# "Artillery Shell Detonated Over Interstate 5 During Marines’ Celebration" (California) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 19, 2025, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105 "2025-10-19T23:35:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2025, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/1 "2025-10-19T23:35:52Z")
Not finding a thread on this, but it seems important to me. > **[Artillery Shell Detonated Over Interstate 5 During Marines’ Celebration,...](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/us/politics/shell-interstate-5-marines-california.html?unlocked_article_code=1.uk8.f24L.IhqGF96YhMhu&smid=url-share)** > > The mishap, during an anniversary celebration for the Marine Corps attended by the vice president and defense secretary, underscores safety concerns that Gov. Gavin Newsom voiced before Saturday’s event at Camp Pendleton. “Mishap”?? 🧐 > A 155-millimeter shell fired during [a live-fire demonstration](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/us/artillery-interstate-5-marines.html) for the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton on Saturday prematurely detonated, dropping fragments of the shell on a California Highway Patrol vehicle and motorcycle that were part of Vice President JD Vance’s protective detail, according to a patrol report. > > No officers were hurt in the mishap, which dropped shrapnel onto the vehicles parked on a ramp to a major freeway that had been ordered closed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The governor [had objected to the plan](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/us/politics/newsom-military-celebration-camp-pendleton.html) to fire over the freeway, Interstate 5, and ordered a 17-mile stretch closed — against the guidance of military officials, who had said it was safe for it to remain open. > > According to the patrol report, one officer described what sounded like pebbles hitting his motorcycle and the area around him, and two others saw a two-inch piece of shrapnel hit the hood of their patrol vehicle, leaving a small dent. The report says shrapnel was also found on the road near the motorcycle. > > Mr. Newsom had warned that the Marine Corps’ plans to fire artillery shells over Interstate 5, the West Coast’s main north-south artery, could pose hazards for motorists on the stretch between Los Angeles and San Diego. > … Good thing that woke lib guv closed the highway, right? What if someone had been killed? What if J.D. Vance had been killed? Whose stupid idea was it to do this? I was kidding the other day when I posted that trump shouldn’t give Patriot missiles to Ukraine because he needed to save them to use on Chicago and San Francisco. 🤦🏽‍♂️ > The decision to fire live artillery shells from the oceanfront training area was described as unusual by an active-duty Marine artillery officer and a former Marine artillery noncommissioned officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they feared reprisal… > > Tony Coronado, the highway patrol’s border division chief, said in a statement, that “it is highly uncommon for any live-fire or explosive training activity to occur near an active freeway.” No fucking joke. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2025, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/2 "2025-10-19T23:39:33Z")
[I mentioned it in the “No Kings”](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/october-18-2025-no-kings-protests/1023993/53) thread a day or two before the protests that they were going to be doing something stupid along those lines. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2025, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/3 "2025-10-19T23:53:22Z")
And I mentioned it in the Stupid Republican Ideas thread [yesterday](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1800): > [@NEW Stupid Republican Idea of the Day (Part 4)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1800): > > I’m sure this has nothing to do with the No Kings rallies… > > [Marines’ massive demo closes I-5, fueling Newsom–White House feud](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/10/18/interstate-5-marine-event-vance-newsom/86768732007/) > > > Interstate 5 will be closed “due to a White House-directed military event at Camp Pendleton involving live ammunition being discharged over the freeway," Caltrans said. > > > “The President is putting his ego over responsibility with this disregard for public safety. Firing live rounds over a busy highway isn’t just wrong – it’s dangerous,” Newsom said in a [statement](https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/18/white-house-to-fire-explosive-artillery-over-major-roadway-in-southern-california-i-5-to-be-temporarily-shut-down-on-saturday-due-to-life-safety-risk/). "Using our military to intimidate people you disagree with isn’t strength – it’s reckless, it’s disrespectful, and it’s beneath the office he holds. Law and order? This is chaos and confusion.” > > The really scary part is that they’re calling it “realistic training”. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2025, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/4 "2025-10-19T23:57:04Z")
