# "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:** 2
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/21 "2025-10-20T03:50:50Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > What if someone had been killed? What if J.D. Vance had been killed? Mike Pence merits a noose but JD Vance gets put in front of a goddamn howitzer? Damn, Trump really is going all in on being a dictator! I wonder if this will be investigated as an assassination attempt on Vance. If nothing else, it’s a proof of concept for one, as it shows that Vance’s detail lacks counter-battery capabilities. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/22 "2025-10-20T05:14:03Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I wonder what would have happened if Vance had been killed. I would still be laughing all the way into 2026. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/23 "2025-10-20T05:26:44Z")
Vance should probably have a conversation with Pence before going out on his lonesome without his boss along. ---
**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, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/24 "2025-10-20T14:35:56Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > No prob, honey. 😘 > > I’m glad you’re able to fill us in on the context. Thank you my dear. For the rest, I met with @ThelmaLou 1½ years ago at a mini Dope Fest when my wife and I were in San Antonio TX. Pictures were posted here, ➜ [Texas Hill Country Dope Fest! (San Antonio TX, “SATX”) - #63 by Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-hill-country-dope-fest-san-antonio-tx-satx/996915/63) ■ . I was pretty big then; I’ve since been on a serious diet and have lost 125 pounds. I’m approaching my Marine Corps weight… And so… I like plotting things on Google Maps and sometimes I use lat/long coordinates for more precise locations. I prefer DD coordinates (decimal degrees) to DMS coordinates (degrees, minutes, seconds) — DDs are simpler, shorter. In my own shorthand notes I use ▲ to denote the DDs. From articles I determined the approximate coordinates for where the M777 guns were, and where the CHP car ended up with shrapnel: △ M777 shot out from ▲ 33.2876, -117.4625 △ CHP found shrapnel@ ▲ 33.2978, -117.4645 The approximate range between those two points is just under ¾ mile. In artillery we use the metric system and that range is roughly 1200 meters. For artillery, that range is nothing. For artillery safety, for example, we use (used to use, back in the 80s and 90s) safety areas around friendlies. Typically for training it is (or, was) a 1,000m radius safety circle around someone’s position. Any rounds that were predicted to approach the bounds of that safety circle, we would call out with a warning that they’d be ‘danger close’. And if any round actually fell near that boundary and we in the FDC did not predict that, then that friendly would call us on the radio to alert us. Fortunately in my years, that was a rare occurrence. In all my years we never, EVER, had people close to and in front of the muzzles of the guns. So I do not know offhand what the min required safety distance would be, and I’m pretty sure that the min safety distance would be dependent on the elevation of the tube — the QE, quadrant elevation in artillery parlance, which is the angle of the tube with respect to the 0° angle flat horizon. The lower the elevation (QE), then likely the farther the min safety distance would have to be. Makes sense, right? These guys were shooting at Pulgas, or Las Pulgas, one of the arty impact areas at Pendleton. I’m talking with some friends I served with, trying to get some information. > [@Bullitt](#): > > 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. This includes the FDC, who may have sent the wrong fuze setting to the gun line. It could have been a faulty fuze (highly unlikely), or my guess right now is someone put the wrong fuze setting onto the fuze which gets screwed into the projectile. The projectile was likely standard HE, or high explosive. If memory serves, a 155mm standard HE projectile weighs 96 pounds. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/25 "2025-10-20T15:30:39Z")
I thought they had huge ranges somewhere where they can shoot these things to their heart’s content with no pesky people around. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/26 "2025-10-20T15:38:30Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > with no pesky people around. Well sure. But how is that going to send the required message of intimidation? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/27 "2025-10-20T15:47:13Z")
Intimidate [“a joke”?](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/its-a-joke-donald-trump-dismisses-nationwide-no-kings-protests-claims-rallies-funded-by-radical-left-groups/articleshow/124700102.cms)😉 ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/28 "2025-10-20T15:49:04Z")
It sounds like, if they were aiming for Vance, they got everything but the altitude right. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/29 "2025-10-20T16:03:26Z")
The training and professionalism of the troops notwithstanding, shooting live rounds above where civilians are likely to be is not without risk, and no competent chain of command should ever allow such needless risks to be taken. They’re damn lucky they got away without killing someone. ---
