E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSThe names of seven Marines -- the youngest just 19, the oldest 26 years old -- who were killed when a mortar exploded during a live-fire training exercise at an Army munitions depot in the Nevada desert were released Wednesday by Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
USMC
Pfc. Josh Martino
"We send our prayers and condolences to the families of the Marines and sailors who have been killed and injured in this tragic accident," said Brig. Gen. Jim Lukeman. "Our first priority is to provide them with the support they need during this very difficult time, and we're doing that right now."
They were all in the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division.
The youngest to be killed when a 60-millimeter mortar shell exploded in a tube as Marines were preparing to fire it is Pfc. Josh Martino, 19, of Clearfield, Pa. Although he had only joined the Marine Corps in July 2012, he had dreamed about it most of his life, his mother told The Associated Press.
USMC
Lance Cpl. Joshua C. Taylor
"Since he was probably 8 years old he wanted to be a Marine," Karen Perry said. "That's all he wanted to do."
Although only 20 years old, Lance Cpl. David P. Fenn II, of Polk City, Fla., had been a Marine for almost three years, most recently deployed to Afghanistan. Lance Cpl. Roger W. Muchnick Jr., 23, of Fairfield, Conn., had also done a tour in Afghanistan and was thinking about returning to college, his grandfather told the AP.
"He was a fabulous kid. Just fabulous," his grandfather, Jerome Muchnick, said. "He was at the top of his game when this happened. ... You can't imagine losing a very handsome, 23-year-old grandson who was vital and loving."
USMC
Lance Cpl. David P. Fenn II
Lance Cpl. Joshua C. Taylor, 21, of Marietta, Ohio, was planning to marry his fiancee in May, the AP said.
USMC
Lance Cpl. Roger W. Muchnick Jr.
What caused the deadly explosion is still under investigation. Military officials announced a blanket suspension of the 60mm mortars and tubes until a review of the incident is complete. Eight men were also injured in the blast.
The accident happened just before 10 p.m. Monday at Hawthorne Army Depot, a 230-square-mile ammunition storage and training facility just east of the California line.
“The Marines and Sailors of 1/9 performed superbly throughout the training at both locations,” said Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Andrew J. McNulty. “We expected to complete the exercise upon the conclusion of the night live fire training, which we were in the process of executing on that fateful evening.”
USMC
Lance Cpl. Mason J. Vanderwork
Lance Cpl. Mason J. Vanderwork, 21, of Hickory, N.C., had served overseas twice. He was married less than a year, and his wife, Taylor, 19, told The Charlotte Observer they planned to start a family.
“I’ve lost my husband and part of my military family and I just turned 19 years old," she told the newspaper. “I really want to be dreaming.”
Lance Cpl. William T. Wild IV, 21, of Anne Arundel, Md., became a Marine after graduating from high school. He had already been deployed twice to Afghanistan and once to Kuwait, his mother told the AP.
USMC
Lance Cpl. William Taylor Wild IV
Cpl. Aaron J. Ripperda, 26, of Madison, Ill., joined the service after graduating from a St. Louis culinary school, his father, Kent Ripperda, told the AP.
"He told us he always felt like he had a calling to join the Marines," Kent Ripperda told the AP. "I guess maybe it was a prestige thing."
Kent Ripperda also said his son was eager to go back to college and "get on with his life."
The injured were transported to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nev., for treatment and further evaluation. The Navy corpsman is considered very seriously injured; five others are seriously injured and two Marines have been treated for minor injuries and released, the Camp Lejeune statement read.
USMC
Cpl. Aaron J. Ripperda
Leave a Comment:
Condolences to the families of these young men.
Im not a huge pro military guy. But I sit here and look a the faces of these young men and feel nothing but sadness. Rest in peace and condolences to the families! Your are heroes in my book!
So if you don't like the military why are you in the country of the home of the brave these people are joining the military to keep you in the life style you enjoy in this counttry..!!!
