Staff Sgt. Jerry L. Betzold dies in fatal Twentynine Palms training exercise accident
Fatal Twentynine Palms training exercise death of Staff Sgt. Jerry L. Betzold – Obituary
A tragic training incident at the U.S. Marine base in Twentynine Palms ended in the death of Staff Sgt. Jerry L. Betzold, 26, when a Humvee overturned and fatally crushed him, according to officials.
Betzold was first transported to Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital after the accident on Saturday, and was later airlifted to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, where he passed away the following day, as reported by the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center via Facebook. Fortunately, no other Marines were harmed in this incident.
The Marines extended their heartfelt sympathies to Betzold’s family, friends, and fellow service members during this challenging period. Betzold, hailing from Avon, Indiana, was part of the Tactical Training Exercise Control Group, which oversees high-level training operations.
The accident occurred during a standard exercise designed to replicate a live-fire combat scenario, according to Marine Corps officials.
The cause of the fatal accident remains undetermined, with investigations still ongoing to determine whether a vehicle malfunction or another factor contributed to the tragedy.
Humvees, which can weigh between 5 to 7 tons, are comparable in size to a large adult elephant.
Fatal Twentynine Palms training exercise death of Staff Sgt. Jerry L. Betzold – Obituary A tragic training incident at the U.S. Marine base in Twentynine Palms ended in the death of Staff Sgt. Jerry L. Betzold, 26, when a Humvee overturned and fatally crushed him, according to officials. Betzold was first transported to Robert E.…
Fatal Twentynine Palms training exercise death of Staff Sgt. Jerry L. Betzold – Obituary A tragic training incident at the U.S. Marine base in Twentynine Palms ended in the death of Staff Sgt. Jerry L. Betzold, 26, when a Humvee overturned and fatally crushed him, according to officials. Betzold was first transported to Robert E.…