It really gives insight as to how Trump views the American people, add to that his AI video showing him as king dumping shit over the US people from a US taxpayer funded fighter plane. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/5 "2025-10-20T00:11:21Z")
People get fired for such mistakes. Former artillery Ops Chief here. I was in charge of the FDC for artillery. When someone ‘shoots out’, as it is known in artillery, the immediate command is, To the rear of the piece, fall in. Every artillery man stands at attention behind their gun, nothing on the gun is to be touched, nobody moves, until all the firing settings are inspected. That includes the fuze settings. I’ve never in my career shot out, thankfully, but this is serious shit. I’ve heard stories of a battery shooting out at Camp Lejeune and civilians being injured. At Lejeune because space is tight, the trajectories do cross over civilian areas. I wonder where the firing point was (the gun emplacements), and also where the impact area was — where the rounds were supposed to fall. I’ve shot at Pendleton before but we never ever shot over I-5. Where the hell were they shooting? Into the ocean? That’s ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/6 "2025-10-20T00:19:31Z")
“Marines fired multiple M777 howitzers from the beach over Interstate 5 as part of the event.” From the beach, over I-5, towards a standard impact area on the base. If the guns were on the beach, that is VERY close to I-5. ➜ `https://taskandpurpose.com/news/camp-pendleton-marines-artillery-freeway` ■ ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/7 "2025-10-20T00:29:40Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > People get fired for such mistakes. Former artillery Ops Chief here. I was in charge of the FDC for artillery. > > When someone ‘shoots out’, as it is known in artillery, the immediate command is, To the rear of the piece, fall in. Every artillery man stands at attention behind their gun, nothing on the gun is to be touched, nobody moves, until all the firing settings are inspected. That includes the fuze settings. You’re assuming that the blame lies with the crew manning the gun. But they were firing exactly where they were ordered to fire. That’s the problem. The people who should be fired for this start with Hegseth. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/8 "2025-10-20T00:34:22Z")
Not just the gun crew but also the FDC, battery CO and XO. Yes, and above them too, but if I were in that FDC I’d have had to certify that the clearances (muzzle distance to anywhere a person could be) and also the firing data were safe before shooting. Looking at the map there’s maybe a ½ mile from the beach to I-5. Not a lot of distance. And FYI I shot the M-198, which later was replaced by the M777 which apparently this was. If they shot from the beach and over I-5, I think they’d have to shoot what we called high angle fire (back then, 1980-1993 was my time). ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/9 "2025-10-20T00:37:08Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But they were firing exactly where they were ordered to fire. That’s the problem. No. This is most likely a fuze setting problem. Based on the little information available. Somebody F’d up, big time. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/10 "2025-10-20T00:39:43Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > I’ve shot at Pendleton before but we never ever shot over I-5. > > Where the hell were they shooting? Whereever some administration flunky told them to. But at least when the high degree of danger to the police became a proven fact, the Marines stopped: [CHP officers informed USMC personnel at the scene, who canceled any additional firing of live ordnance over the freeway.](https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/camp-pendleton-live-fire-demonstration-shrapnel-5-freeway-california-highway-patrol/) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/11 "2025-10-20T00:40:18Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But they were firing exactly where they were ordered to fire. That’s the problem. More: if it were me in that FDC, then all the safety parameters would have to check out. Still, it’s not wise to be live firing over I-5 unnecessarily. I wonder how often the Marine Corps has done that? Offhand, I do not know but I sure hope the answer is, never done it before. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/12 "2025-10-20T00:42:36Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Whereever some administration flunky told them to. Some flunky probably asked, can it be done? And then some 08 (that’s the artillery MOS family for the Marine Corps) checked it out and said yes, it’s possible, we can do that. If this is true, heads are gonna roll… ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/13 "2025-10-20T00:45:04Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Not finding a thread on this, but it seems important to me. NO SHIT!!! You know we know each other @ThelmaLou , so I’m hoping you’re taking this the right way. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/14 "2025-10-20T00:49:20Z")
