Marine officials are investigating what led to the death of a private first class in California this week, Corps officials said Friday. Marine officials are investigating what caused a Marine to die aboard Camp Pendleton, California, on Monday. and officials are investigating the cause of his death.
Pfc. Clinton E. James, died at Camp Pendleton on Monday. He was attending Marine Combat Training at the School of Infantry (West), according to a Marine spokesman.
"Pfc. James' death is a loss to our Command and the Marine Corps family," Col. Christopher Williams, commander of SOI (West), said in a statement. "We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends in this difficult time."
The Marine spokesman said the death remains under investigation. No additional details were immediately available.
James, who from Lenawee, Michigan, enlisted in the Marine Corps on Oct. 27. He earned the National Defense Service Medal. A Marine spokesman said that he was a 4300 - a basic combat correspondent, but he had not yet attended formal training for his military occupational specialty.
His step-sister told the Monroe News, a publication in Michigan, that James was going to work in Marine Corps public affairs, and was a gifted photographer and writer.
The publication reported that the 25-year-old Marine he had two weeks left at Pendleton before he went to Maryland for public affairs training. The newspaper didn't specify which unit James would report to next, but Fort George G. Meade, Maryland is home to the Defense Information School, a joint training command for the military's public affairs community.
