A Marine assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force died Wednesday afternoon following a tactical vehicle mishap during routine training at Camp Pendleton, military officials confirmed.
The incident occurred around 1:45 p.m. on the northern San Diego County installation, according to base officials. The Marine’s identity is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification. No additional details about the circumstances of the mishap have been released, and the cause remains under investigation.
Camp Pendleton, one of the Marine Corps’ primary training hubs, regularly hosts air, sea, and ground assault exercises for Marines preparing for deployment. But the sprawling base has also seen a series of fatal training accidents in recent years.
In October, a helicopter pilot assigned to the installation died during flight operations near the California-Arizona border. Last year, multiple Marines from Pendleton were killed in separate training incidents. In August 2023, Lance Cpl. Joseph D. Whaley died during live-fire training after what a Naval Safety Command report later described as a negligent discharge. His death was one of five Marine training fatalities that month, prompting the Marine Corps’ top officer at the time to order a force-wide safety review.
Four months later, in December 2023, Sgt. Matthew K. Bylski died when an amphibious combat vehicle rolled over during training at Pendleton, injuring 14 others. And in April 2024, Cpl. Miguel A. Maya died during what officials described as an “aviation ground mishap.”
Marine Corps officials have not indicated whether Wednesday’s death shares any similarities with prior incidents or whether preliminary findings point to mechanical failure, human error, or environmental conditions. More information is expected once the investigation progresses.
The Salty Soldier will continue monitoring updates as the Marine Corps releases further details.
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