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WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2002 – One American Marine was killed today and another injured when they were attacked while training on an island off the coast of Kuwait.
Department of Defense officials identified the dead Marine as Lance Cpl. Antonio J. Sledd, 20, of Hillsborough, Fla. He died from wounds received in action while participating in an urban exercise as part of Exercise Eager Mace. Sledd was assigned to Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Camp Pendleton, Calif. The officials said the Marines were attacked at about 4:30 a.m. EDT (12:30 p.m. in Kuwait) by two men, presumed to be civilians of unknown nationality, who approached a group of Marines during the exercise and opened fire. The Marines responded, killing both attackers, a DoD spokesman said. More details were not yet available, and military officials are investigating the incident. U.S. Central Command officials said the two Marines who were shot were immediately evacuated to a "nearby military medical facility." About 1,000 U.S. Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are in Kuwait for Exercise Eager Mace, an annual U.S.-Kuwait military exercise. The Marines are part of the Belleau Wood Amphibious Ready Group, which deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from San Diego in June.
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