Phillip A. Wentworth, 93, an American Patriot and WWII hero died November 2, 2017.

He lived in Farmington, NH most of his life and later resided at 12 Clark Road Alton, NH.

He was a premier marksman for the elite fighting force, Darby’s Rangers, who were among the first in at the Battle of Anzio, Italy. All but six of the 1st and 3rd Brigades were either killed or captured. Phillip who was in the 4th Brigade and the Ranger survivors joined with Frederick’s First Special Service Force at Anzio which was later called the Devil’s Brigade. Their nighttime raids repeatedly struck the Germans without warning. The force began leaving a calling card with a red arrow on German corpses with the words, “The Worst Is Yet To Come”, written in German.

Phillip was wounded once and spent two weeks in an Army field hospital and then went back into battle. He carried the shrapnel in his body all his life, but refused the  Purple Heart.

His unit was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on February 3rd, 2015 at a ceremony which Phillip attended. Speaker of the House Boehner remarked, “They jumped out of airplanes and parachuted behind enemy lines. Under cover of night they scaled mountains and engaged in hand to hand combat. They could storm a beach in an amphibious landing or ski across a rugged mountain with guns strapped to their backs. Every mission was impossible and a potential suicide mission, but they accomplished it”.

Phillip was awarded The Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, The Europe African Campaign Medal, a Bronze Service Star with Arrowhead medal, WWII Victory Combat Infantryman Badge and  1st Award Honorable Service Lapel Badge. In later years he was awarded numerous medals from the Canadian  Government including an Honorary Canadian citizenship.

He is survived by his three children, Lawrence Wentworth, Santa Fe Springs, California; Stanton Wentworth, Errol, NH; Jeanette Countrymen, Las Vegas, Nevada and his sister Jeannette Varney of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. He was predeceased by his wife of 67 years Gladys Willis Wentworth and his son Brian Wentworth. He leaves his grandchildren Michael, Phillip, Leon, Keith, and Alexander Wentworth.  Gina Countrymen, Rhonda Frost, Melanie Carroll, Melia Haida and Carrie Meltcher, 13 great grandchildren, several nieces and many local friends who were there for him in his old age.

The next time you here the National Anthem stand up for Phillip and all the other men and woman who preserved freedom.

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