Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-01
Text Of Marine Findings
In Probe Of Drownin0s


lat the time he marched his pla.
Itoon into Ribbon Greek was un'
der the influence of alcohol tt
an unknown degree.
IL. That Staff Sergt. McKeor
was. at the time he marched
Platoon II into Ribbon Greek
sane, mentally competent, re.
sponsible for his actions ano
aware of the difference between
right and wrong. y.
Realized Hazard
10. That after he realized thai
the depth of the water was haz.
ardous to nom swimmers, Stat
Sergt. McKeon continued to leae
the members of Platoon II int
deeper water and failed to order
them to safety until a genera
panic enSued.
| IA. That the deaths By
drowning of Pvt. First Clas.
Donald Francis O'Shea anC
Pvts. Thomas Curtis Hardeman
Charles Francis Reilly, Jerry
Lamonte Thomas, Leroy Thomp.
son. and Norman Alfred Wood
were the result of these recruits
being led into the deep water Of
Ribbon Creek by Staff Sergt
McKeon who was engaged in the
execution of a punitive act
against the members of Platoon
II on the night of 8 April 1856
is. That the deaths of Pvt
First Class Donald Francis
O'Shea and Pvts. Thomas Curtis
Hardeman, Charles Francis
Reilly. Jerry Lamonte Thomas
Leroy Thompson, and Norman
Alfred Wood occurred in line Of
duty, not due to their own mis-
conduct.
Any Training Impromptu
is. That any training or in
Istruction that Staff Sergt. Nc
Keen may have given Platoon II
while it was in Ribbon Creek was
impromptu and incidental to his
punitive act.
II. That search and rescue
operations for the missing re-
cruits were adequate and well
executed.
10. That Sergt. Richard j. King
violated Depot Order 5000. /. in
that he consumed an alcoholic
beverage in Barracks 761 on
April 1856.
10. That Staff Sergt. Elwyn B
Scarborough on 8 April 1856 vio-
lated Depot Order 5000. l, in
that he brought a partially filled
bottle of vodka into Barracks 76l
for beverage purposes, and that
he did consume portion of that
alcoholic beverage while in that
barracks.
20. That Staff Sergt. Matthew
c. McKeon, by his action in
drinking intoxicating liquor while
on duty in a position of great
responsibility. and in conducting
an unauthorized and unnecessary
march by night into an area OF
hazard which he had failed to
first reconnoiter and which re-
suited in the deaths of six brother
Marines, not only broke estab-
liShed regulations but violated
the fine traditions of the nom
commissioned officers of the
United States Marine Corps and
betrayed the trust repoSed in him
by his country, his corps. his
lost comrades and the families
of the dead.
RECOMMENDATIONS
/. That Staff Sergt. Matthew
C. McKeon be brought to trial
by general court-martial charg-
ing violation of Articles 80, So,
119 and 1874, Uniform Code of
Military Justice. The appropri-
ate charge sheet, signed by the
president of this court as ac-
cuser, is forwarded herewith.
2, That the commanding Off
Ger. Weapons Training Battalion,
Marine Corps Recruit Depot,
Paris Island. S. c., take appro-
pirate disciplinary action against
Tech. Sergt. Elwyn B. Scarbor-
ough for violating Article 80,
Uniform Code of Military JUS
tice. The appropriate charge
sheet, signed by the president of
this court as accuser, is for
'warded herewith.
3. That the commanding Off
Ger, Sd Recruit Training Bat
talon, Marine Corps Recruit De-
pot. Paris Island, S. c., take
appropriate disciplinary action
against Sergt. Richard j. King
for violating Article go. Uniform
Code of Military Justice.