A sign telling residents about a memorial service is posted at the ... more >Hundreds of Hawthorne-area rural residents turned out for the Tuesday evening memorial for seven Marines killed during training, laying wreaths and calling for prayers.
The Nevada town dubs itself “America’s Patriotic Home,” The Associated Press reports, and takes pride in its Hawthorne Ordnance Museum and displays of World War II era artifacts. It’s not uncommon for businesses to display signs: “Please Pray For Our Marines.”
SEE RELATED: Pentagon suspends mortar use after training explosion kills 7 Marines
Families with children toting American flags flocked to the memorial. Nearly 300 — the majority of whom did not personally know the Marines who were killed — attended the service, as the city lowered its main flag to half-mast.
Since World War II, Hawthorne Army Depot has been a crucial U.S. military base. It serves as a munitions and disposal site, and a training area for troops headed toward overseas deployments like Afghanistan, AP reports.
Monday, seven Marines were killed in a training-related explosion and seven more injured. Marine investigators are looking into the specific causes.
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Cheryl Chumley is a continuous news writer for The Washington Times. Previously, she was part of the start-up team for The Washington Times’ digital aggregation product, Times247. She’s also a 2008-2009 Robert Novak journalism fellow with The Phillips Foundation. She can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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