Lance corporal found dead in barracks bed

[thedrifter]

Lance corporal found dead in barracks bed
By John Hoellwarth - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Aug 22, 2007 13:14:34 EDT

A mortarman assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, at Twentynine Palms, Calif., was found dead in his barracks room bed at about 1 a.m. Monday with no indication of what killed him, Corps officials confirmed Tuesday.

The death of Lance Cpl. Ramiro Hernandez, 24, of Kern, Calif., is the subject of a criminal investigation, 1st Marine Division spokesman Capt. Miguel Alvarez said.

Hernandez’s death came less than a year after he enlisted in the Corps on Sept. 29.

“The loss of even a single Marine reverberates throughout the entire ranks, so the whole division mourns the loss of Lance Corporal Hernandez,” Alvarez said.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Many questions after young Bakersfield Marine found dead in barracks
EyeOutForYou.com, CA

A Bakersfield family mourns the death of a young Marine, found dead in his barracks. Lance Cpl. Ramiro Hernandez III was discovered unresponsive early Monday morning, the family says he will likely be laid to rest next Tuesday.

The 24-year-old Marine leaves behind a large, close-knit family -- and his death leaves many unanswered questions. The grief-stricken father says Marines came to the family's Bakersfield home Monday morning to notify them about the death, but the officers didn't have any information on the cause of death.

"Apparently his friend came in, or something -- or his roommate came in," Ramiro Hernandez told Eyewitness News. "That's all they told me -- or told my wife." The father says Marines told the family the investigation is on-going.

Asked if the young Marine had health problems, recent complaints or any changes in his activities -- the father said no. "No, not that he ever told us. I don't know, I don't know what happened."

The family says Hernandez joined the Marines late last year, and served with the Third Marine Fourth Regiment. His group was set to go to Iraq later this year, but the family didn't know exactly when.

The young Marine had already earned a number of awards. The "Paul Ison" honor was awarded to Hernandez after his fellow Marines picked him for his leadership skills.

The father says Hernandez joined the Marines to serve, and with an eye on his future. "He wanted to do that and when he got done, he would come home and be a sheriff's deputy."

The family says Hernandez was in boot camp in San Diego, spent time at Camp Pendelton, and was then stationed at 29 Palms. That's where he was found in his barracks Monday at about 1:00 a.m.

Relatives say the young Marine was out-going and friendly -- and always thinking of others. The heart-broken father says there's so much he'll miss about his son.

"I love him and he'll always be in my heart and in my prayers," says Hernandez. "We'll see each other some day."

Ellie