The two uniforms Father Philip Gaston Salois wore upon his person represented the bookends of a life dedicated to the service of God and Country. Amidst the steaming jungle of Vietnam in 1970, a young 21 year-old newly minted Army private, born between the steeples and smokestacks of the proud hard-working mill city of Woonsocket, Rhode Island and subsequently raised in the sunshine of Southern California, wore the jungle service green of an Army grunt. Years later that young man would don another uniform, the Roman collar and vestments of a Catholic priest, as he dedicated the rest of the life in service to the people of the God who had spared him that day so long ago. “Father Phil” would wear that uniform, his priest collar and vestments, for the remainder of his days while ministering to his fellow veterans and those who cared for and supported them, who in the words of Abraham Lincoln, “…cared for him who had borne the battle…”. Those two uniforms complement each other, as they come together both literally and figuratively. Those uniforms, that of a soldier and the garments of a priest, represent the reality of Philip Salois life’s journey, from the bitterness of war, and the comforting solace of peace, to hope that leads to the promise of eternity. Those two uniforms were worn by, lived in by and were to be found together in the person of Rev. Philip G. Salois. A man who served his country and then served God by serving those who had served their country.
Reverend Father Philip G. Salois, 77, entered eternal life Tuesday evening October 27, 2026 at home in North Smithfield. Father Salois was the son of World War II Veteran Walter Ernest Salois and World War II Parisian War Bride, Helene Henriette (Podevin) Salois. He was born on November 22, 1948 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. His maternal Grandmother, then a widow, Henriette Helene Podevin moved into the family home from Paris, France and became Philip's nanny. He attended Mount Saint Francis Catholic School for the first three years and at age 9, the family moved to Southern California to a town called Covina. He attended Charter Oak Elementary and Badillo Elementary School, Sunflower Junior High School, and then Charter Oak High School and graduated in June of 1966. He went to California State College in Fullerton for one year and then went to work at Employers Insurance of Wausau in Los Angeles from 1967 to 1969.
He was drafted into the United States Army on March 9, 1969. He completed Basic Infantry Training and Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Ord in Monterey, California. In September of 1969 he was deployed to Vietnam as a Combat Infantryman. He was assigned to the 199th Light Infantry Brigade (Redcatchers), 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment (Cottonbalers), 2nd Platoon, 4th Squad. On March 1st, 1970 his Platoon was caught in a U-shaped ambush and Salois, along with another comrade, Herbert W. Klug, rescued six of their fellow soldiers under heavy enemy fire. Herbert Klug gave his life in rescuing the soldiers with Salois. In recognition of his actions that day Philip Salois was awarded the Silver Star, the third highest award for bravery. It was during the events of that day that Philip made a promise to God, that if the Lord would spare his life, he vowed that he would do whatever God called him to do. He completed his tour of duty and returned home to the United States and rejoined his parents Walter and Helene on October 12, 1970.
In 1974, recalling the promise he made to God in Vietnam, Philip felt a call and began his discernment to the Priesthood. He entered the Seminary in Camarillo, California and in 1976 decided to join a Religious Congregation called the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette. He finished his college studies at Providence College and earned his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Philosophy. In 1980 he earned his Master of Divinity (M. Div.) degree at Weston School of Theology, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He received Holy Orders and was ordained a priest on June 9, 1984 at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Woonsocket by the late Most Rev. Bishop George Pearce, S.M., a retired missionary bishop who was then in residence and serving as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Providence.
In 1988 Fr. Phil accepted a position at the VA Boston Healthcare System as a Catholic Chaplain. In 1990 he became the Chief of Chaplain Service for VA Boston supervising 11 Chaplains of various denominations. Also, in 1990, he returned to the United States Army as a reservist and became the Catholic Chaplain to the 455th Field Hospital in Rhode Island and served there until the 455th was deactivated in 1998. He then became the Catholic Chaplain for the 883rd Medical Company (Combat Stress Control) in Boston, Massachusetts. He attained the rank of Captain and was discharged for compassionate leave in 2002 in order to care for his aging mother who was a widow since 1979. In 2002 the 883rd was called up to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Father Salois retired from the VA Boston Medical Center in February 2015. He continued to be involved doing veterans-focused ministry and was aligned with numerous Veteran Service Organizations. He was the Massachusetts Department Chaplain for the American Legion for over 38 years and held the position of National Chaplain for the American Legion in 2019-2020. He also maintained the role of National Chaplain to Vietnam Veterans (VVA) of America since 1990 and the President and Chaplain of the James Michael Ray Memorial VVA Chapter #818 for over 30 years. He was the local Chaplain for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post # 11519 in Woonsocket and then Post # 6342 until present. He also became the Rhode Island Department VFW Chaplain in 2024. He was the Chaplain to Disabled American Veterans Chapter #12 in Woonsocket and became the Rhode Island State DAV Chaplain in 2024. He was the Chaplain to Military Officers of Foreign Wars - Rhode Island Commandery since 2018. He was also a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and a Knight in the Saint Finnian Preceptory of the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem.
