2022 Marine Spouse Recognition Awardee: Kyp Hughes

Kyp Hughes was named the 2022 recipient of the Irene Ferguson Marine Spouse Recognition Award in a plaque unveiling ceremony at the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation offices on August 20th. This annual award recognizes the wife of an active-duty Marine for her outstanding service to the U.S. Marine Corps, community, nation and family.

Kyp has served as a full-time Deployment Readiness Coordinator for both the 11th and 13th Marine Expeditionary Units based at Camp Pendleton. Her passion for the welfare of Marines and Sailors attached to the MEUs provides needed support for activity duty personnel and their families during deployments, various family challenges, holidays, community events and much more.

In 2015, Kyp was instrumental to the City of Yorba Linda’s adoption of the 11th MEU. With her support and enthusiastic encouragement of the 11th MEU Adoption Committee, Kyp has helped drive public awareness and community involvement with the personnel of the 11th MEU. Kyp remains involved with the City and Adoption Committee to this day.

Kyp is married to Master Gunnery Sergeant Shawn Hughes, currently assigned to the 15th MEU based at Camp Pendleton. Enduring nine deployments, Kyp raised two children and remains actively involved with her grandchildren.  Kyp and Shawn have two adult children, and four grandchildren. They make their home in San Clemente, CA.

About the Marine Spouse Recognition Award:

The late World War II pilot and Korean War veteran, Major Glenn Ferguson, USMC, (1921-2021), created the award in memory of his wife, Irene.  Major Ferguson helped handle White House security for President Franklin Roosevelt and served as a medical-evacuation pilot in Korea and a Marine One co-pilot for President Dwight Eisenhower.

Major Ferguson created the award to honor the life of commitment and sacrifice made by Marine wives in support of their husbands.

“I realized that in all the museums I had visited, all the parks I had walked through, and all the buildings I had been in, none included a tribute honoring the life of commitment and sacrifice made by service wives in support of their husbands.”

Throughout Major Ferguson’s career, his beloved wife of 64 years educated, cared for, and soothed the fears of his sons while he was gone.

“And all without medals or monuments to attest to her trials, tribulations, and victories. This Award is long overdue to recognize the Marine spouse. My generation gave these wives too little recognition.  It’s time to change that.”

Friends and family members of Marine wives based throughout the Southwest region submitted nominees to the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation.  The Irene Ferguson Marine Wife awardee was then chosen by an all-female committee that included awardees from previous years and the granddaughter of Irene Ferguson, the award’s namesake.  Members of Yorba Linda Adoption Committee nominated Kyp for the honor.

Nominations for the 2023 award will open starting in January 2023.

Photo Credit: Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation.  Kyp Hughes with her husband, MGySg Shawn Hughes.