Dan, there are many who don't get into the history or activities of what our military must do. And many more who take for granted completely what our volunteer service members do, their vital role. That doesn't mean such groups can't feel sorrow. When some of those military folks give their lives for this nation.Who stand guard on the watch towers of Liberty and Freedoms. In fact they might just feel a little more appreciation for what they do have.Because in life it has been shown, often times to understand what we have, we first must lose it. Perhaps folks will appreciate our soldiers more.Now that they have seen faces, personal information instead of just an idea. At least I pray they will.
God speed these special sous to eternal rest and peace.Best wishes for a fast recovery for those injured.Comfort those who mourn, grant peace and strength.
AC Robertson-2414093- The Marines historically have a higher killed/injured rate during peace time/training than during combat..(His post follows below this, I know it's backwards!)
I take special issue with your statement as a former Marine and believe if making such wide sweeping factual comment like you have made, should have them backed up with reference.The following link shows data from The Congressional Research Service, which compiled war casualty statistics from the Revolutionary War to present day conflicts, It reported that 4,699 members of the U.S. military(not Marines) died in 1981 and '82.(during two years of peacetime)That number of deaths is nearly 900 more than the 3,800 deaths during 2005 and '06, when the U.S. was fully committed to large-scale military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
According to the raw figures, of the 2,380 members of the military who died during active duty in 1981, 1,524 were killed in accidents, 145 by homicide, 457 by illness and 241 from self-inflicted wounds. That compares with the 1,942 killed in 2005; of that number, 632 died from accidents, 739 from hostile action, 49 from homicide, 281 from illness, 150 from self-inflicted wounds and 72 whose causes of death were still pending. Eleven deaths in ’81 and 19 deaths in ’05 were classified as “undetermined.”
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,311644,00.html#ixzz2O9VUoxlM
To suggest that Marines were killed more during peace time and training then actual wartime is such an insult to all those who have fallen during all the wars which have been fought since the founding of this nation.For it was the Marines who were there in the Revolution, and sent out to take the first beach front in every war overseas, so the Army could follow. Taken the highest hits and casualties. The ones asked to do the hardest missions.Which is why it is the smallest branch, has the toughest boot camp.In fact if you have been a Marine, you can enter any other service without going through their boot camp. They call us Jar Heads because we must be crazy to do some of the jobs they send Marines to do.
For you to say what you did, tells me you could not have ever been a Marine or you would know of your brothers and sisters history. Their huge sacrifices, high bloodshed and the price paid from the birth of this nation. If so you would never dishonor their sacrifices, bravery and love of country.I barely feel worthy to follow in those Marines footsteps by appreciating what they have left as a legacy. This countries freedoms and liberties.And appreciating all who've served, and those who continue to wear the uniform and stand guard.
Thank you Windancersong. I was a corpsman and although there is a lot of bantering between swabbies and jarheads, we are united when it comes to protecting each other and our country. I hope they find out what went so wrong that good men died.
How sick is it that Harry Reid had to use these young mens deaths to try to make political points about the sequester. The main problem with the bad opinion and poor performance of Congress is most all the fault of Reid and Pelosi.
@ Windancersong .....I thank you for serving our country ,I salute you with great respect that I have for all military personnel .Coming from a communist regime I admire and respect to the country that gave me the opportunity to become it's citizen by choice ,admiring it's military ,freedom and opportunity for all .
I say for those who criticize the military and US gov. can always take my place where I came from "it's vacant "and have a taste of corruption and communism phobia that still exist .
May God the families ,that lost their handsome young man ,with great aspiration to become the greatest mabless n on earth (US service man)by defending others while they and their families are resting at night in peace under this man sacrifice .
May God bless the mother's of the sons ,with peace in their hearts and heal their deepest wound for loosing a son .
I'm a mother of a son and a daughter ......
Cream of the Crop! Now, the Coffee ain't gonna taste as Good!
R.I.P. Comrades. I salute you...
It's easier to accept when Marines die during combat or in the process of a heroic action but dying from friendly fire and accidents will always be disturbing simply because it didn't have to happen. They are around dangerous stuff. Either way Semper Fi fellow Marines.
