---
title: "Mother Earth is apparently trying to devour the Marine Corps"
description: "Several sinkholes are currently menacing at least two Marine Corps installations in the continental United States, according to media reports"
date: "2019-02-07"
modified: "2019-02-07"
authors:
  - name: "Jared Keller"
    job_title: "Former Managing Editor"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jaredkeller/"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-corps-sinkholes/"
categories:
  - "Marine Corps"
  - "Military Branches"
  - "News"
---

# Mother Earth is apparently trying to devour the Marine Corps

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/19162339-1.jpg>)

If Marine recruits are [the lowest form of life on Earth](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jQp1rfQyMI>), then their upcoming descent into the depths of the planet will be a walk in the park.

Several sinkholes are currently menacing at least two Marine Corps installations in the continental United States, according to media reports.

A large sinkhole tore into a Camp Pendleton roadway on Monday, closing the road and closing a base elementary school for two days, NBC News [reported](<https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/camp-pendleton-sinkhole-road-closure-santa-margarita-elementary-school-carnes-wire-mountain-505327951.html>). The Marines at the California base were filling it with gravel and putting a steel plate over it as a stop-gap, [according](<https://slack-redir.net/link?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.facebook.com%252FMCIWPendletonCA%252Fvideos%252F560914464389532%252F%253F__xts__%25255B0%25255D%253D68.ARD8lkGH-YAeJz5PwWefIEGfgw97sOx_h00q0GcHDPq56bdWtXVJGA2j9WNLtLl5zToVNpIq1oUHaYsu2EPXUP0wfZT-euz1HNOCw-eqeyKe9W5v58pBtJyP7zPPc9nNsTKP6ayIInyedQIQM_Pgz2H0JVFYIQNaigQNk8EkfPHfVnlkn4TupY1kkobotmoNIwZmXycvDMPZkJ-YwRdkXXoB05IdiTQXUTcbwzVnqGdItZE6kdKQk_lm-Ww7Ro-lAn-2D-Ld58SKV9pRuTPUD2nKVE10txgyx48GZ5f47TrUdnZnDTaBJNKDKAueq8cgLMhU4UxA8BiSzlV3gVuFxmC9lRGC9MLV%2526__tn__%253D-R>) to its Facebook page.

Two days later, a series of sinkholes that opened near Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island forced base officials to close down a major causeway, the Island Packet [reports](<https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/community/beaufort-news/bg-military/article225610295.html>).

When reached by Task & Purpose, a Camp Lejeune spokesman could not immediately confirm the presence of sinkholes near the base. He did, however, mention that storm damage to nearby trestles [caused by Hurricane Florence](<https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/12/12/36-billion-price-tag-to-rebuild-lejeune-buildings-damaged-by-hurricane-florence/>) had limited the base's ability to transport equipment.

Surprisingly, the Marine base at 29 Palms is also (currently) unaffected by sinkholes, thus keeping its [2.5 star rating](<https://www.yelp.com/biz/marine-corps-air-ground-combat-center-29-palms-twentynine-palms>) on Yelp intact.

Undeterred by Mother Earth's belligerent posture, a contingent of Marines [invaded](<https://www.ocregister.com/2019/02/06/marines-and-japanese-forces-storm-camp-pendletons-red-beach-in-amphibious-assault-training/>) California's Red Beach with the assistance of Japanese service members as part of amphibious assault training in a stunning counterattack.

### SEE ALSO: The Inside Story Of 'Recruit Mullet,' The Future Marine Here To Kick Ass And Drink Beer

### WATCH NEXT: US Troops Drank All Of Iceland's Beer

## Author
Jared Keller is the former managing editor of Task & Purpose. His writing has appeared in Aeon, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the New Republic, Pacific Standard, Smithsonian, and The Washington Post, among other publications.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/jaredbkeller>)  
[Facebook](<https://www.facebook.com/jaredbkeller>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredbkeller/>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/jaredbkelller/>)