--- title: "Marine commander fired over deadly amphibious assault vehicle mishap off California coast in July" description: "The Marine Corps has fired the commander of 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment due to a \"loss in trust and confidence in his ability to command\" stemming from a deadly amphibious assault vehicle mishap off the California coast in late July." date: "2020-10-14" modified: "2020-10-14" authors: - name: "Paul Szoldra" job_title: "Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/paul-szoldra/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-corps-relief-michael-regner/" categories: - "Amphibious Operations" - "Marine Corps" - "Military Branches" - "Navy" - "News" - "Tactics" - "Tech & Tactics" - "Vehicles" tags: - "justice" - "Leadership" - "Northern Command" --- # Marine commander fired over deadly amphibious assault vehicle mishap off California coast in July ![]() The Marine Corps has fired the commander of 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment due to a "loss in trust and confidence in his ability to command" stemming from a deadly amphibious assault vehicle mishap off the California coast in late July. In a press release issued Tuesday evening, the Marine Corps said that Lt. Col. Michael J. Regner, commander of Battalion Landing Team 1/4, was relieved of command by Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, the commanding general of 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. "Heckl relieved Regner due to a loss in trust and confidence in his ability to command as a result of the assault amphibious vehicle mishap that took place off the coast of Southern California July 30, 2020," the press release stated. Regner, an infantry officer who commissioned in May 2002, was in command of Marines training at San Clemente Island, California in late July. As the Marines [returned to the USS Somerset]() in their amphibious vehicles, one began taking on water about a mile offshore and rapidly sank with 15 Marines and one sailor on board. Seven Marines and one sailor died in the incident, which was the deadliest AAV accident in Marine Corps history. “We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident. I ask that you keep our Marines, Sailors, and their families in your prayers as we continue our search,” Col. Christopher Bronzi, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit commanding officer, said in a [statement at the time.]() "Although the Command Investigation has compiled a substantial amount of information and data which formed the basis for Heckl’s decision, it is still ongoing as the Marine Corps continues to investigate, assess all relevant information, and take appropriate actions," the press release said. Officials did not immediately respond to questions from Task & Purpose. Over his 18-year career, Regner had deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan, [according]() to his official biography. More recently, Regner served as the top aide to Gen. Joseph Votel when he was commander of U.S. Central Command, and worked on strategic war planning for the Defeat-ISIS Coalition. ## Author Paul Szoldra was the Editor in Chief of Task & Purpose from October 2018 until August 2022. Since joining T&P, he has led a talented team of writers, editors, and creators who produce military journalism reaching millions of readers each month. He also founded and edits [Duffel Blog](), a popular satirical newsletter for the military. Before becoming a journalist in 2013, he served as a Marine infantryman in Afghanistan, Korea, and other areas of the Pacific. His eyes still go up every time a helicopter from Camp Pendleton flies over his office in Southern California. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [LinkedIn]() [Facebook]() [Instagram]()