Lance Corporal William T. Wild IV, 21 of Anne Arundel, Maryland, died on March 19th. He and six other Marines were killed during a training exercise at Hawthorne Army Depot, in Nevada.

William, known as Taylor, had joined the Marines in October of 2010 and had been deployed once to Kuwait and twice to Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

His awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan.

Taylor grew up in the Whitehurst Community in Severna Park. He graduated from Severna Park High School in June 2010 where he was a proud member of the wrestling and baseball teams, including the 2009 State Championship team and earned a Minds in Motion award through his studies.

Taylor was an avid Baltimore Ravens and Baltimore Orioles fan. He also enjoyed spending time boating with friends on the Severn and Magothy River, and skeet shooting in Maryland and North Carolina.

Neighbor Bob Richhart spent an afternoon with the young Marine last summer, swapping stories poolside. Richhart served four years in the Marines and spoke of how he was once caught with contraband Juicy Fruit and ordered to chew the wrappers.

He recalled Taylor laughing.

Diane Lyons said she has lived 40 years in Whitehurst with her husband, Don. Together, where they watched Taylor grow and speak of him with the pride of parents.

Meanwhile, Patricia Zwald says her son, Andrew, also served in the Marines and grew up in the community. She struggles to come to terms with Taylor’s death.

Taylor is survived by his parents, William and Elizabeth, brother, Griffin and sister, Libby all of Severna Park; grandparents, William and Patricia Wild of Glen Burnie and Jan Sprinkel and Judy Graham of Annapolis; several aunts, uncles and cousins and was preceded in death by his grandmother, Elizabeth Sprinkel.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 29, at Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis, 333 Dubois Road. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery will be held on Tuesday, April 2nd, with the procession meeting at 10:30 a.m. at the Memorial Gate.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: “Marines Helping Marines,” or to “Friends of the Fallen.”

Lance Corporal Mason J. Vanderwork, 21 of Hickory, North Carolina, died on March 19th. He and six other Marines were killed during a at Hawthorne Army Depot, in Nevada.

Mason joined the Marines in June of 2010 and served overseas twice. Vanderwork was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan.

Mason graduated from St. Stephens High School  in 2010, two-and-a-half years later he had served overseas twice, bought his first car and got married to a girl from home after knowing her for only two months. They planned to start a family together, wife Taylor Vanderwork said.

Taylor said she learned of his death when three men in uniform came to the door of the couple’s Jacksonville home. Mason loved being a Marine and had a tattoo emblazoned on his chest, she said, that read: “Sacrifice. Without fear there is no courage.”

Family members and friends remember Mason as a spontaneous, caring person who loved the beach, fast cars and spending time with family and friends. He had an 11-year-old sister who idolized him.

Mason is survived by his parents, Melissa Vanderwork, of Hickory and Kevin Hallberg, of Jamestown. In addition to his parents, he is survived by his wife, Taylor Vanderwork, of Jacksonville, N.C.; sister, Katelyn McMahan, of Hickory; grandfather, Terry Vanderwork, of Clymer, N.Y.; grandparents, Cecil and Gloria Huffman, of Taylorsville; grandmother, Donna Morgan, of Hickory; uncle, Dawayne Vanderwork, of Lakewood, N.Y.; mother-in-law, Janet Molander-Foster, of Hickory; father-in-law, Mark Foster, of Hickory; two brothers-in-law, Bryant Molander, of Dover, N.H. and Justin Molander, of Ft. Carson, Colo.; and sister-in-law, Lindsey Foster, of Hickory.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, April 1, in the chapel at Bass-Smith Funeral Home in Hickory. Memorials may be made in his honor to “Marines Helping Marines.”

Lance Corporal Joshua C. Taylor, 21 of Marietta, Ohio, died on March 19th. He and six other Marines were killed during a training accident at Hawthorne Army Depot, in Nevada.

Joshua joined the Marines in June of 2010. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

His awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan.

Josh was one of a kind. That’s how family and friends are remembering the 2010 Marietta High School graduate.

Josh wanted to be Marine since he was a child, his grandfather added.

His fiancée, Abby Malone said the two were planning to marry in May.  She also described Josh as a devout and faithful Christian.

Abby’s father, Keith Malone, called him an exceptional person.

Marietta High School Principal Bill Lee recalled Josh proudly wearing his dress uniform when visiting the school while on leave. He called the Marine’s death “just a terrible, terrible loss.”

Joshua is survived by his parents, three sisters and a brother.

Services have yet to be determined for Lance Corporal Joshua C. Taylor.

Lance Corporal Roger W. Muchnick Jr., 23 of Fairfield, Connecticut, died on March 19th. He and six other Marines were killed during a at Hawthorne Army Depot, in Nevada.

Roger joined the Marines in June of 2010, he had served two tours in Afghanistan, and was considering going to college. Muchnick was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

His awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan.

Muchnick  joined the Westport PAL football program in third or fourth-grade and played through eighth-grade.  He graduated from Staples High School in 2008.

