Intel

Marines Say COVID-19, Burnout Played Roles in AAV Mishap That Killed 9

October 7, 2021Hannah Ray Lambert
Assault Amphibious Vehicle

Lance Cpl. Tyler Engfer, an Assault Amphibious Vehicle crew chief with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, operates the turret of an AAV-P7/A1 during an exercise Jan. 19, 2020, on Camp Pendleton, California. US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Britany Rowlett.

A Marine Corps investigation into the drowning of nine service members in an Assault Amphibious Vehicle accident last year found COVID-19 restrictions and troops being spread thin over multiple commitments played a role in the deadly accident.


The Marine Corps report was released Wednesday, Oct. 6, coinciding with the release of the Navy’s own investigation into the incident.


Eight Marines and one sailor attached to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit died when their AAV sank July 30, 2020, while traveling from San Clemente Island, California, back to the USS Somerset after a training exercise. An earlier Marine Corps investigation stated the aging and poorly maintained vehicle began taking on water, causing the radios and electrical system to fail. The report faults the vehicle commander for waiting too long to order the evacuation of embarked troops.


At least two Marine Corps officers were fired in the wake of the mishap, and the families of the deceased service members filed a lawsuit against the AAV manufacturer, BAE Systems. 


Assault Amphibious Vehicle accident report
Sgt. Salomon Segura, an Assault Amphibious Vehicle section leader with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, drives an AAV in the water during an exercise Jan. 19, 2020, on Camp Pendleton, California. US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Britany Rowlett.

The new report examines what a senior military leader found to be additional contributing factors to Marine Corps officials’ lack of oversight. Lt. Gen. Carl Mundy III, who led the investigation, wrote that commanders, staff, and troops were stretched thin ahead of the accident.


“The claims on their time and attention surfaced in a number of interviews with several senior officers who described the conditions during this period as second only to their experience in combat,” Mundy wrote.


Examples of those added tasks included augmenting Customs and Border Patrol activities on the US-Mexico border and planning for combat operations due to heightened tensions with Iran in January 2020. However, the investigation emphasizes that “overcoming the uncertainty associated with COVID precautions” was the main challenge between February and July 2020. 


Mundy wrote that a coronavirus outbreak on the USS Theodore Roosevelt early on in the pandemic “compressed and complicated” training opportunities for the 15th MEU. Setting up quarantine facilities for thousands of deploying and redeploying Marines and “dealing with other emerging requirements related to rescheduling and re-scoping exercises, training, and deployments” also hindered training.


One officer quoted in the Marine investigation said senior commanders knew the 15th MEU was “not in a normal place” in terms of training due to complications caused by the pandemic.


Assault Amphibious Vehicle
Cpl. Jacob Mclarry familiarizes himself with communications equipment in an Assault Amphibious Vehicle at Camp Pendleton, California, June 28, 2021. US Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jamin M. Powell.

The Navy’s investigation, meanwhile, found communication problems between the branches the day of the sinking. Navy investigator Rear Adm. Christopher Sweeney wrote that the Somerset’s commanding officer “did not fully understand communication pathways” between the ship and Marine vehicles. But the communication problems did not cause the disaster, and the Somerset responded quickly once it was notified the AAV was in distress, according to the report, a copy of which was uploaded by USNI News.


The new Navy investigation largely agrees with initial reports that poorly maintained vehicles, inadequate training, and a slow response time caused the disaster. Navy officials have now mandated safety boats whenever AAVs operate with Navy shipping and are revising training manuals and reference documents, USNI News reported.


Several Navy personnel have faced administrative action due to the disaster, but no one has lost their job, Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener said in a conference call with reporters this week.


“This tragedy should never have occurred,” Kitchener said, according to The Washington Post. “We will not let the lives be lost in vain. We have learned from this, and we will permanently improve the way we plan and execute amphibious operations.”


AAV
Marines with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 1st Marine Division, return to shore in Assault Amphibious Vehicles after completing open-ocean waterborne operations April 16, 2021, at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Cameron Hermanet.

Christiana Sweetwood, the mother of one of the Marines killed in the AAV disaster, told the Post she received thousands of pages of documents from the military and has still been combing through them.


“I feel like so much at this point has been thrown at us,” she told the Post. “It’s almost like everyone is pointing fingers at each other.”


Spokespeople for the Marine Corps and Navy did not respond to Coffee or Die Magazine’s request for comment before publication.


Read Next: ‘They Had No Chance’ — Families of Service Members Killed in Marine AAV Mishap To Sue Manufacturer



Hannah Ray Lambert
Hannah Ray Lambert

Hannah Ray Lambert is a former staff writer for Coffee or Die who previously covered everything from murder trials to high school trap shooting teams. She spent several months getting tear gassed during the 2020-2021 civil unrest in Portland, Oregon. When she’s not working, Hannah enjoys hiking, reading, and talking about authors and books on her podcast Between Lewis and Lovecraft.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Curtis LeMay
Curtis LeMay: The World War II General Who Firebombed Japan

Who exactly was Gen. Curtis LeMay? And how did he become the commander who razed more than 60 Japanese cities during World War II?

eric smith marine corps commandant nominee
Highly Decorated Marine Officer Nominated To Be Next Commandant

President Joe Biden has nominated a highly decorated Marine officer who has been involved in the transformation of the force to be the next Marine Corps commandant.

USS Arizona
Profile of a Ship: USS Arizona

When the USS Arizona sank, it took 1,177 crew members with it. Today it remains beneath the water as a memorial to all those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor.

b1 bombers bosnia
US Bombers Fly Over Bosnia in Sign of Support Amid Continued Secessionist Threats

A pair of U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers flew low over Sarajevo and several other Bosnian cities...

SR-71 Blackbird
SR-71 Blackbird: The Spy Plane That Could Outrun Missiles

Lockheed Martin’s SR-71 Blackbird was a government secret for years. Now retired, a newer version plans to take its place.

medal of honor recipient remains returned
Missing 73 Years, Medal of Honor Recipient's Remains Return To Georgia

Soldiers of the 9th Infantry Regiment made a desperate retreat as North Korean troops closed in arou...

dear jack
Dear Jack: My Battalion Is Out of Control

In this installment of “Dear Jack,” Marine veteran and amateur life coach Jack Mandaville advises a lieutenant colonel on how to restore order in the lower ranks.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
  • Request a Correction
  • Write for Us
  • General Inquiries
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved