Seven Marines Killed, Eight Injured in Training Exercise

Investigation is underway in the Hawthorne Army Depot explosion that killed seven Marines and injured several others. Brig. Gen. James W. Lukeman, Second Marine Division commanding general, updated the press with a “heavy heart” and offered prayers to the servicemen’s families.
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Seven Marines Killed, Eight Injured in Training Exercise
In this file photo, Marines test the 60 mm mortar, which replaced the WW II era M2 Mortar and M119 Mortar. (Cpl. Salvador R. Moreno)
3/20/2013
Updated:
3/21/2013

Investigation is underway in the Hawthorne Army Depot explosion that killed seven second Marine Division Marines and injured several other Marines and a Navy Corpsman. Brig. Gen. James W. Lukeman, Second Marine Division commanding general, updated the press with a “heavy heart” and offered prayers to the servicemen’s’ families on Tuesday.

<a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Nevada_Marines_890433.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-365426" src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/07/Nevada_Marines_890433-589x450.jpg" alt="2nd Marine Division" width="590" height="451"/></a>
2nd Marine Division

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60mmMortar

The mountain exercises are regularly conducted at the Depot, as well as at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center (MWTC) in Bridgeport, Calif., just over the state line.

The training is necessary for the Marines, Lukeman said. The mountainous sites are premier places to prepare servicemen for action in mountainous regions, according to MWTC’s website.

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