Muchnick attended Eastern Connecticut State University, completing his freshman year and then joined the Marine Corps. The men’s lacrosse team is planning to honor Muchnick’s memory by wearing the number 36 — his jersey number — on their helmets for the rest of the season.

Roger is survived by his parents, Kate Coakley of Jupiter, Fla. and Roger Muchnick Sr. of Ashville, NC, his brother Will, 21, and sisters Avery and Grace, 19. He is also survived by his grandparents, Jerome and Marilyn Muchnick of Philadelphia, and Dr. Robert and MaryAnne Coakley of Lenox as well as, several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral services for Lance Corporal Roger W. Muchnick Jr., will be held Friday, March 29, in Lenox, Mass.  The service will take place at 11 a.m. at St. Ann’s Church, 134 Main St.

Lance Corporal David P. Fenn II, 20 of Polk City, Florida, died on March 19th. He and six other Marines were killed during a training accident at Hawthorne Army Depot, in Nevada.

David joined the Marines in June of 2010. Fenn was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

His awards include the Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan.

Victoria Fenn, David’s widow, kept busy with her aunt, Sarah Moore, making funeral plans for her husband and remembering her time with him and their 2-year-old daughter, Nyka.

The couple met their freshman year at Auburndale High School and became friends. They eventually began to date in the 10th grade and married during their senior year before he joined the Marines, Victoria  said.

David was active in the school’s ROTC program and was a member of the wrestling team. But the military was always his goal and he immediately joined after graduation and headed to boot camp June 14, 2010, a day Victoria still remembers.

Pictures on Victoria’s Facebook page show David with their daughter, smiling and kissing her, along with one of him kissing Victoria’s pregnant belly.  Moore described David as a “down to earth” kind of person.

David is survived by his wife: Victoria Lynn Fenn, daughter: Nyka Riley Fenn, father: David Paul Fenn, mother: Sandra McIver, brothers: John McIver and Michael McIver, sisters: Melanie Fenn and Holly Fenn.

Visitation is Saturday, April 6, 2013 from 12-1pm with funeral services at 1pm, both at Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, 645 West Central Avenue, Winter Haven, FL. Burial to follow in Oak Grove Cemetery, Lake Alfred, FL.

Private First Class Joshua M. Martino, 19 of Clearfield, Pennsylvana, died March 19th. He and six other Marines were killed during a training accident at Hawthorne Army Depot, in Nevada.

Joshua had joined the Marines in July of 2012 and was set to marry his fiancee. Martino was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division,  Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

His awards include the National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Martino’s mother, Karen Perry, said community members have gone above and beyond in offering their condolences and prayers. Since learning of her son’s death Tuesday morning, Perry said not only family and friends, but also complete strangers have offered their sympathies, which have made all the difference in the world.

Martino’s fiancée, Anna has also been struggling with the tragedy. She and Martino had started dating when they were 16 years old and have been inseparable ever since.

Anna said they got engaged this past October. The couple’s high school friends have offered their condolences to her, which she greatly appreciates.

Perry said the night Martino was killed was actually one of his last nights in Nevada. He was going to return to North Carolina, where he was stationed. He was planning on returning to his hometown of DuBois this weekend.

She said she first heard a radio news report about the Monday accident, then three Marines arrived at her workplace to say her son was among the seven dead.

Services for Private First Class Joshua M. Martino have yet to announced.

“The evening of March 18th, 2013, will forever be remembered as a moment of profound tragedy in Mineral County,” District Attorney Sean Rowe told those gathered for a memorial service. “You have given meaning to the phrase, ‘America’s Patriotic Home.’“

Hawthorne has held an important place in American military history since World War II when it became the staging area for ammunition, bombs and rockets for the war. It opened in September 1930 as the Naval Ammunition Depot Hawthorne, was re-designated Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant in 1977 when it moved under the control of the Army.

In 1994, the site ended its production mission and became Hawthorne Army Depot.  The site now serves several purposes for the military, including storing ammunition and explosives and providing what the military calls an ideal training facility for special forces preparing for deployments to similar desert terrain in places like Afghanistan.

The 147,000-acre location in Nevada’s isolated high desert is also considered an ideal training environment for Special Operations forces preparing for deployments to Southwest Asia.  Nevada was chosen for the location because of its remoteness in the wake of a devastating explosion at the government’s main depot in New Jersey in 1926.

Hawthorne opened four after a lightning-sparked explosion almost destroyed the Lake Denmark Naval Ammunition depot, about 40 miles west of New York City. The blast and fire heavily damaged the adjacent Picatinny Army Arsenal, killing 21 people and seriously injuring more than 50 others.

Following Monday nights explosion, hundreds of residents in the rural community turned out to mourn the loss of the seven Marines. Families with children clutching small American flags were among the nearly 300 people who attended the brief memorial service Tuesday, where a trumpeter played taps at a city park as a giant American flag flew at half-staff across the street from the base at dusk.

Even though the Marines were from the other side of the country, locals still feel a strong sense of pride in the military because the town’s history is so deeply tied to the armed forces. The town calls itself “America’s Patriotic Home” and is home to the Hawthorne Ordnance Museum, which displays hundreds of shells, munitions, battery guns and weapons dating to World War II.

