Kaneohe Marines blamed in hazing

Two Kaneohe Bay Marines are accused of hazing a fellow Marine in Afghanistan before he killed himself, according to published reports.

Lance Cpl. Harry Lew, 21, committed suicide April 3 after being hazed by two other Marine lance corporals, the Marine Corps Times said, citing an investigation into the death.

The three Marines were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, from Kaneohe Bay. The names of the other Marines were not released.

The Marine Corps Times reported that the alleged hazing happened after Lew had fallen asleep several times while manning a guard post in Afghanistan.

NBC News reported that according to the investigation, Lew, of Santa Clara, Calif., put the muzzle of his M249 Squad Automatic Weapon in his mouth and pulled the trigger.

Lew had written on his arm, "may hate me now, but in the long run this was the right choice I’m sorry my mom deserves the truth," NBC said.

Results of the investigation were unavailable Wednesday, and Hawaii officials said they had to be obtained from Marine Corps Forces Central Command in Florida.

Lew had been caught asleep on guard duty at least four times, and was first counseled and then disciplined, NBC said.

On April 3, Lew could not be reached by radio at Patrol Base Gowragi in Nawa district, and he was found asleep in his foxhole, according to reports. A sergeant said over the radio that "peers should correct peers," NBC reported.

Lew was ordered by fellow lance corporals to dig a new foxhole and then was told to perform other physical tasks as punishment. Other Marines would "stomp down" on Lew’s back and legs if he did the tasks incorrectly, the news agency said.

The investigation said when a sandbag broke open, a Marine poured its contents on Lew’s chest and face, NBC said.

A lance corporal kicked dirt on Lew and kicked and punched him, the Marine Corps Times said.

The unnamed sergeant faced court-martial upon return to Hawaii following the deployment, the report said. Another Marine was expected to receive nonjudicial punishment for assault. Marine Corps officials in Hawaii were not able to immediately determine Wednesday whether charges have been filed.

Lt. Col. Curtis L. Hill, director of public affairs at Marine Forces Pacific at Camp Smith, said in an email to the Star-Advertiser Wednesday that "the Marine Corps does not tolerate hazing of any kind."

"When allegations of hazing are made, they are investigated and if substantiated, appropriate corrective action is taken," Hill said. "Physical training, although a part of every Marine’s daily life, is not permitted as corrective action. ‘Incentive PT’ is only authorized at recruit training. The Marine Corps prides itself on holding its members to the highest levels of accountability."

Hill said he couldn’t talk specifically about the incident "because legal actions are pending."

Lew was on his first tour in Afghanistan. He deployed in November and joined Regimental Combat Team 7 to conduct counter­insurgency operations with the Afghan National Security Forces. Lew joined the Marine Corps in August 2009.