Three Marines Relieved of Duty After Probe of Mortar Deaths
Published at
ABC News(NEW YORK) — Three Marines Corps officers were relieved of duty in the wake of last March’s mortar explosion in Nevada that killed seven of their comrades.
A spokesman for 2nd Marine Division based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, said that a battalion commander, a company commander and a weapons officer had been relieved.
A preliminary probe of the March 18 incident revealed that a 60-millimeter round exploded in a mortar tube during a nighttime session involving “live fire and maneuver training” at the Hawthorne Army Depot in Reno, Nev.
The deaths of the seven Marines and the wounding of eight others led to the Marines suspending the use of all 60-millimeter mortar rounds and similar ammunition pending the final outcome of their probe.
Officers are generally held accountable for actions within their units. While they’ll remain in the service, they often lose their jobs.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio