H.R. No. 2639
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Words cannot adequately express the sorrow felt at
the loss of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Francis Gene Phillips IV of
Meridian, New York, who died in Afghanistan on May 4, 2013, at the
age of 28; and
WHEREAS, Assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Battalion, 36th Infantry, 1st Armored Division out of Fort Bliss,
Staff Sergeant Phillips was one of five soldiers killed when their
vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device in Maiwand,
Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, Frankie Phillips was born in Oakland, California, on
August 18, 1984, to Francis G. Phillips III and Cherie Forslund
Phillips; after graduating from Oceanside High School, he moved
with his family to Meridian, New York, and then to nearby Auburn in
2003; he enlisted in the army in 2004 and trained at Fort Benning,
Georgia; in 2005, he was deployed to Iraq, and in 2007, he began a
15-month deployment to Afghanistan, returning in 2009 for 12 more
months; after training at the Ranger School, Staff Sergeant
Phillips was stationed at Fort Bliss, and in December 2012, he
returned to Afghanistan as the Reconnaissance Platoon team leader;
and
WHEREAS, His commendations include the Bronze Star Medal, the
Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal with Valor device, the
Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Army
Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Good Conduct
Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Global War on Terrorism Service
Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal
with a campaign star, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a
campaign star, the NATO Medal, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the
Parachutist Badge, and the Combat Infantryman Badge; and
WHEREAS, Although the tragic death of this brave young man is
a sobering reminder of the cost of war, Frankie Phillips embodied
the highest ideals of the U.S. armed forces, and those who knew and
loved him will forever carry him close in their hearts; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of U.S. Army Staff
Sergeant Francis Gene Phillips IV and extend sincere condolences to
the members of his family: to his wife, Christine Phillips; to his
daughter, Sophia Phillips; to his mother, Cherie Phillips, and her
fiance, Greg Race; to his father, Francis Phillips III; to his
brother, David Phillips; to his sister, Danielle Nicole Phillips;
to his grandparents, Jonnie Maxson-Manker, Betty Roberts, and Frank
F. Phillips, Jr.; and to his other relatives and friends; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Francis
Gene Phillips IV.
N. Gonzalez of El Paso
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2639 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on May 24, 2013.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House