Those who have traveled from the main side of the Twentynine Palms Combat Center to Camp Wilson drive on Phillips Road. What they may not know is that Phillips Road was named after a Navy Seabee who lost his life in a tragic accident while building the road more than 40 years ago. Managing editor Tami Roleff says last month, his sister came out to re-visit the place where her brother lost his life…
In 1976, Navy Seabee Victor Phillips arrived at the Combat Center with his unit to build a new road between mainside and Camp Wilson. During the construction, Phillips was killed in August while performing maintenance on a rock spreader. His parents and younger sister Melonia came to the base in December of 1976 for a ceremony that dedicated the road in his name. Last month, Melonia Phillips Anderson and her husband re-visited the site, along with retired Colonel Billy Bouldin of Twentynine Palms, who was chief of staff in 1976 and oversaw construction of the airfield and the road; as well as with other current and former Marines. They stopped by the monument dedicated to Phillips where 24 Seabee collar emblems are embedded in the concrete. Anderson said she was overwhelmed by the honor and respect that has been shown to her brother.
“It means a lot that the monument and the road are still here, and that Vic is remembered in a positive way.”
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/302829/sister-fallen-seabee-visits-combat-center
