The Marine Celebration Had a Short Round

Remember when the administration decided that Governor Newsom was over reacting when he closed I5 during the firing of live ammunition over the freeway?  This is a cut and paste from the New York Times.

A 155-millimeter shell fired during a live-fire demonstration for the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton on Saturday prematurely detonated, dropping fragments of the shell on a California Highway Patrol vehicle and motorcycle that were part of Vice President JD Vance’s protective detail, according to a patrol report.

The exercise — which the report said was expected to include the firing of approximately 60 155-millimeter shells — was terminated after the round prematurely exploded, the patrol said. Patrol officers checked the interstate for shell fragments but found none, and declared it clear before reopening it to vehicular traffic at 2:20 p.m. 

The decision to fire live artillery shells from the oceanfront training area was described as unusual by an active-duty Marine artillery officer and a former Marine artillery noncommissioned officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they feared reprisal. Those Marines said the only howitzer training they had previously observed at Camp Pendleton had taken place at approved artillery ranges on the main side of base, east of the interstate, which they said were a much safer option for training.

Vance had no comment when asked about this.  

Jim just sent me this article.  It's not paywalled and is a good, factual read.