In 1989 Fr. Salois founded the National Conference of Vietnam Veteran Ministers, an organization dedicated to promoting the spiritual healing of former military Chaplains and men and women who were ordained after their war service or in some ministry promoting spiritual healing from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It later became the International Conference of War Veteran Ministers which opened it up to men and women from other English speaking nations including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. In 1989 he participated and gave a talk on the “Spiritual Healing for War Veterans” at the World Federation of War Veterans meeting in Dubrovnik, Croatia where he met and interacted with war veterans from every nation in the world. The following year he was invited to give a similar talk to the Peaceful Caucasus Conference in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. In attendance were war veterans from Georgia, Chechnya, Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia - those primarily who fought in the 20-plus years in the war the U.S.S.R. was fighting in Afghanistan. Father Salois was invited back the following year in 1991 to speak a similar conference in Baku in the Republic of Azerbaijan. In 2001 he was invited to give a presentation to a conference in Sarajevo, Bosnia but due to the events of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania, he was prevented from making any international travel. In 2004 Fr. Phil received the Lantern Award, the annual award recognizing the recipient’s patriotism, from the Massachusetts State Council of the Knights of Columbus for his lifetime service.
On Veterans Day, November 11, 2024, Dan McKee, Governor of Rhode Island, awarded Fr. Salois, the Rhode Island Cross, the highest honor given by the state to a military veteran. In the same program he was awarded the rank of Legionnaire into the Order of Saint Maurice, the highest honor awarded by the National Infantry Association. In May 2025 he was inducted in the Rhode Island HaIl of Fame.
On February 27, 2019 Fr. Phil had the honor of delivering the invocation at the United States House of Representatives at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
In recent years Fr. Phil was an honored presence at the annual Woonsocket community Memorial Day and Veterans Day services. True to his mission he unfailingly offered his prayerful presence and words of comfort, support and encouragement for fellow veterans, their families, the community and our country with the eternal message of Faith, Hope and Love! Notably Fr. Phil was the honored guest and keynote speaker at the Fairmount Post 85 American Legion Vietnam War Veteran Dedication ceremony on October 20, 2024 where he proudly officiated at the service dedicating the memorial honor area veterans.
Fr. Phil’s lasting legacy will be his service to God, his Country and fellow veterans, all of whom he considered as part of the flock he was entrusted with and faithfully served and cared for until he drew his final breath. He was a man with a compassionate and understanding heart, a ready smile, roaring laugh and a serene outlook on life based upon his trust in God’s tender care and mercy. For the members of his fellow VVA Chapter #818 it can only be seen as providential that Fr. Phil passed into eternal life at 8:18 PM on October 27th.
Everyone is welcome to honor, remember and pray for Fr. Phil at his funeral Saturday November 21st at 9:00 am from the Menard-Lacouture Funeral Home, 127 Carrington Ave. Woonsocket followed by a Concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am in Holy Trinity Parish at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church, 1409 Park Ave. Woonsocket.
Father Salois will lay-in-repose at Menard-Lacouture Funeral Home, 127 Carrington Ave. Woonsocket, Rhode Island on Friday November 20th for visiting hours from 2:00-6:00 pm. The funeral home will be open that Friday starting at 8:30 am and remain open until 9:00 pm for anyone who wishes to pay their respects outside of the formal hours.
In accordance with his wishes Fr. Phil will be laid to rest with Military Honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia at a future date. Please refer to the funeral home web site for updated information for the burial service details as they are finalized.
In lieu of flowers, Fr. Phil directed that memorial donations may be made to Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #818 P.O. Box. 818 Woonsocket, RI. 02895 or the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette, 85 New Park Ave, Hartford, CT 06106.
www.menardfuneralhome.com