Pentagon bans mortar round after fatal blast

Pentagon bans mortar rounds after fatal blast

Associated Press

HAWTHORNE, Nev.

A mortar-shell explosion killed at least seven Marines and injured a half-dozen more during mountain-warfare training in Nevada’s high desert, prompting the Pentagon to immediately halt the use of the weapons until an investigation can determine their safety, officials said Tuesday.

The explosion occurred Monday night at the Hawthorne Army Depot, a facility used by troops heading overseas, during an exercise involving the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force from Camp Lejeune, N.C. Several Marines from the unit were injured in the blast, authorities said.

The mortar round exploded in its firing tube during the exercise, said Brig. Gen. Jim Lukeman at a news conference at Camp Lejeune. He said investigators are trying to determine the cause of the malfunction.

The Pentagon expanded a temporary ban to prohibit the military from firing any 60mm mortar rounds until the results of the investigation. The Marine Corps said Tuesday a “blanket suspension” of 60mm mortars and associated firing tubes is in effect.

It was not immediately clear whether more than a single round exploded, a Marine Corps official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the official wasn’t authorized to speak about an ongoing investigation.

The Marine Corps said early Tuesday that seven Marines were killed. But John Stroud, national junior vice commander in chief for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, began a memorial event in Hawthorne on Tuesday night by saying “one of the critical has passed,” bringing the death toll to eight.

Capt. Binford R. Strickland, a spokesman at Camp Lejune, said in an email late Tuesday that he could confirm only that seven were killed and eight were injured.