(Editor’s Note: Phil Yin passed away just days before the Hall of Fame event. His wife, Debbie, stood in for him and accepted his award.)
Whenever local veterans gather for a ceremony or participate in a commemorative service for departed veterans, you’ll find Philip C. S. Yin in the center of activities.
Phil co-founded Marine Corps League Detachment 1439 in 2016. He was honored as the “2020 Legionnaire of the Year” by the Department of Arizona, American Legion. He earned the distinction as Department of Arizona Marine Corps League “Marine of the Year 2019” at the state convention.
After graduating Villanova University with a degree in physics, Phil was drafted in 1965 and joined the Marine Corps. He was a machine gunner in Vietnam and during a “search and destroy” mission he was wounded by mortar fire.
A Purple Heart recipient, Phil’s other military honors include the USN/USMC Presidential Unit Citation with Bronze Star, USMC Good Con-duct, National Defense, Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Star, RVN Wound Medal, RVN Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Combat Action and Expert Rifle and Pistol Badges.
Upon moving to Fountain Hills, he joined the American Legion in 1999. He would become All-State/All-American Commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7507, Commandant and Co-Founder of the Marine Corps League Detachment 1439, executive committee board member of American Legion Post 58 and Color Guard Director.
As director of the Color Guard American Legion Post 58, he and his team won one national and two state color guard competitions.
He also worked with former Mayor Linda Kavanagh and current Mayor Ginny Dickey to proclaim Fountain Hills a “Purple Heart Town” with signs indicating this at four entrances into our town.
Phil received his undergraduate degree in Physics from Villanova University and his Ph.D. in materials science from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute-New York University.
Phil’s professional career in the semi-conductor and compound semiconductor industries spans more than 50-plus years. He holds three U.S. patents.
Phil moved to Fountain Hills from Ohio in 1999 when ATMI Epitaxial Services in Mesa recruited him to become president of two divisions.
Phil met his wife Debbie in 1992 and together they have two sons and two daughters by previous marriages along with four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