**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 20, 2025, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/30 "2025-10-20T17:53:49Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > no competent chain of command should ever allow such needless risks to be taken. Tom Scott did a video on a shooting range that went over a road. I’ll dig up the video, but IIRC, it was set up such that, between the shooter and the road was a wall, as long as the bullet clears the wall, it’ll clear the highway, if it’s too low, it’ll hit the wall. Still feels wrong to me, but they seem to have good results. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2h1s6S4kotE/maxresdefault.jpg "The shooting range where you fire over a busy road") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h1s6S4kotE) ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/31 "2025-10-20T18:01:42Z")
Collosally stupid. Newsom did real good here. A crowded highway and more mishaps could have cost lives. Of course President Shit Bomber would just tweet “Oops!” ---
**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, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/32 "2025-10-20T18:08:19Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > it was set up such that, between the shooter and the road was a wall, as long as the bullet clears the wall, it’ll clear the highway Depends on the caliber and muzzle velocity. If it’s weak, it could drop onto the road. But generally, yes I’d agree with these ballistics. Editing, adding… please stand by. Added: > [@BobLibDem](#): > > The training and professionalism of the troops notwithstanding, shooting live rounds above where civilians are likely to be is not without risk, and no competent chain of command should ever allow such needless risks to be taken. They’re damn lucky they got away without killing someone. I’m almost certain that innocents have been killed during arty training within CONUS. Elsewhere too, but my knowledge and experience is in CONUS and Europe. When I was in, there was scuttlebutt (okay, rumor) that a CO’s family at Camp Lejeune NC got killed by arty that shot out while that family was at the PX. We talked about it, but I never did a fact check / verification. I’m almost certain, too, that military friendlies have been killed during training but it never happened with the arty batteries I was with, and I never heard about it happening with other batteries and regiments (USMC) while I was in. Accidents do happen, and it is always tragic when someone dies during training. It’s especially tragic when the casualty is an innocent civilian. But as the saying goes, we train like we fight, and we fight like we train. It is hazardous, and accidents do happen. And, I completely agree that firing over a civilian highway is far from the responsible thing to do. And yes, I am choosing my words carefully. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/33 "2025-10-20T18:35:16Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > 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 Bloody California, such a nanny state. Wrapping everyone in a cotton wool and taking away Californians God given right to be blown up by heavy artillery when driving down the freeway ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/34 "2025-10-20T18:45:24Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > dropping fragments of the shell on a California Highway Patrol vehicle and motorcycle that were part of Vice President JD Vance’s protective detail If this happened in some unstable developing world country, shortly after the defense Secretary had just called all the senior generals into a room to berate them, then _no one_ would believe it was an accident. Just saying ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/35 "2025-10-20T18:48:41Z")
Good grief. There are some phenomenally stoooopid people in this world! Go go Gavin! _“Help us Obi Wan Newsom, you’re our only hope!”_ ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/36 "2025-10-20T19:35:25Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > Of course President Shit Bomber would just tweet “Oops!” Never. That would be an admission of guilt. He’d claim an Antifa plot aided by the Biden FBI, pretending Biden was POTUS when it happened. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/37 "2025-10-20T19:43:18Z")
Of course, that’s much more plausible. The shell has been examined closely and determined to be from the Biden or Obama administrations, tampered with to make it defective and inserted into the line of ammo by Newsom or one of his far-left administration. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/38 "2025-10-20T21:19:11Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Tom Scott did a video on a shooting range that went over a road. I’ll dig up the video, but IIRC, it was set up such that, between the shooter and the road was a wall, as long as the bullet clears the wall, it’ll clear the highway, if it’s too low, it’ll hit the wall. If it skips off of the top of the wall, or you have a squib, it could hit a car. No way in hell would I approve of such a colossally stupid design. I appreciate that the Swiss are trying to be safe, and those folks know their firearms. But that design is asking for trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/39 "2025-10-20T21:30:52Z")
Make what you will of this, but isn’t that real close to a notorious decommissioned ICE checkpoint from the 1980s-90s? Anybody else remember the signs CalTrans put up because of the 100+ deaths that resulted from the checkpoint? [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/W54\_Special\_(CA-San\_Ysidro)\_-vector.svg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/W54_Special_(CA-San_Ysidro)_-vector.svg) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artillery-shell-detonated-over-interstate-5-during-marines-celebration-california/1024105/40 "2025-10-20T22:28:28Z")
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