Camp Lejeune Teen Honored By The American Veterans Center

Young Marines Master Gunnery Sergeant Eric Phung of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, was awarded the Jimmy Trimble Scholarship from the American Veterans Center. The honors will be bestowed during the 24th Annual Conference of the American Veterans Center on Saturday, November 6, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Phung will escort WWII veterans to Guam and Iwo Jima next spring for the Reunion of Honor which is the 77th anniversary of the battles. He will join nine other youth members of the Young Marines as they travel to the island of Iwo Jima which is accessible only one day a year.

Phung joined the Young Marines in 2015 when he was 11 years old, and he is now a 17-year-old senior at Lejeune High School in North Carolina.

“The best part of being a Young Marine is being able to meet and have experiences that I would not otherwise have had,” Phung said. “Some of those experiences include attending the National Flight Academy, attending a Sailing Adventure School, and completing a service project in Hawaii. I've been able to meet Young Marines, Adult Volunteers, and Veterans who have mentored and motivated me. I've also had opportunities to volunteer and support our military communities, so that they may never feel that they are forgotten.”

The award is presented annually to two Young Marines who exemplify the fine qualities of James "Jimmy" Trimble III. Trimble was a star athlete who passed up the opportunity to play professional baseball to first serve his country in the Marines. He died at age 19 on March 1, 1945, on Iwo Jima.

“Jimmy Trimble gave up professional baseball and despite many other offers, he remained focused on serving his country and remaining in combat,” said Col William P. Davis USMC (Ret), national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. “We are grateful to the American Veterans Center for keeping his spirit alive and for allowing the Young Marines to play a key role in that effort.”

“To have been selected for the Jimmy Trimble Scholarship means there are those who believe I am capable of properly honoring his legacy,” Phung said. “Being able to escort veterans to Guam and Iwo Jima is a huge deal, and I will be given an opportunity to pay my respects to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. This is truly a chance of a lifetime.”

Phung was an honor graduate from recruit training, both Junior and Senior Leadership school, was named Pyramid Rock Unit Young Marine of the Year for 2020 and was the 1st California Regiment Young Marine of the Year for 2020-2021.

Outside of Young Marines, Phung maintains over a 4.0 weighted GPA and is a member of the varsity football team at his high school. His goal is to attend the University of Hawaii in Manoa and study Sports Medicine or Kinesiology.

After graduating college, Phung would like to work closely with athletes and other sports minded individuals so that they can develop their skills in a way that prevents them from injuries. He would also like to work with injured athletes so that they can stay motivated which will ultimately help in speeding up their recovery.

Phung is the son of Quyen and Lori Phung. Quyen Phung is an active-duty Chief Warrant Officer 4 in the Marine Corps and so far, has served for 23 years. Eric Phung also has a sister, Emily Phung.

About the Young Marines

The Young Marines is a national non-profit 501 (c)(3) youth education and service program for boys and girls, age eight through the completion of high school. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral, and physical development of its members. The program focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork, and self-discipline, so its members can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

Since the Young Marines' humble beginnings in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to over 235 units with 7,500 youth and 2,500 adult volunteers in 40 states, the District of Columbia, Japan, and affiliates in a host of other countries.

For more information, visit the official website at: https://www.YoungMarines.com.