Three Lynbrook Marines: the few, the proud

The Three young men at their Lynbrook High School prom earlier this year. From left were Verhey, Hennessy, and Kennedy.

Courtesy Verhey family

Brendan Hennessy, Peter Verhey and Sean Kennedy

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As the slogan goes, they are the few, the proud — but many Americans also use words like strong and brave to describe the Marines.

Hundreds join their ranks each year, including a trio of 2011 Lynbrook High School graduates and friends, who enlisted last year. They have just finished their initial training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, S.C. Having overcome the physical and mental challenges, they say, they have become better men.

“I feel it was the best accomplishment I made in my entire life,” said 18-year-old Peter Verhey, “and I am proud to be called a Marine.” Verhey said he wanted to join the Marines to do something different and to protect his country. So he began exploring the idea as a junior at Lynbrook High, and last summer he signed up.

His classmate, 18-year-old Sean Kennedy enlisted last July as well. His goal, he said, is to help make the world better, and he thinks being a Marine can help do that.

For Brendan Hennessy, becoming a Marine has been a longtime dream. “I would see the Veterans Day parades, and I wanted to follow and carry on that position to protect my country,” said the 18-year-old former Lynbrook Owls defensive lineman.

Hennessy knew he wanted to join the military as far back as eighth grade, he said. He contacted a local recruiting office as a junior, though he was still too young to enlist. He took part in Marine workouts at Eisenhower Park with Kennedy, and by the start of his senior year, he enlisted at age 18, right after both of his friends. “Right when the light turned green,” Hennessy joked, “I pressed the pedal.”

Life at Parris Island

Training was rigorous, filled with strenuous, demanding challenges, the three friends agreed. They spent the summer at Parris Island, where their days began at 4 a.m. They had to dress and eat quickly before a grueling day of physical activity.

“We would do some sort of training, marching or learning how to fire a rifle,” Kennedy recalled. “We would get back to the chow hall at 11 a.m. for lunch, and then learn how to move as one whole group.”