R 121130Z OCT 01 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS //N05000//
ALMAR 047/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/SD//
SUBJ/SEPTEMBER 2001 SAFETY SUMMARY//
RMKS/1. DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2001, SIX MARINES DIED IN
ON AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS. FOUR MARINES DIED FROM SUSPECTED SUICIDES
AND SEVEN MARINES SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES. THE FOLLOWING IS
A SUMMARY OF OUR CASUALTIES FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER:
A. FATALITIES
ON DUTY:
1. SGT & CPL FROM CO F, MSG BN, ASSIGNED TO USEMB MAPUTO,
MOZAMBIQUE DIED WHEN THEIR CANOE OVERTURNED WHILE ON AN EMBASSY
SPONSORED TRIP. NEITHER OF THE MARINES WERE WEARING LIFE VESTS.
OFF DUTY:
1. SGT FROM 1ST BN, 6TH MAR, 2D MARDIV DIED AS A RESULT OF
INJURIES INCURRED IN A POV ACCIDENT. SNM'S VEHICLE WAS
TRAVELING 95-100 MPH AND IMPACTED A TREE. HE WAS NOT WEARING A
SEATBELT.
2. PFC FROM H&S CO, MARFORLANT WAS A PASSENGER IN A VEHICLE
TRAVELING AT AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF SPEED. A SINGLE VEHICLE
ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHERE THE MARINE RECEIVED SEVERE TRAUMA TO HIS
CHEST RESULTING IN DEATH. ALL OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WERE
WEARING SEATBELTS.
3. LCPL FROM HMM-165 AND A PVT FROM HMLA-369 WERE INVOLVED IN A
SINGLE POV ACCIDENT. AT AN ESTIMATED SPEED OF 90-100 MPH, THE
POV HIT THE CENTER MEDIAN AND SPUN. NEITHER MARINE WAS WEARING A
SEATBELT, AND BOTH WERE EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE LCPL
SUBSEQUENTLY DIED AS A RESULT OF HIS INJURIES WHILE THE PVT WAS
TREATED AND RELEASED FOR A LEG INJURY.
4. CPL FROM 3RD BN 8TH MAR WAS RIDING A MOTORCYCLE WHEN A
TRACTOR TRAILER JACK-KNIFED IN FRONT OF HIM. SNM ATTEMPTED TO
AVOID CONTACT BY VEERING OFF THE ROADWAY ONTO THE BERM. SNM LOST
CONTROL AND WAS THROWN FROM HIS MOTORCYCLE RESULTING IN DEATH.
B. MISHAPS THAT RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES:
ON DUTY:
1. LCPL FROM 2ND BN, 7TH MAR SUSTAINED A GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE
UPPER LEFT THIGH DURING LIVE FIRE TRAINING. SNM SUSTAINED NO
BROKEN BONES, AND NO DAMAGE TO MAJOR BLOOD VESSELS. SNM WAS
TREATED AND RELEASED WITH A GOOD PROGNOSIS.
2. PVT FROM 3D BN, RTR, MCRD SD COLLAPSED DURING A HIKE ABOARD
CAMP PENDLETON. SNR REPORTEDLY HAD SHALLOW BREATHING AND
APPEARED TO BE SEMI-CONSCIOUS. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE NAVAL
HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE AND CHECKED INTO INTENSIVE CARE. SNR
DIAGNOSED WITH A HEART CONDITION AND REMAINS IN HOSPITAL IN
STABLE CONDITION.
OFF DUTY:
1. LCPL FROM 2/4 WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE ROLLOVER IN
HIS POV. SNM SUFFERED A COLLAPSED LUNG, LACERATED LIVER, AND A
POSSIBLE PELVIS FRACTURE. SNM UNDERWENT SURGERY AND IS IN
CRITICAL BUT STABLE CONDITION, WITH A FAIR PROGNOSIS.
2. SGT FROM 26TH MEU(SOC) WAS A PASSENGER IN A TRUCK INVOLVED
IN A SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE LEFT THE ROAD AND
ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES, EJECTING SNM FROM THE VEHICLE. SNM
SUSTAINED MULTIPLE INJURIES INCLUDING A CONCUSSION, FRACTURED
PELVIS, AND MINIMAL INTERNAL BLEEDING.
