Marine Drowns, 3 Injured in Exercise Off Australia

A 22-year-old Marine from Camp Pendleton drowned and three of his comrades were injured Friday when nine inflatable boats carrying more than 50 servicemen capsized during a pre-dawn naval training exercise off northeastern Australia.

Cpl. Bruce J. Duvall of Seattle died when he and the others aboard the small craft were thrown into heavy surf half a mile from shore while attempting to land in Clinton Cove at Shoalwater Bay, 745 miles north of Sydney.

Maj. Tom Mitchell, a Marine spokesman at Camp Pendleton, said three other Marines from the base suffered bruised ribs and minor cuts in the accident, which occurred during a joint training exercise code-named “Valiant Usher” that began Monday. The exercise involves seven U. S. and Australian ships and 5,000 Marines and sailors.

Sgt. Manuel J. Vega, 22, of Oxnard; Cpl. Christopher L. Jensen, 20, of Oceanside, and Lance Cpl. Ronald G. Self, 24, Antioch, Calif., were taken along with the other survivors, including one Australian serviceman, to sick bay aboard the amphibious assault ship Belleau Wood.

The Marines are from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, from Camp Pendleton and are attached to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is on a six-month deployment in the Western Pacific.

Mitchell said Marines from the amphibious transport dock ship Duluth were being put ashore in 17 inflatable boats when the accident occurred in 10- to 15-foot seas off Queensland.

The exercises were suspended temporarily while helicopters from the Duluth and Belleau Wood searched the area around the accident. Rough seas and overcast weather hampered the rescue effort. Eight of the 15-foot inflatable boats returned safely to the Duluth after the accident.

A U. S. Embassy spokesman said the servicemen were wearing life jackets.