Camp Pendleton has released the names of the four Marines who died Wednesday morning on base.
Killed were:
-Staff Sgt. Mathew R. Marsh, 28, of Long Beach, California.
-Gunnery Sgt. Gregory J. Mullins, 31, of Bayou L’Ourse, Louisiana.
-Sgt. Miguel Ortiz, 27, of Vista, California.
-Staff Sgt. Eric W. Summers, 32, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
All four men killed were Explosive Ordnance Disposal Marines. The Associated Press reports:
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.
According to a Camp Pendleton news release, the fallen Marines lost their lives in an explosion, as they were conducting range maintenance in the Zula impact area of the base. Part of their duties during maintenance was to "dispose of unexploded ordnance."
Brig. Gen. John W. Bullard, Commanding General, Marine Corps Installations West - Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, said of the Marines who died in the explosion:
“Today, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the Marines we lost yesterday. Explosive Ordnance Disposal is a small and tight-knit community, not just in the Marine Corps, but in the entire US military. Our focus now is on ensuring these families receive the help and support they need."
