Live Fire Fiasco: When Military Celebrations Go Wrong

A big celebration for the U. S. Marine Corps turned into a mess. The plan was to have a live-fire demonstration at Camp Pendleton, but things didn't go as expected. The Marines wanted to fire artillery rounds from M777 Howitzers, which are used in wars like Afghanistan and Ukraine. They said it would be safe and no highways would be closed. But California officials were worried about firing live rounds over Interstate 5, which runs near the base. On Friday evening, the Marines did a test run without telling state officials. They fired artillery rounds over the I-5 while cars were driving on it. The California Department of Transportation even captured the live fire on video. The next day, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a 17-mile stretch of the interstate would be closed during the event. About 15, 000 people attended, including Vice President JD Vance. But things went wrong. A California Highway Patrol cruiser was hit by falling shrapnel after an artillery round exploded midair earlier than it should have. No one was hurt, but it raised questions about safety. The Marines said they were investigating the incident. The event was supposed to be a show of military pride, but it ended up causing traffic gridlock and confusion. The M777 Howitzer is a powerful artillery weapon. It uses 155 mm rounds, which are about 6. 1 inches in diameter and weigh around 100 pounds. These rounds can be used for different purposes, like being packed with explosives or using precision-guided systems. The Howitzer has a range of 15 to 25 miles. The Marines said they fire artillery at Camp Pendleton nearly every week and trust the system with their lives.State officials were concerned about the safety of firing live rounds over a busy highway. They had considered closing the freeway themselves but backed off after the Marines assured them it was safe. However, the federal government did cancel Amtrak and Metrolink train service along tracks near the base. On Friday, state officials saw the M777 Howitzers launch shells over Interstate 5. The Marines said this was part of a dress rehearsal and that it was a safe practice. The state received a request to put up signs along Interstate 5 saying “Overheard fire in progress. ” The actual signs on Saturday said, “Live weapons over freeway. ” The California Highway Patrol said it was highly uncommon for live-fire training to occur over an active freeway. They were more concerned with the safety of the people and officers. On Saturday, Newsom's office announced the closure of a 17-mile stretch of Interstate 5 during the demonstration. This led to jammed freeways and longer travel times. Newsom criticized the decision to fire live rounds over a busy highway, calling it dangerous. The White House's Rapid Response Team criticized Newsom for closing the freeway, saying there were no public safety concerns. During the demonstration, an artillery round failed to clear the roadway and detonated midflight. Shrapnel hit an unoccupied CHP patrol vehicle, causing damage. No one was injured. The Marines had planned to fire about 60 artillery rounds over five minutes, but the exercise was terminated after the early explosion. The Marines said they were committed to determining the root cause of the incident and applying findings to future missions.