2nd Lt Eugene (Gene) Francis Phillips served with the 12th Air Force, 82nd Fighter Group, 95th Fighter Squadron. He flew P-38's in the North African Theater: Italy. By 10 July 1943 he had flown 23 missions, 46 sorties and shot down 1 plane. On 25 August 1943 he was shot down by a German ME 109 over Foggia, Italy while flying P-38 (42-2512); MACR 484. He spent the remainder of the war as a POW first in Stalag Luft 3, then transferred to Stalag Luft 7A.