It was supposed to be a rousing event at Camp Pendleton to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US Marine Corps that included live coverage of sea and air assaults.
The program involves marines firing high-explosive rounds from M777 Howitzers — artillery used to launch shells in the wars in Afghanistan and Ukraine — at designated ranges. Federal authorities last week insisted that it would be done with “every precaution in place” and that no public highways would be closed.
But California officials have expressed fears about those live areas fired more than 5, running between the sea where the “landing” took place and all the strange military installations.
Then on Friday evening, the marchers conducted a test without notifying state officials, firing artillery and rotating over the I-5, according to the governor’s office – all drivers walking on the highway. The California Department of Transportation captured the fire live on video.
Early Saturday morning, Gov. Gavin Newlom announced the closure that day of Interstate 17 – from San Clemente to the north of Ocersede – during an event, held by a thousand, which included a speech by Vice President JD vence.
Now, the California Highway Patrol reports that the cruiser that was parked in Onestate 5 was attacked by the fall of the strapner after the destruction of the midlair, before the first target, forcing the first end of the artillery show. Although no one was injured, the revelations raised new questions about safety issues and whether it was wise to put out a fire by living above the highway during the festival.
A chunk of shrapnel is seen on the hood of a California minivan amid a live fire demonstration at Camp Pendleton.
(California Highway Patrol)
Here’s the chain of events that led to a stirring day of military pride, gridlock and confusion:
Wednesday
The report was widely circulated saying that the white house intends to close 5 strategies between the warships of Camp Pendleton, the Marine Corps’-acre base on the coast of North San Diego County.
Office of Gov. Affairs.
Late Wednesday, the Marines sent a statement to X saying they intended to hold a “fire” demonstration Saturday at Camp Pendleton and that public highways would be closed.
“All training events will take place in approved training facilities and privacy protocols,” the statement said, adding that the White House would covert the demonstration to be included on November 9.
A Ukrainian soldier removes a 155 mm artillery shell to be fired from Russian Front-Line positions in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on the 23rd.
(Evgeniy Maloletka / Associated Press)
Thursday
The Marine Corps said no to the Orrance being fired from a Navy ship ashore. The demonstration could include the firing of high-explosive rounds from designated ranges, the marines said.
The M777 Howitzer, in use by the Marine Corps since 2005, uses 155 mm artillery rounds, meaning each round has a diameter of 6.1 centimeters. Each round weighs 100 kilograms.
An Associated Press story about 155 mm howitzers describes the artillery weapon as one of the most requested methods in the war in Ukraine. Each round is about 2 meters long and is actually a very large bullet, made of a visible fuse, projectile, propellant and primer.
US Marines Fire an M777 Howititzer at Camp Pendleton in California during an exercise in December 2019.
(Lance Cpl. ROXANNA Ortiz / US Marines)
The cycles can be modified for different uses: they can be packed with high-conductivity materials, use precision-guided systems, wear clothing for piercing clothes or produce high separation, says AP.
The M777 Howitzer typically has a range of 15 miles to 25 miles.
Newloom’s Office said that the Marine Corps on Thursday confirmed that the operation will be carried out in training classes, as is always done under the base, but not more than 5.
Federal authorities had been weighing whether to close the ship for free themselves – but on Thursday morning, amid new assurances, they backed away from those plans.
That afternoon, the federal government directed the cancellation of Amtrak and the mesterink train service and the tracks run parallel to the 5 Camp Pendleton, according to the news office.
Friday
Federal authorities see M777 HowiTzers launch more than 5 shells from Red Beach on Friday.
A Marineel spokesman later said the firing was part of the outfit’s pride.
“The artillery pieces of the M777 were literally fired during a routine training from the ground-based points of the craft west of I-5 to impact the high security points inside the interstate east of the security and without the need to close the route,” the statement said. “This is an established and safe practice.”
The state also received a request late on Friday from event organizers electronic bulletin boards and the addition: “The State Office said. (The words that actually appeared on Saturday said, “Weapons live more than free.”)
CHP Border Division Chief Tony Coronado later said in a statement that “It is highly unusual for any fire or explosive training exercise to occur over a freeway.”
“For the Marines, I have the utmost respect for our military partners, but my greatest responsibility is to ensure the safety of the people of California and the officers who protect them,” Coronado said.
The CHP is not aware of any live fires that have occurred over Interstate 5 in the past, a spokesperson said.
At the end of Friday night, it is referred to the report made by the military, in fact, it is planning to fire the art of artillery more than 5 behind all the plans called Californians who can be directly injured. ”
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Saturday
The Information Office issued a statement early Saturday that state officials were told by Federal authorities that live fire operations will take place at 1:30 p.m.
The Office of Caltrans and Caltrans announced that there will be a morning closure of the 17-mile stretch during the parade “due to safety concerns.”
Although the closure was brief, it led to freeways, extending the travel time between LA to San Diego to three hours, an hour longer than usual.
“Firing live rounds over a busy highway is not only wrong – it’s dangerous,” NewsOm said in a news release issued shortly after 7 a.m.
The White House RAST group on X criticized the issue of closing the 5th Street. “No one outside the White House or the Marines to him, the Marines have repeatedly said there are no public safety concerns with today’s exercise,” said the post, which went up shortly after 11 a.m.
At 12:51 PM, the California Highway Patrol Protective Services Econds Econdled deance to the Camp Penteton event. After the van arrived, the detail was ordered to wait at the Las Pulgas Road on-ramp to the southbound interstate 5.
CHP stopped I-5 traffic from south of San Clemente to just north of Oceanside 1:15 PM
At 1:46 PM, an artillery round was launched from the M777 Howitzer from the northern white beach, according to the CHP incident report obtained by the Los Angeles Times. The report said “an artillery round failed to clear the runway and was ejected in midflight.
Map shows direction of Ordnance that CHP says Dronated Frontenteke, dropped Splapnel on I-5.
(California Highway Patrol)
A CHP Patrol vehicle was struck by Metal Shrepnel and damaged. The shrapnel that hit the patrol car was about 2½ inches. The shrapnel left what was described as a “small dent/scan” on the car’s hood.
A CHP motorcycle officer heard debris falling from his motorcycle and the area around his feet, and later found a piece of brush about an inch long and half an inch wide near the motorcycle. The motorcycle was not damaged.
No one was injured.
A live video feed of the demonstration showed that the vence was seeing a visual reflection on the beach. At one point, a rat-a-tat-tat could be heard on the microphone, and it was said by the announcer, “Thuuunderrrr. The world is shedding tears. …
After a few words, however, the announcer fell flat.
The incident report of the CHP said that marches were initially planned for about 60 artillery rounds to be fired for a period of five minutes, from 1:46 PM to 1:51 PM
But after the artillery barrage exploded earlier than the target, it rained down on the CHP, “The exercise was completed and no additional reports were fired,” said the additional document.
In a statement, Capt. Gregory Dreibelbis, a spokesman for the Marine Expeditionary Force, said the marchers had launched an investigation based on a report of a cleanup of 155 mm artillery around the area.
“This show has gone through rigorous security checks, and deliberate layers of repetition, to ensure the safety of fellow citizens,” the statement said. “We are committed to finding the cause of the incidents and to include the findings in future meetings.”
Drebelbis said the Marine Artillery fires at Camp Pendleton almost every week. He said systems like the M777 “were designed to fire over the heads of friendly forces to achieve results against us.”
New Newloom in X accused President Trump and visson of putting “lives at risk to put on display.”
He said: “This could kill someone,” he said.