Either way, it's totally unacceptable...
The Marines historically have a higher killed/injured rate during peace time/training than during combat...
I have lost many friends due to training accidents and luckily very few during combat operations...
My condolences to their families and friends. MSgt Robertson (ret)
Maybe back when you were in guy..
I would like to know his MOS myself, I could check it out in my Manuel. And would also like to know what on earth you were training on that you lost so many friends? I was on the largest Marine Base in the world and we only had one accident in the 12 years that was fatal for the Commander who was most recent.And we had 10,000 reservists coming in every two weeks for training.!
AC is a clown.
Thoughts and prayers to the families of the 7 dead marines and the wounded survivor's!
No mention of dirty Harry Reid's rant on Wednesday politicizing the accident. He blamed the sequester for the training accident, saying that 'cut backs' in training resulted in the deaths of these fine young Marines! The sequester had absolutely nothing to due with any cut backs to training for the Hawthorne exercise or any other training in the Military!
Shame on Harry Reid, cold-hearted bastard and a disgrace to the Senate and the State of Nevada! The same goes for Obama and his canceling the WH tours and threatening to cancel the annual Easter Egg Hunt on the WH lawn!
Saw your buddy Donald Rumsfeld on "The World According to Dick Cheney" last night loser, he's even more full of crap than I remembered. GM First Lady.
I'm sorry windancersong. I have to agree with AC Robertson. I was a 6002 during peacetime and I counted no less than 32 deaths in my small air group in the 3 years I was there.
I heard Harry's clip a dozen times on the radio yesterday, and it was in our local paper this morning.... doesn't surprise me much that NBCNews would ignore it! They rarely report anything so shameful coming from an extreme (and senile) liberal politician!
God Bless those that serve in the military!
I was an 8654 in the mid 80's. We did a lot of training and it was pretty dangerous stuff. Lots of waterborne operations, scuba, para, helocasting, spyrigging, fastrope, mountains and desert. In the 4 years I was there we didn't lose a soul at the Battalion. I heard that a former Cpl of ours died in a repelling accident in Okinawa but nothing at Pendelton. Tom worked in the wing so I don;t doubt that stat. I would rather jump, fast rope or repel out of any Marine helo than ride around in it. The smell of hydraulic fluid and cat litter to soak it up made me very nervous. Semper Fi my brothers. Keep your feet and knees together and remember to turn into the wind.
...and if Obama does NOT cancel the Easter Egg Hunt...the minute YOU find out the cost, YOU would still be saying "shame on Obama for spending $$ we don't have". Your type is easy to spot because your type is usually FOS and hypocracy. Yet YOU and your minions are don't get it.
Condolences to the Marine Corps and the families / friends / citizens affected by this accident.
May the family and friends of these men find strength, support and love in each others' arms as they deal with this horrific loss.
Truly sickening. I hope the family members will find the strength to go on living with the great pain and loss they are feeling. This is a real tragedy... makes me ill.
My condolences to the soldier's family and friends.
This is heartbreaking! There are no words that can be said to lessen the pain the families of these warriors on their loss. The only thing that may help is they all died doing/being what they wanted/dreamed to do and be. Rest in peace all of you!
Rest In Peace brave soldiers. So heartbreaking.
Bless their loving but brave hearts.
I echo the profound condolences expressed.
However, as a point of clarification, these guys died as MARINES and while the term soldiers appears an acceptable universal description for someone/everyone in uniform to those uninformed or not a Marine, from tradition and service, Marines are MARINES.
That said, the hurt, the anguish, the tragedy of the event overshadows the terms used to describe their military branch.
Semper Fi!
Mortman
I agree - soldiers yes Marines - Hell yes! Warriors all. RIP.
I think many who have never been in any of our armed services refer to anyone who has as a soldier, It is not out of any type of disrespect, They just see them all as soldiers.