For artillery fire, many military bases are so small that rounds travel over roads on bases, and at some bases rounds travel over civilian areas like the PX and commissary. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/15 "2025-10-20T01:16:15Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > If this is true, heads are gonna roll… I expect that at least one head will roll regardless. Will it be the head who insisted on an unsafe show, or the head who put a premature end to that part of the show? Maybe the head of a Marine who didn’t insist, with sufficient force, that firing over I5 should not be part of the show, will roll. The truth could take years to come out, but I suspect we’ll eventually learn that said Marine was put in an impossible situation, perhaps being told that if he did not follow orders, he would be punished. > [@Bullitt](#): > > For artillery fire, many military bases are so small that rounds travel over roads on bases, and at some bases rounds travel over civilian areas like the PX and commissary. Maybe that’s the more polite part of what the administration flunky, insisting Vance and Hegseth see a first-rate show, told the responsible Marine. Training accidents happen. And I expect you’ll agree with this: It is extremely important to avoid accidents both inside and outside of our bases, but we reasonably have a higher standard when it comes to preventing accidents that would hit outside the base. I haven’t been in military bases all that often, but I5 is different from any road I have ever seen inside a base. Plus I’m thinking that vehicle drivers inside bases are a lot more likely to have been trained on driving under fire than those on I5. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/16 "2025-10-20T01:31:19Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > [I mentioned it in the “No Kings”](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/october-18-2025-no-kings-protests/1023993/53) thread a day or two before the protests that they were going to be doing something stupid along those lines > [@Joey\_P](#): > > And I mentioned it in the Stupid Republican Ideas thread [yesterday](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-4/1014678/1800): I figured it might have been mentioned inside a long thread. I don’t keep up with all if them. * * * * * * > [@Bullitt](#): > > You know we know each other @ThelmaLou , so I’m hoping you’re taking this the right way. 🙂 No prob, honey. 😘 I’m glad you’re able to fill us in on the context. * * * * * * > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > > [@Bullitt](#): > > > > If this is true, heads are gonna roll… > > I expect that at least one head will roll regardless. It will probably be some poor bastard (or three) who’s a week short of his 20 years. * * * * * * I wonder what would have happened if Vance had been killed. 🤔 * * * * * * Has Newsom had any more to say about it? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/17 "2025-10-20T01:33:36Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I’m glad you’re able to fill us in on the context. Same here. Very informative posts; thank you! ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/18 "2025-10-20T01:56:22Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I wonder what would have happened if Vance had been killed. 🤔 There would have been an investigation of why the Marines hadn’t pointed the artillery towards I5 as instructed by civilian leadership. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Has Newsom had any more to say about it? [Here’s what I find](https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/california-police-say-shrapnel-hits-and-damages-a-21109190.php): > [@](#): > > Newsom, a Democrat, posted a comment on the social media site X Sunday. > > “We love our Marines and owe a debt of gratitude to Camp Pendleton, but next time, the Vice President and the White House shouldn’t be so reckless with people’s lives for their vanity projects,” Newsom said. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/19 "2025-10-20T02:05:20Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > > Newsom, a Democrat, posted a comment on the social media site X Sunday. Thanks. Very sensible. Just the kind of public comment we like to hear from a grownup Presidential candidate who is in possession of his marbles. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/20 "2025-10-20T03:14:37Z")
It’d be even funnier if it wasn’t so stupid. Living on either side of White Sands means routine announcements that US-70 is going to be closed for some amount of time due to activity on the missile range. (Which really sucks if you need to get from one side to the other, as the only other two routes around the Tularosa Basin is either US-380 almost two hours north or having to go through El Paso and the Guadalupe Mountains. So you’ll either be early or late since US-70 is still the only real option.) As stupid as the idea was, the maximum idiocy has to be being angry at Newsom for shutting down I-5 while the Marines were being idiots. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105.md?page=2)