to 16 June 1945 with the following citation:

Silver Star Citation
The Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet awarded Philip the Silver Star for actions as Executive Officer, USS O'Bannon (DD-450) from 10 January 1943 to 6 April 1943 with the following citation: