Marine from Pasadena, killed in Afghanistan, 'was serving both God and country'

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Phillip George of Pasadena, who would have celebrated his 23rd birthday on Sept. 3, was killed Wednesday in Afghanistan.

His family was notified late Thursday that George was killed in battle in eastern Afghanistan, where he had been stationed with the 2nd Battalion since late May. Details of how he was killed were not available Friday from the U.S. Defense Department.

"We are very proud of Phillip. We feel that he is a hero and that he died doing exactly what he wanted to do, and what God called him to do," said his mother, Penny George. "At least I can say that Phillip was a hero."

His father, Carson George, a Vietnam veteran working for KBR-Halliburton in Iraq, will be flown to Germany. Carson then will accompany his son's body home, said Sara George, the Marine's sister.

"He loved being a Marine," Sara George said. "This was exactly what he wanted to do. He was also a dedicated Christian. He was serving both God and country."

"That carried over into his being a Marine," she said. "He was loyal to his friends, to his platoon members. He was fighting for them, too."