RIP brothers
Thank you for that Mortman. I have friends currently serving as Marines... both in N.Carolina and Pendleton in SoCal. My thoughts and prayers are with these boy's friends and families!
omg they are all so cute and young. So tragic, I'm so sorry for this.
God Bless them all. We can sit here while these young men fight for our freedom. Our gratitude to all.
Bless their Families.
May the Souls of the faithful, departed through the Mercy of GOD Rest in Peace. May God Bless their Souls. The marines were so young they were just at the beginning of their careers. May God Give the Strenght and Courage to the families of the Deceased marines to bear this Huge Loss. May God Bless them. It is due to the American Military that the World is a safer place. GOD Bless the Americans. GOD BLESS THE USA.
Kevin Valentine Moraes
Mira Road (Thane)
It is a very strange feeling that public is less responding to this kind of grief.
Condolences and prayers go to the fallen soldiers, and the war that they sometimes fight is not outside, but within, unexpectedly, such as in training mission.
Maintenance is serious, no compromise, no bureaucracy, no rush, by all means.
Rest in peace.
God bless these brave soldiers who were willing to give their all for us. God condemn Harry Reid for in a way saying this may be related to the military cuts due to sequestration. Piece of chit should have a mortor stuck up his azz.
God Bless Them and Keep them in Heaven...........but I feel such sorrow for their loved ones.........!
Semper Fi! And Thank you for walking the walk. God bless and keep your families and loved ones. Now let us fix the problem that robbed their families of their precious lives, and right soon.
God Bless these men. It takes courage to be a Marine. These young men made the ultimate sacrifice in preparation for whatever duties they were assigned. They will never be forgotten.
It takes courage to simply serve in any branch of our armed Forces...but to serve as a Marine it goes further beyond even Courage....First ones in, Last ones out..Heads held high no matter what.
God Bless them and their Families.
My father, uncle, ggrandfather and cousin were all in the service and to be killed during training at home must be the hardest way to lose some one because you don't get the chance everyday to tell that person how much you love them. With that said make sure you don't leave any argument with loved unfinished.
Agree, hug and tell the family every day what they mean to you, life can turn on a dime. GM First Lady.
God Bless them and their families in their time of need . thank you .
My condolences to the families of these young Marines.
May I remind them, they chose to be, "One of the few, one of the proud."
Marines are the first one's in, and last one's out.
Training is crucial, and that training, ultimately, save other Marines. Sadly, accidents happen and lives are lost.
To those parents and family, these young warriors died doing their duty and will be forever honored by
their 'extended family.'
Semper Fi
Harry Reid said that sequestration caused those Marine deaths. Harry gets away with all kinds of nasty comments because the media is no longer reporting news unless it supports the socialist liberal Democrats. Pelosi is another crazy that is constantly saying dementia comments on the news and the media takes it seriously. You cannot trust the liberal media for news, it may be amusing sometimes but it is harmful to our country. News media should be skeptical, analyse, and critical, not cheerleaders for one party.
Go ahead and turn on your FOX channel. Idiot.
Hmm...I saw him make the comment on NBC,CNN,and a few other News channels, So trying to blame Reids comments on Fox is kinda stupid, Further Reid made the comment and not Fox so I really do not know what your point is!
Why don't you find a political website to spew your political-DOGMA on, UncSam? The article is about the MARINES!
Your sniveling, snotnosed opinion is about YOU, your thoughts and your beliefs.
Let this story stay about the MARINES who tragically are no longer with us, RIP. Take your political crap elsewhere and F/U for inserting it into this article!
Don't bother responding.
Day is done, gone the sun, / From the lake, from the hills, from the sky; / All is well................for the fallen Marines. RIP, to the families sorry for your loss.
Semper Fi, Marines.
There are enough in-flight arming safeguards built into this mortar round that it should not have been possible for this to happen, without deliberate sabotage to the mortar round prior to launch. This investigation could turn into a criminal investigation. - RC
My deepest condolences to the families of the injured and killed! - RC
(They might need to design a sabotage proof mortar round, too.)