Marine recruit collapses, dies

[thedrifter]

Marine recruit collapses, dies




UNION-TRIBUNE
July 15, 2004

CAMP PENDLETON – A Marine recruit died Tuesday night after collapsing during a unit hike on the sprawling Marine Corps base, it was announced yesterday.

The private's identity was being withheld until his family could be notified.

The unit was hiking from a weapons training range to a camp site. The recruit was taken to Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital and was pronounced dead at 10:18 p.m.

His death is under investigation.

Recruits from the San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot spend several weeks at Camp Pendleton's Edson Range, where they learn marksmanship and tactics.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20040715-9999-1mc15marine.html


Ellie

[HardJedi]

Very sad, even though he never graduated bootcamp, his name should be listed on the rolls of the Marine Corps in heaven.

[thedrifter]

Iowa Marine dies in training exercise

Pfc. Nathan Earhart of West Des Moines was hiking with his unit during boot camp when he collapsed.

By TIM PALUCH
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
July 16, 2004



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A West Des Moines Marine who was an avid distance runner died this week while hiking during boot camp at Camp Pendleton in California.

Pfc. Nathan Earhart, 24, was hiking with his unit on a cool Tuesday evening when he collapsed, said Maj. Joe Kloppel, a spokesman at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego.

Earhart later died at the Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital.

Kloppel said it was not a rigorous hike, and a cause of death has not been determined.

Earhart was a good athlete who ran distance races throughout central Iowa in his free time, his family said.

He was eight weeks into the 12-week boot camp.

Wanted to serve
"He wanted to be a soldier for a very long time, since he was a boy," said his father, Dennis Earhart.

Nathan Earhart is the second Marine to die during boot camp in the last two years at Camp Pendleton, Kloppel said.

Another Iowa Marine, Scott McVey, 21, of Indianola, drowned in a military swimming pool there in February during a water survival test.

McVey had already completed boot camp, and was qualifying for Marine Reconnaissance School.

Earhart grew up in the Cedar Rapids area, graduating from high school in 1998.

At DMACC

His family moved to central Iowa after high school, and he enrolled at Des Moines Area Community College.

He graduated as an honor student in 2002.

He always talked about the Marines, but the events of Sept. 11 made joining a reality, his father said.

"That's when he started to get serious about it," Dennis Earhart said.

He said Nathan worked for two years at Ziegler Caterpillar in Des Moines after college before joining the Marines early this year.

Dennis Earhart said he and his wife, Julie, will meet with Marine officials in Des Moines today, and they may travel to Camp Pendleton.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

http://www.dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040716/NEWS11/407160346/1001


Ellie

[grayshade]

To the parents of Pfc. Earhart, you have my warmest regards and deepest sympathy. They're boy is now making roll-call at the pearly-gates. I am saddened to have lost another brother, when we are so few. Semper Fidelis, Nathan, carry on.

Grayshade

[Osotogary]

Peace be with him.

[Arlene Horton]

My deepest sympathies go to the parents & families of these Marines. Semper Fi & God Bless...

[MillRatUSMC]

We offer our prayers to the family of Pfc Nathan Earhart.
They were training for the "Crucible" most likely this was a force march with all their gear.
I'm sure there will be an investigation to find out what went wrong.
They will also look at why the Corpsman didn't catch that this recruit was having problems.
Echoing Arlene Horton's words...

Semper Fidelis/Semper Fi
Ricardo

[HardJedi]

Rest in peace brothers.

and to any poolee, now you see. take your training seriously. We sometimes joke around on here about how funny bbot can be, but it IS serious. Know yourself, and your limitations. even the best of us can push TOO hard and TOO far.

[CLSAUNDERS]

"SEMPER-FIDELIS", It's more than just a slogan fella's. May God provide comfort and continue to be with the families during and following these trajic times. Cause, we just never know when our names may be posted...

[Marine Forever]

Recruit Earhart was in my platoon in boot camp. He was an excellent runner (3 miles in 17:10 and he said that he could do even better than that). I remember that he had a difficult time with drill though. He was dropped from my platoon on the day of the initial PFT because he sprained his ankle and couldn't run. It was a shame to lose him, as we had become friends. When I was in MCT, I found out that he had died. I couldn't believe it. Such a nice guy and he would've made a great Marine. Even now, two years later, I find myself thinking about him and what he could be doing today. God had other plans for him, I guess. Still, it's so sad.

Semper Fi, my brother Nathan. Please know that you are not forgotten.

[FistFu68]

:usmc: REST IN PEACE,SON,NO MORE WORRIE'S :usmc:

[USMCalweez]

:flag: It's hard on all Marine's when they lose a brother, it's even harder when that brother did'nt die gettin some. My prayers go out to his family. Maybe they can take solice in knowing God's got a bigger plan, and that he's whoopin ass on the insurgent pukes we've already sent skyward (thats they're hell.)

:usmc: Semper Fi:usmc: