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Missing Marine Causes Security Alert During President's Trip
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A Marine officer, suspecting foul play or terrorism on the recent presidential visit to Hanoi, Vietnam, raised a security alarm after one of his men went missing for more than six hours, U.S. government sources tell ABC News.
The missing staff sergeant was a maintenance specialist assigned to the Marine One Presidential Helicopter detail. After a night out drinking with fellow Marines, the specialist "left his hotel on the back of a moped driven by a local national without telling anyone," a Marine Corps spokeswoman confirmed to ABC News.
U.S. government sources with knowledge of the incident said Vietnamese police were then called in to aid the Marines in a citywide manhunt. They temporarily shut down two popular bars in an intense effort to locate the missing soldier without success.
THE BLOTTER RECOMMENDS
The specialist finally surfaced the next morning, hung over and late for work. According to an official account provided to ABC News by the Marine Corps, he explained, "He had become inebriated and spent the night with the local national."
A spokeswoman for the elite HMX1 Marine Aviation Unit, who declined to reveal the Marine's identity, said, "There would be no disciplinary action because the staff sergeant was on liberty and so technically not AWOL." But she added, "More than likely his commanding officer spoke to him in extremely strong language."
November 29, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (154)
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why is this news?
Posted by: Brian, DC | Nov 29, 2006 1:53:11 PM
And what is 'Local national' code for in the military? They used to call them camp followers.
Posted by: waldo | Nov 29, 2006 1:55:07 PM
Marines aren't soliders and a staff sergeant is NOT an officer. You jokers in the media don't bother to check things do you?
Posted by: Paul | Nov 29, 2006 1:59:57 PM
I really feel for the guy, I did this once while I was in the Army. If he is assigned to the Marine helicopter that fly's President Bush. He must be good, to bad he "screwed the pooch, with his military career." Semper Fi. Staff Sergeant.
Posted by: Mike Jones | Nov 29, 2006 2:00:09 PM
I'm a Marine. The Marine Corps was founded in a bar. The SSgt was simply carrying on the tradition. Semper Fi!
Posted by: JP | Nov 29, 2006 2:03:19 PM
WOW! Nothing says national news like a drunk marine. I can't till the next blog on fornicating sailors.
Posted by: Joel | Nov 29, 2006 2:10:31 PM
J'espère que ce n'est pas ton neveu!!!
(A note from the moderator: this post must be translated, please, or I will have to remove it.)
Posted by: Yolande Milliard | Nov 29, 2006 2:46:49 PM
When the specialist finally showed up, did he bring along a "Mission Accomplished" banner?
Posted by: JT | Nov 29, 2006 3:00:04 PM
So, where is the dtory about the Marine 'officer' ? Good Lord, ABC is looking more an more like FoxNews every day....sheesh
Posted by: Doug | Nov 29, 2006 3:04:30 PM
What in the world is a Marine One Sergeant? This is why the American public are so uneducated on military and the world is because they are forced to listen to Dumb reporters who make them believe that since it came from a reporter it must be true.
Shelly Boston, CPL
United States Marine Corps
Posted by: Shelly Boston | Nov 29, 2006 3:11:34 PM
Translation: I hope it isn't your nephew. Don't think it is an idiom?
(Thank you.)
Posted by: Greg | Nov 29, 2006 3:16:57 PM
Why did this make the news? Woopie doo! There are a million other things to talk about.
Posted by: kelly | Nov 29, 2006 3:23:59 PM
Paul,
The story did NOT identify the Staff Seargent as an officer (although it DID refer to him as a soldier).
Anyway, I hope he had a good time with the "local national". This Marine crew is the best of the best; well-deserved night out in the capitol, I'd think.
Posted by: JT | Nov 29, 2006 3:27:41 PM
It means "I hope it's not your nephew" in French... whatever that's supposed to mean.
(Thank you.)
Posted by: Alan | Nov 29, 2006 3:28:21 PM
a drinking Marine... WOW, that is a shocker indeed! SEMPER FIDELIS!
Posted by: Jose | Nov 29, 2006 3:33:28 PM
I served in the glorious corps and I second Mike's observation: the Marine Corps was founded in a bar, Tunn Tavern. I would put that hung-over Marine in for a citation !
Posted by: Tom Flanagan | Nov 29, 2006 3:35:26 PM
I was a Marine and sometimes when you have those crazy hours you have to let lose once in awhile, The SSGT should of known a little better because of his job is in a lime light of Marine Corps MOS's.
LIBO
Semper Fi
Posted by: Matthew | Nov 29, 2006 3:44:09 PM
I was a Marine and sometimes when you have those crazy hours you have to let get out once in awhile, The SSGT should of known a little better because of his job is in a lime light of Marine Corps MOS's.
LIBO
Semper Fi
Posted by: Matthew O'Donald | Nov 29, 2006 3:46:09 PM
The Marine was obviously distraught with the Democratic takeover of the House and Senate and decided to drink his sorrows away. To Bad. This is definetly Nancy Pelosi's fault.
Posted by: Mike Jones | Nov 29, 2006 3:57:00 PM
Re: Joel's French post
Babelfish came up with this translation: I hope that it is not your nephew!!!
(Thank you.)
Posted by: Alex | Nov 29, 2006 3:58:54 PM
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