A private, chartered jet carrying the Army corporal's flag-draped coffin landed at 9:35 a.m. at Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport in Gainesville.

It was met by an honor guard from the U.S. Army, which placed the casket into a waiting hearse for the trip to a funeral home in Cumming where his body will lie in repose until a funeral on Saturday.

The motorcade was led by group of about a dozen motorcycle officers from Forsyth and Hall counties. The procession also included officers from the Gainesville police department, the Dawson County sheriff's department and the Georgia State Patrol. Following the motorcade was about a hundred motorcyclists, members of the Patriot Guard, a volunteer groups honors fallen soldiers.

A Gainesville Fire Department tower truck stood near the airport's exit with its boom arm fully extended, a giant American flag draped across the path of the motorcade. Two firefighters stood at attention in the bucket.

Phillips was among several soldiers killed in action July 13 during a three-hour battle with Taliban militants at a remote base in the region's Kunar province. He grew up in Hall County, but most recently made his home in Forsyth County, where his widow lives.

"Matt was proud to be in Afghanistan," said his father, Michael Phillips. "He felt that that's where the evil really was, that people like those who attacked us in 2001 were there."

The elder Phillips was in San Antonio for the birth of his first grandchild when he received the news.

"The loss is just devastating to our family and to our friends," he said.

When told at the hospital that the chaplain was looking for him, Phillips said, "I think we knew what had probably happened."

Officers from Hall County will escort the hearse on a route up Aviation Boulevard to Queen City Parkway. The procession will then turn onto Jesse Jewell Parkway, which becomes Browns Bridge Road, and continue into Forsyth County where the soldier's remains will lie in repose at Ingram Funeral Home, which is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation will take place at the funeral home 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday with a service with full military honors at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Coal Mountain Baptist Church.

The family once lived in Hall County, and Matthew Phillips attended public schools here from 1990 to 1998. He attended Flowery Branch Elementary, Spout Springs Elementary, South Hall Middle School, West Hall Middle School, West Hall High School and finally Johnson High School. He withdrew from Johnson in 1998 to enter a night school program, according to a school official.

Jerry Smith, who was principal at Spout Springs, recalled Matthew Phillips as a quiet, but well behaved young man.

"He was a good kid and was loyal to his family," Smith said, adding that this is the first time he can remember losing one of his former students in combat.