Md. Man Among Marines Killed In Nevada Training Exercise
HAWTHORNE, Nev. (WJZ) -- The U.S. military has identified the seven Marines killed in a training exercise in Nevada and a 21-year-old from Severna Park is among the dead.
Kai Jackson spoke with the family of Lance Corporal Taylor Wild.
A Severna Park family is grieving the loss of their young Marine and also proud of his service.
His name was William Wild IV, but his family and numerous friends all called him Taylor.
"Smile on his face then put a smile on your face. Had the quick word to make you laugh, made your day. He walked into a room and then the room immediately lit up," said his father, William Wild III.
Wild, a 21-year-old Lance Corporal in the Marines, was among seven killed Monday at a training accident in Hawthorne Army Base in Nevada.
"They're simply magnificent so it's a tragic loss when we lose some of the nation's finest," said U.S. Marines Brig. General James Lukeman.
Wild went to Severna Park High and joined the Marines after he graduated in 2010.
William Wild III is an Anne Arundel County police officer and Air Force reservist. When the military cars arrived at his house, he knew what it meant.
"We're devastated. Yesterday was a lot of tears, a lot of emotion," he said.
Taylor Wild was a star athlete on the baseball team at Severna Park High. That physical conditioning later served him well in the United States Marines.
Wild was a mortarman in the Marines working with explosives. The Department of Defense says the service personnel were involved in a training exercise launching mortar rounds when, for some reason, one exploded inside its tube, scattering deadly shrapnel.
"Shrapnel-type and blunt force blast-type injuries, which are complicated injuries to take care of," said Dr. Michael Morkin.
"Awesome son, awesome brother, awesome friend, awesome Marine," William Wild III said.
Services will be held next week. His father says he'll be buried at Arlington National Cemetery on April 2.
