Marines Throwing Grenades in Training

Shot at Camp Pendleton, CA, Infantry Training Battalion.

On the first training day of Infantry Training, the students learn how to throw a grenade. It's equally stressful for both myself(instructor on the right) as well as the student. This is the sequence of events for throwing a live M67 Fragmentation Grenade in training. After doing 3 practice throws with a "blue-body" grenade, the new Marines come up to the live pit and receive the real thing.

Once in the pit, they are given clear and precise commands. The commands are "thumbclip", which means to remove the thumbclip safety from the grenade. Next the pull the pin, while holding the spoon with their thumb. Prepare to throw has them putting their grenade back in a throwing form similar to how you would throw a baseball. Finally, they get the command throw. They must throw it directly ahead, and immediately get down away from shrapnel that could fly back.

They have to use the proper procedure at all times. If there is a problem like they do not throw the grenade outside of the pit, or it is dropped, the instructor must grab the Marine, throw him outside of the pit, and cover him with his body.

Luckily, in this video, the Marine is successful with his throw. The sound of the explosion is barely audible in the video but I can assure you that it is much, much louder in real life.

Category:

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Tags:

• grenade
• marines
• camp
• pendleton
• usmc
• infantry
• grenades
• weapons

[TStrince]

so it goes

Basic training(boot camp)

Marine combat training

then MOS school?

so pretty much you're traning for like...

6-9 months

[gti2005]

@TStrince If you are not infantry, then that is correct. If you are infantry, then it's boot camp, Infantry training battalion, then going to you're unit. And in the Marine Corps... you are always training.

[TStrince]

@gti2005 What about MOS school/training?

[gti2005]

@TStrince Infantry Pipeline: Boot Camp > Infantry Training Battalion (Awarded your Infantry specific MOS) > Your Unit

Everyone else: Boot Camp > MCT > MOS Training School > Your Unit

[CWHpr0ducti0ns]

the grenade wont explode even after u pulled the pin until the handle thing falls off correct?

[gti2005]

@CWHpr0ducti0ns it's called the spoon, and it pops off after you throw it (or if you released it while still in your hand)

[gti2005]

@tacospartan Actually, the grenades are designed specifically in the shape of a baseball to make it easier to throw.

[gti2005]

@PcGamerPaul The fuse is 3 to 5 seconds.

[TStrince]

@gti2005 explain why infantry is "always" training

[MrHoboassasin]

@PcGamerPaul it's about 4 seconds, that's what you never cook your frag.

[BigBananaMan]

I recall my instructors demanded we shout "frag out" in training. A fragmentation grenade is one of the safest explosives to carry around but once that safety lever flies off it is a serious threat to everybody in the vicinity.

[TwigzofNowhere]

@gti2005 Exactly, during WWII when most young men were being deployed, the department of defense assumed every american boy could throw a baseball, therefore that was the shape they were made into.