Marine linked to blast
Create Post
Results 1 to 7 of 7
  1. #1

    Cool Marine linked to blast

    Marine linked to blast
    December 30,2003
    ERIC STEINKOPFF
    DAILY NEWS STAFF

    A New River Air Station Marine is scheduled to face a general court-martial in March on charges connected to an explosion on May 7 that injured 11 Marines aboard the USS Saipan as his unit was headed home from Iraq.

    Sgt. Mark S. Hoerber, of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29, is accused of bringing an unexploded howitzer round aboard the ship, according to a New River Air Station report. Hoerber is a power plant mechanic.

    The court-martial is likely to take four days, March 8-11.

    "He is not being held in the brig (or other) pretrial confinement," said New River Air Station public affairs officer Capt. Rob James.

    Military investigators say the round caused a blast in a trash can, piercing a bulkhead and injuring sleeping Marines in a berthing area. Initial findings identified the explosive as an M-42 howitzer fragmentation round submunition fired by U.S. or allied artillery. It is designed to come apart in as many as 88 different explosive rounds.

    Hoerber was charged Sept. 16 with failure to obey a lawful general order by wrongfully acquiring the submunition, damage and destruction to U.S. military property aboard the ship through neglect, and negligently causing a hazard to the ship by failing to properly dispose of the ordnance.

    He is also charged with assaulting 10 Marines by causing them bodily harm in the explosion, negligent discharge of a submunition, recklessly endangering the lives of 19 Marines by bringing the explosive aboard a helicopter and recklessly endangering all aboard the ship, according to information from New River Air Station.

    An Article 32 hearing, similar to a civilian grand jury, was conducted in November to determine if there was sufficient evidence against Hoerber to warrant a court-martial.

    Hoerber was arraigned Dec. 15, air station officials said Monday.

    One Marine suffered a serious arm injury and was evacuated to a military hospital in Kuwait. He was later evacuated to Landstuhl Hospital at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

    The other 10 Marines sustained minor injuries to their legs, backs, elbows or shoulders and were treated by Navy medical personnel on the ship.

    USS Saipan is one of seven amphibious assault ships that departed the East Coast in mid-January carrying the 7,000-member 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade and returned home to Camp Lejeune in June.


    Contact Eric Steinkopff at esteinkopff@jdnews.com or 353-1171, Ext. 236.


    http://www.jacksonvilledailynews.com...8&Section=News


    Sempers,

    Roger



  2. #2
    What was he thinking, thats right he was not thinking! I will never understand this type of action.


  3. #3
    Marine Free Member RichLundeen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Kabul, Afghanistan
    Posts
    192
    Credits
    31,143
    Savings
    0
    Wow, that's not good at all. Hurt a bunch of guys, and ruined his career in the process. Luck that think didn't go off on the helo en route to the ship.

    Semper Fi

    Rich


  4. #4
    Registered User Free Member Doc Crow's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    396
    Credits
    1,120
    Savings
    0
    No Pre trial Confinement???? That really does surprise me


  5. #5
    Marine Free Member RichLundeen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Kabul, Afghanistan
    Posts
    192
    Credits
    31,143
    Savings
    0
    I'll bet this Marine is being closely watched though Doc. I'd fear he'd be suicidal.

    Stupid things happen to good people. I think that's the case here.

    Semper Fi

    Rich


  6. #6

    Exclamation My Side

    I was not responsible for that indecent. I was wrong for bring a souvenir home. I was not the only one. Every rank form Pvt to Capt brought back items they knew they were not allowed to have on the same ship. The items ranging from small arms rounds to grenades to rocket motors to a comp explosives in their personal possession not weapons or ordnance store. I sought out guidance from a SNCO who told me to throw it off the ship more than a week prior to the indecent. If I was so wrong, why was EOD not informed right there and then, and why was administrative action not taken at that instance. Why was I the only one on the ship in trouble for bring something back. EOD told the Capt of the ship to go out to deeper water to throw everything off the ship there was so much stuff. The item that went off was not mine. I served the Corps for all most 8 years. It was my life. Even facing the jail time, the possibility of discharge, I still did my duty with no sorrow. After I was released from the brig, as a LCpl, I continued to train Marines, and pre form my job to the absolute best of my ability’s. Why does some think there was need for pre-trial confinement when in fact I was fully corpora ional. Something else that was not know to the public, several days after the blast, I went to lace w:st="on">Kuwaitlace> with NCIS and took 6 polygraphs and passed their accusations. My commander felt that someone needed to pay, knowing I passed my poly exams, still sent me up the river. Still to this day I love the Corps, and would love to return. I have a bitter taste still about this event in my life. I don’t blame the Marine Corps, I only hold my leadership responsible for destroying my career. I love how the news and reporters neglected to note that I was the Marine responsible for saving the life of the Marine who all most lost his arm due to the explosion. Am I the only one that thinks it was odd that the explosion went off when he put paper and battery’s in the trash, and not when other people were throwing cans and other heavier items in before him? The court could not prove that I was responsible for the explosion. EOD and NCIS could not prove I was responsible for the explosion. Should I not have then received the same amnesty that all the other Marine on the ship got? Was I wrong for bring something back, I see now yes. Did I deserve to have what was done to me, done? You answer it now.

    Semper Fi
    Mr Hoerber


  7. #7
    Mr (Sgt) Hoerber: If you are in fact who you claim to be here--frankly I am very suspect to that point--you would be well advised not to speak or post ANYTHING on this site or any other for that matter. I am sure your attorney would slap you silly for running your mouth here.

    Good luck.


Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not Create Posts
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts