The four Marines killed at Camp Pendleton have been identified as Sgt. Miguel Ortiz, 27, of Vista; Staff Sgt. Mathew R. Marsh, 28, of Long Beach; Gunnery Sgt. Gregory J. Mullins, 31, of Bayou L’Ourse, La. and Staff Sgt. Eric W. Summers, 32, of Poplar Bluff, Mo.
The Marines were killed after an explosion on the camp.
They were part of a detail assigned to clear unexploded ordinances from the live-fire artillery range, reported NBC.
It is one of the few positions in which the Marine Corps allows team members to quit at any time. That’s because their mental focus could mean the difference between life or death, either for themselves or their fellow troops.
The bomb disposal community is a small, tight-knit one like no other within the Marine Corps. They are bonded by their fearlessness, mental strength and deep ties from losing so many members over the years, say former bomb technicians.
An investigation is ongoing into what happened. The explosion happened on Wednesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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