Four Marines Killed on California Base Were Doing Dangerous Work
The four Marines killed Wednesday while clearing unexploded ordnance at California’s Camp Pendleton were bomb removal technicians. 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.
Few quit, despite the inherent risks that come with finding and getting rid of unexploded munitions — whether on the battlefield or on a U.S. base, according to former bomb technicians.
The four were killed around 11 a.m. during a routine sweep to make a range safer for future training exercises at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County, said a Marine official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. There was no live firing on the range at the time.
Base officials said they would not release details until an investigation into the cause of the accident is concluded. They released the names of the dead Thursday night.
They were Staff Sgt. Mathew R. Marsh, 28, of Long Beach, Calif., Sgt. Miguel Ortiz, 27, of Vista, Calif., Gunnery Sgt. J. Mullins, 31, of Bayou L’Ourse, La., and Staff Sgt. Eric W. Summers, 32, of Poplar Bluff, Mo.
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