Marines Call Off Search for 8 Missing Troops

[Tarawa86]

RIP to my 1st Marine Division brothers. Shipboard and related operations are always dangerous.

"A war at sea. A war with no battles, no monuments... only casualties."

Marines Stop Search for 8 Missing Troops After Landing Craft Sank Near California Coast

The 26-ton, landing craft took on water and quickly sank in hundreds of feet of water on Thursday

time.com

Read More

 

[chukar]

I heard this on the radio this morning. Sad to hear.

Two were from Oregon.

 

[CoastRange57]

My son was an Amtracker during his enlistment and did the very same training. This hits home to a lot of military families. Of course in the Marine Corps you can be an Amtracker and a week later you are infantry headed to Afghanistan which is how it went for him .

 

[The Heretic]

From the Marine Corps:

Officials with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF), have identified the one Marine who was killed and seven Marines and one Sailor who are presumed dead after an amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) mishap July 30.

Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas, was pronounced dead at the scene before being transported by helicopter to Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego. He was a rifleman with Bravo Company, Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/4, 15th MEU.

Presumed dead are:

Pfc. Bryan J. Baltierra, 19, of Corona, California, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.

Lance Cpl. Marco A. Barranco, 21, of Montebello, California, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.

Pfc. Evan A. Bath, 19, of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.

U.S. Navy Hospitalman Christopher Gnem, 22, of Stockton, California, a hospital corpsman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.

Pfc. Jack Ryan Ostrovsky, 21, of Bend, Oregon, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.

Cpl. Wesley A. Rodd, 23, of Harris, Texas, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.

Lance Cpl. Chase D. Sweetwood, 19, of Portland, Oregon, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.

Cpl. Cesar A. Villanueva, 21, of Riverside, California, a rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU.

Injured were:

A Marine rifleman with Bravo Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU. The Marine was transported from the scene to Scripps Memorial Hospital by helicopter and was in critical condition.

A Marine assault amphibious vehicle crewmember with Mechanized Company, BLT 1/4, 15th MEU. The Marine was transported from the scene to Scripps Memorial Hospital by helicopter and was in critical condition. He has since been upgraded to stable condition per a competent medical authority.

In total, 16 personnel were aboard the AAV when they reported taking on water while conducting shore-to-ship waterborne operations training in the vicinity of San Clemente Island off the coast of Southern California. Five Marines were rescued and brought aboard USS Somerset (LPD 25).

The incident is under investigation.

 

[BrentN]

I was Army, but branch doesn't matter in this context. Hearing a report like this feels like a gut punch. Unavoidable in hard training I guess, but damn I hate to hear about our troops dying like this.

 

[kmk1012]

Families are in my prayers. I never served but respect the hell out of all those who did, RIP.

 

[clearconscience]

I have a family member in the Marines in CA. Thankfully I think he's still on leave and station in NC.

prayers to those Marines and their families.

RIP.