Red, white and blue sculptures made of former shells and bombs are on display in town and Storefronts carry names like Patriot’s Plaza. The sign on the Convention Center  Thursday carried the message, “Please Pray For Our Marines.”

There have been at least three other fatal explosions at Hawthorne over the years. An October 5th, 1951, blast killed five people, another on September 3rd, 1966, killed two men and a rocket explosion on May 26th, 1971, killed three.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is conducting the probe into a fatal training accident at the Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada. The investigation has been ongoing since a 60mm mortar shell exploded in its tube Monday night during training, killing seven Marines and wounding eight more.

Investigators are working to learn exactly how the Marines were positioned when the explosion occurred and what went wrong in firing the mortar.

Command has issued a ‘Deadline Safety of Use’ message suspending use of the M224A1 60mm mortar system for all Marine Commands in training and downrange after a Monday’s explosion. The blanket suspension comes with an exception: General officers in combat theater can still authorize use of the mortars if they choose.

“The Marines were conducting live fire and maneuver training at the Hawthorne Army depot,” Brigadier General Jim Lukeman said. “A mortar round exploded in the mortar tube, causing the deaths of seven and injuring seven others. We don’t know yet what caused this malfunction.”

The Marines killed Monday had been undergoing training for the past month at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Pickle Meadows, near  Bridgeport, California and at Hawthorne.

“This is part of the type of training that we do just to maintain a force in readiness,” Lukeman said. “It’s not specifically linked to a nearby deployment.”

The victims were airlifted to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno with injuries that included penetration trauma, fractures and vascular injuries, said Stacy Kendall, a spokeswoman for the medical center. She added, six Marines and a Navy sailor were wounded and of those, six were in serious or very serious condition, while a seventh suffered minor injuries.

The seven Marines killed in the blast, left from Reno-Tahoe International Airport, Wednesday evening bound for Camp Lejeune, North Carolina where they’re based.

Mildred Joy Flemming arrived in Goldfield in 1906 with her mother, Anne Ellis, and stepfather, Herbert, from Colorado. She was only about 9 years old at the time, but her story has touched many.

Joy was only 6 months old when her father, George Flemming, became trapped in an underground mine’s ‘live hole’ in Colorado. A live hole is one filled with blasting materials.

He died instantly when it exploded.

Anne, born in Missouri in 1875, purchased a tombstone for her husband’s grave and a boarding house to support her family with a $600 company settlement. The business failed, and she later married another miner named Herbert Ellis.

Together they decided Goldfield was the place to earn their fortune. They arrived in the new boomtown in September and took up residence in a one-room, tent-covered shanty.

A string of bad investments in the Goldfield Stock Exchange ran the couple’s savings dry, and a labor dispute at the mines added to their problems. Soon, Ellis found himself out of work.

The next summer, Joy, as she was known, complained of a sore throat. Unable to afford a doctor, Anne treated the girl herself.

But as Joy grew sicker, Anne was finally forced to seek the aid of a doctor, who gave her devastating news. Joy had diphtheria.

The little girl died August 30th, 1907.

Refusing to give her daughter to the undertaker, Anne readied Joy for burial herself. The next day, the family and a minister laid the child to rest in an unmarked grave in one of Goldfield’s five graveyards.

The mother anguished over the fact there was no tombstone to mark her daughter’s resting place. One evening, she took a large stone from the construction site of a new school and taking it home, using a hammer and a large nail, she chiseled the name “Joy” into it’s large, flat surface.

When she finished, she put the stone in a small red wagon, and with the help of a deliveryman, got the stone to and set it on Joy’s grave. A couple of months later, Anne left Goldfield to join her husband, who had gone back to Colorado.

Over the years, the tombstone, made of soft limestone, fell apart. Later, Nevada transportation workers replaced it with a new one.

Anne never returned to Nevada. Instead she settled in Bonanza, Colorado.

She would go on to become treasurer for Saguache County in 1918 and was re-elected twice before health problems forced her to resign. In 1929, she wrote a book, “An Ordinary Woman, Plain Anne Ellis.”

Anne died in 1938, the same year she earned her Master of Letters from the University of Colorado.

Many times I’ve been to the playa of the Black Rock Desert,  to enjoy some alone time, to pray, to think and explore.  In a small wash to the north-east of State Route 49, I found a group of small rocks and stones.

Buried in the dried mud due to a past gully washer, I could tell two had shape to them.  One was a “flake,” of some sort, used possibly to cut animal hide, and the other an arrowhead.

Seven days later I recalled I had these two items in the tool box of my truck. So I retrieved and rinsed them off.

The larger piece, I thought was a flake, turned out to be exactly that. The other was also what I believed it to be – an arrowhead – however there is a catch to the find.

On one side – though the print is extremely faded — it reads:  Hecho en Mexico. Perhaps it’s the proof historians need to prove the Paiutes or Shoshone tribes traded with the Mexicans before John Fremont wandered through the area.

My tongue is still in my cheek.