Rank / Rating: F2-Fireman Second Class
Over 7,000 miles away, in a vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, something had happened. USS Indianapolis had been ripped apart by two torpedoes at 12:14 am. Fifteen days would pass before the small town which Aulton Phillips called home received word from the Navy that five of Marion County’s young men had likely perished in the Pacific. Aulton was among them.
Aulton Newell Phillips was born to W.G. (Gid) and Mary Phillips on August 19, 1919. He grew up with his siblings, Connie, Agnes, and Herschel in the county seat of Marion County, Jasper Tennessee. He played football for Marion County High School and later attended Tennessee Polytechnic Institute.
In 1941 Aulton married Aileen Harris and soon after their son Aulton Newell Phillips Jr. was born. He had great plans for his life working alongside his dad supplying the community with needed home goods at W.G. Phillips and Sons General Mercantile. Life was going well for the Phillips family.
In February 1944 Aulton learned his brother-in-law Virgil Boggs had enlisted. Aulton’s draft number was high. He had not been called to service. Rather than wait for his enlistment to be called, he made the decision to enlist alongside Virgil. The two joined the Navy. Virgil was assigned to radar school in Florida while Aulton was sent to the United States Naval Training Station at Great Lakes, Illinois. He graduated March 31, 1944 joining the crew of Indianapolis on May 7, 1944.
The Indy and her crew earned ten battle stars, engaging in conflicts throughout the Pacific until Indianapolis was heavily damaged when a kamikaze plane dropped two bombs onto the deck of the heavy cruiser on March 31, 1945. In a letter to his sister Agnes, Aulton wrote, "The bombs did not explode when they hit the ship or I do not guess I would be writing this letter today. (Clifford) Owensby and I were within 25 feet of it when it hit."
Indy was able to limp back under the Golden Gate into the Naval Yard at Mare Island for repairs. Most of her crew were granted a much needed leave to return to their homes to see families. Aulton returned home to Jasper, TN to his wife Aileen, son Aulton, parents Gid and Mary, and brother Herschel. Since the kamikaze attack, many of the Indy’s veterans who had given Indy the nickname “Lucky Lady” had begun saying her luck had run out. Aulton felt sure something terrible would happen. Aulton said to his friend, Tommy Lovell, "I won’t be back".
When he and Aileen boarded the bus to return to San Francisco, Aulton didn’t turn to look at his parents. In his last letter to his sister, dated July 23, he tells his sister, Agnes, "Don’t worry and take care of yourselves and have a good time." ** See Photo of Sister Agnes Below **
On July 30, 1945 Aulton finished his watch at midnight. He was an F2 - Fireman 2nd Class - and was assigned to the engine room, deep in the belly of the ship. Just minutes later, two torpedoes hit the cruiser, the first completely tearing off the starboard bow.
Fifteen days later, Aileen received the first telegram. This one reporting that Aulton was MISSING IN ACTION. She was devastated, collapsing in her yard when she read the telegram. Aulton Jr. was just three years old. The loss of Aulton was a tremendous blow to the family and left an impact felt to this day!
Gid, his father, had an especially difficult time accepting his son’s fate, and in his mourning longed to go to California to search for Aulton. Mary told him, “You can go, Gid, but you won’t find what you’re looking for.”
The loss was more than he could bear. Gid died of a heart attack on December 23, 1949.
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Four other men from Marion County perished aboard Indianapolis, July 30, 1945:
Clifford Cecil Owensby, F2c. At 37 Clifford was the oldest of the five draftees from Marion County, TN. He was born November 26, 1908. He boarded Indianapolis May 7, 1944 serving in these battles: Okinawa, Guam, Iwo Jima, Ryukyu, Saipan, and Tinian Islands. He also participated in the Marianas and Palau Islands and air strikes on Tokyo. He was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific and American Campaign Service Ribbons, and the Purple Heart. Clifford was from South Pittsburg, TN and was the son of Mr. & Mrs. W.R. Owensby, brother to Thomas and Joseph. He was married to Aryleen Owensby. They had two sons, Thomas and Jack. Thomas served in the Air Force, later becoming a dentist. Jack served in the Navy. Jack’s daughter Gwen joined the Navy to complete her PawPaw’s tour of duty.