3. LCPL FROM 1ST TANK BN SUFFERED A BRUISED KIDNEY CAUSING
INTERNAL BLEEDING, BRUISED HEART, FRACTURED STERNUM AND A
CRACKED PELVIS WHEN THE VEHICLE HE WAS DRIVING WAS STRUCK IN THE
DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND DRIVEN INTO A TELEPHONE POLE BY ANOTHER
VEHICLE. SNM REMAINS IN SERIOUS CONDITION.
4. CPL FROM WPNS CO, 2/4 WAS FOUND AT THE BASE OF A CLIFF ON
SAN CLEMENTE BEACH. SNM APPEARS TO HAVE FALLEN FROM A CLIFF
APPROXIMATELY 60-90 FT IN HEIGHT. SNM SUFFERED A BRAIN
HEMORRHAGE AND A LACERATION TO THE ARM. HE UNDERWENT SURGERY AND
IS CURRENTLY IN THE ICU LISTED IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
5. TWO LCPLS FROM HQHQRON, MCAS MIRAMAR, CA WERE INVOLVED IN A
TWO-CAR ACCIDENT AFTER THE DRIVER RAN A RED LIGHT. THE DRIVER
UNDERWENT SURGERY FOR A FRACTURED RIGHT FEMUR. THE PASSENGER WAS
TREATED AND PLACED IN SIQ FOR 24 HRS FOR SEAT BELT BURNS AND A
SORE KNEE. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES TO CIVILIANS IN THE
SECOND VEHICLE. BOTH LCPLS WERE WEARING SEATBELTS.
C. AVIATION
1. HMM-266 (CH-53) PERFORMING RESUPPLY OPERATIONS DURING
EXERCISE RAPID CHEETAH WAS FORCED TO JETTISON ITS CARGO
(GENERATOR) JUST AFTER TAKE OFF FOR SAFETY REASONS. INCIDENT
OCCURRED IN AN UNPOPULATED AREA. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO
AIRCRAFT REPORTED.
2. VMFA(AW)-242 (F/A-18D) BROKE OFF ITS REFUELING PROBE IN THE
REFUELING DROGUE OF A TANKER AIRCRAFT. THIS AIRCRAFT PLUS THE
FIVE OTHER AIRCRAFT IN ITS CELL DIVERTED SAFELY TO WAKE ISLAND.
2. MIXED NEWS:
A. DURING LAST MONTHS SAFETY SUMMARY MESSAGE A CPL AND HIS
GIRLFRIEND WERE KILLED IN A PMV ACCIDENT. IAW MCO P5102.1A THE
CPL'S UNIT WAS INCORRECTLY IDENTIFIED AS 3RD MAW. THE CORRECT UNIT
IS MARINE ADMIN DET, EWTGLANT, NORFOLK, VA.
B. LAST YEAR DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, NINE MARINES DIED IN
ON AND OFF DUTY GROUND MISHAPS, AND TWO DIED IN AN AVIATION MISHAP.
SIX OF THE NINE DIED IN OFF DUTY MISHAPS; THREE DIED FROM PMV
MISHAPS AND THREE FROM RECREATIONAL MISHAPS. THE THREE ON DUTY
DEATHS RESULTED FROM A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MISHAP, A TACTICAL
VEHICLE MISHAP, AND AN OPS/TRNG MISHAP. THIS YEAR DURING SEPTEMBER
SIX ACTIVE DUTY MARINES DIED IN ON AND OFF DUTY MISHAPS, IN
ADDITION TO FOUR FROM SUSPECTED SUICIDES. THREE OF THE SIX
FATALITIES FOR THE MONTH WERE POV MISHAPS AND, AS NOTED ABOVE,
RESULTED FROM EXCESSIVE SPEED AND WILLFUL RECKLESSNESS. THESE
MARINES MADE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO PUT THEIR LIVES AT RISK IN
SITUATIONS THAT WERE CLEARLY PREVENTABLE, RESULTING IN THEIR
DEATHS.
C. THIS FY WE LOST 73 MARINES AND SAILORS TO ON AND OFF DUTY
MISHAPS. THIS REPRESENTS A MARKED IMPROVEMENT FROM THE 107 LOST
LAST YEAR. WHILE THIS REDUCTION CAN BE DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO
LEADERSHIP INVOLVEMENT AT ALL LEVELS, THE LOSS OF A SINGLE MARINE
IS STILL TOO HIGH A PRICE TO PAY. CONTINUED ATTENTION AT ALL
LEVELS WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS TO ON DUTY MISHAPS IS REQUIRED.
3. COMMANDERS SHALL ENSURE THAT ALL MARINES HAVE READ THIS ALMAR.
4. SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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