Chief Warrant Officer 4 Samuel Henry Phillips III, United States Army (Ret.), now deceased, is honored posthumously. His wife, Sandy Phillips, accepted the award on his behalf. Sam graduated from Ole Miss and was commissioned in field artillery, entering active duty in 1967. He served a combat tour with the First Cavalry Division in Vietnam, logging over 1,200 hours of combat flying.

Sam's accolades include the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, and 15 Air Medals with the "V" device for valor, the Army Commendation Medal, and two Army Achievement Medals. He retired in April 2003.

On February 8, 1969, while serving as aircraft commander of a command and control helicopter during a combat mission, then-First Lieutenant Phillips exhibited exceptional valor. Despite intense enemy fire, he delivered explosives to an embattled unit and attended to his wounded crew chief. Learning medevac helicopters couldn't land due to hostile fire, he returned and evacuated seriously wounded soldiers. His gallantry reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.