Team,
I hope that this note finds you well. We’ve been busy, and while we’ve made some progress, the news we bring this week is not good.
We shipped the balance of our socks out to two Army units in Afghanistan and we were able to open another relationship with a sock supplier, so our week started off pretty well.
Then on Thursday, the news reported an accident involving the loss of 9 Marines, 1 killed, 8 missing when their Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) sank during a training exercise off San Clemente Island.
The Marines were part of 1st Battalion, 4th Marines located here at Camp Pendleton at Camp Horno. Know as the “China Marines” they were assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
The AAV was lost as it traveled back to the ship from the training exercise on the island in the company of other vehicles when it went down. Two Marines escaped. One Marine’s body was found. The search for the others was called off this morning. The AAV sank in about 2-300 feet of water. The search for the vehicle continues.
While we didn’t know the Marines who were lost, we are not far removed. It is a small Marine Corps. We know the Commanders of the MEU and the Regiment that they were attached to.
I don’t really think that most people are aware of the dangers that our service members face just going to work every day. For every deployment there is a months long training work up. The Marines train the way they fight and to do so they utilize live fire exercises and train with the equipment that will take them to battle, helicopters, Osprey and the AAV’s.
While most people would think that live fire is the most dangerous, they’d be wrong. The bulk of accidents occur in vehicle accidents, aircraft crashes and tragedies like the one that occurred on Thursday. How does it happen? Some people would point out to the age of the equipment, or question maintenance, or suggest command failure, most times it will come down to just bad luck.
There will be investigations and repercussions. Reports will be written, and recommendations made. But that will be in the future. There is other work that will occur today.
Today across America, uniformed Marines will knock on the doors of the families to notify them of the loss of their Marines. The Marines who were recovered will be taken to a Military mortuary to be prepared for transport and then arrangements will be made to return their remains home. During this process, the Marine will never be left alone. There is a Marine who will accompany him from the start of his journey to the finish.
The families will be assisted by a Marine Casualty Officer, who will answer their questions and help them with the funeral arrangements and benefits. The families will have Marines from their children’s units visit them and tell them about their service. While many could think that is for the families benefit, they would be wrong again. The need for comfort is mutual for both Marine and family. After all, if every Marine is their brother, then the fallen’ s parents are their parents. They will observe their loss together.
In the age of COVID-19, I don’t know about the unit memorials, but I am certain that at some point there will be a remembrance where the Marine’s names will be called, the ship’s bell rung to mark their passing, followed by the 21 gun salute.
We have reached out to our friends in the units and have offered any support that we can. But today there is grief and our request to you.
Please take a moment to remember these brave men and their families in your thoughts and prayers for comfort and solace during this time of loss. Remember the men that they served with and hope that they do not carry remorse and guilt for something that was out of their control.
And as General Patton once noted, we will not mourn their passing, but be grateful that such men lived among us if even for a short period of time.
Thanks for joining us in our position in this fight!
Jim Hogan
In memory of our son, LCPL Donald Hogan
Posthumously awarded the Navy Cross
KIA 8/26/2009 Nawa, Afghanistan
We honor his memory by caring for Americans wherever they serve in harm’s way.