Andrew Jackson Holloway, S2c, born February 14, 1926, age 19, was the son of Albert V. Holloway and Mrs. Myrtle Adair Holloway. His brothers Harold James Holloway and Albert Vernon all served in World War II. Jack was the youngest to be lost at sea from Marion County, TN. He lived in Powell’s Crossroads, TN. He boarded Indianapolis October 8, 1943.
Ralph Harris Holloway, S2c, age 21, was the son of Robert (Bob) Richard, and Violet Lamb Holloway. He had three brothers, Ray, RJ, and Gerald. Ralph was born in Whitwell, TN.
Thomas Hardin Jordan, S2c, age 24, was the son of George Washington and Mattie Woodard Jordan. His siblings were Nancy C., Lawrence N., and Jimmy and Thelma Jordan. Thomas had a sweetheart waiting for him. He was from South Pittsburg, TN.
While presenting the Indianapolis story at a Sons of American Revolution (SAR) group in Nashville, TN, a relative of Mary Davis presented this photo to Earl and Marilyn Henry, LAS family of LCDR Earl Henry, Indy’s dentist. ** See Photos Below **
She explained that Mary Davis was her mother-in-law who was a friend to Aulton Phillips.
Seated at the Brown Derby Restaurant, San Francisco, California, July 15, 1945 are
Aileen and Aulton Phillips on the left next to Mary Davis. Across the table sits Pauline and Roy McClure from Flint, Michigan. Both sailors died in the sinking of Indianapolis July 30, 1945. This photo had never been shown - at the request of Mary Davis. She did not want to talk about the tragic death of her friend, Aulton.
Mary Davis had passed away a few weeks earlier so now the photo could be shown.
Note: This was the last night these husbands would be with their wives. Indy left Hunter’s Point the next morning, July 16, 1945. ** See Photo Top Left **
After an internet search, Marilyn Henry found phone numbers for relatives for both Aulton Phillips and Roy McClure. Phone calls were made.
The young man who answered for Roy McClure advised that Roy McClure was his mother’s first husband, that they did not care anything about the photo, avoided any conversation and hung up.
A call to the family of Aulton Phillips was answered with great JOY!
It was Aulton Phillips, Jr. excited to talk about his dad. He wanted to see the photo.
A few days later Marilyn drove from Nashville, TN to Jasper, TN (about a two-hour drive) to present the photo. The last photo taken of his father and mother together. His mother had passed years ago. Aulton talked about his dad with joy and sorrow. He was only three when his dad died but he remembered having a dad. He mentioned his Aunt Agnes, his father’s sister, who was the family historian and keeper of his father’s war letters, medals, etc.
The Story that Never Ends: A few weeks later Rebecca Dalrymple posted on Facebook that her cousin Aulton Phillips had lost his life on Indianapolis along with 4 other sailors from Jasper, TN.
Aulton Jr. had not mentioned other deaths. Another phone call was made. And another and another.
Bringing this story full circle, Becky, Earl and Marilyn organized a USS Indianapolis mini-reunion in Jasper, TN for the families to honor the five men from Marion County killed on Indianapolis July 30, 1945. Held inside the Baptist Church, 60 relatives attended from ages of six weeks to 100 (Aunt Agnes).
A photo was taken of Aulton Jr. seated on the front row with his Aunt Agnes listening to Rebecca’s story of Indianapolis. ** See Photos below for Rebecca at podium **
Followed by lunch provided by the Jasper American Legions and a parade through downtown Jasper, Earl and Marilyn donated an Eagle in the Pacific print and a notebook with photos and stories for each of the five sailors for a display in the local library.
But the story has another part: Keith Phillips, living in Mississippi, contacted Rebecca asking if his family could attend the mini-reunion to honor his grandfather, Elvin Malone S1c who also died July 30, 1945 aboard Indianapolis.
Rebecca’s email announcement of the upcoming reunion had appeared on Keith’s cell phone. Being a Baptist minister Keith considered this, not a mistake, but a blessing.
Keith explained that his family had never met any families of other lost at sea crew.
They needed a connection. Of course they could attend. Keith arrived with 20 family members --wearing t-shirts stamped with a photo of Elvin Cary Malone, S1c.
Aulton was honored in VOICES OF THE LOST AT SEA program in 2018. View from Time Stamp 41:49 - 46:25.
ABBOTT, George Stanley 
FRONTINO, Vincent Fred 
AMICK, Homer Irwin