“The Press Corpses hate the internet and fact checking.”
Yeh, turns out that Phillips was a Vietnam Era vet but never served in-country. He was a refrigeration technician and not a Recon Ranger as he described himself. Marine Corp doesn’t describe their recon guys as Rangers as it’s an army description. He also went AWOL three times and had other disciplinary problems. And, while he did serve his full four year hitch and received an honorable discharge he got out as an E-1 which is the grade one starts their military enlistment as. Actually, it’s quite a feat to remain in the military for four years as an E-1 and receive an honorable discharge. Most would have been given a general discharge and sent in their way long before four years was served. I can only surmise that there was a shortage of refrigeration techs at the time and Phillips must have been responsible for the Officers Club refrigerators or something. Sarc/
Elsewhere it has been reported that Phillips received a General Discharge not an Honorable Discharge.