06/29/2026
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Erich R. Phillips served with the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Afghanistan. On Aug. 22, 2007, while stationed at Ranch House Outpost in Nuristan Province, his unit came under attack by 60–80 Taliban fighters. Despite being heavily outnumbered, Phillips helped organize the defense of the remote outpost, directing mortar fire, aiding wounded soldiers, and rescuing a trapped soldier while under heavy enemy fire. The base ultimately held and all American soldiers survived the attack. For his actions that day, Phillips was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 2008. He later received a Silver Star for bravery during a separate engagement in Afghanistan.
