Marines Investigate Paratrooper ‘Blood Pinnings’ Incidents

The Marine Corps is investigating a pair of bizarre and bloody hazing incidents by an elite paratrooper unit in which jump wing medals were beaten into men’s chests in so-called “blood pinnings.”

The 1991 and 1993 incidents were captured on videotape and brought to the attention of the Marine Corps by the NBC show “Dateline NBC.” The show is to be broadcast tonight but the incidents became a topic of conversation at the Pentagon on Thursday.

The hazings occurred in an elite unit of Marine Corps paratroopers trained primarily for reconnaissance and scouting duty. Upon the completion of 10 training jumps, members of the unit are customarily presented a gold jump wing pin recognizing their achievement.

Maj. Scott Campbell, a spokesman for the service, said the Marine Corps has viewed the tapes, in which about 30 Marines are seen, and has put Lt. Gen. Charles E. Wilhelm, commander of the Marine Corps operations in the Atlantic, in charge of an investigation of the incidents.

A military source who viewed the tapes called them “sickening.”

“They just keep beating those pins things into them,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The videos, he said, were apparently recorded by participants in the ceremonies.

Gen. Charles Krulak, the commandant of the Marine Corps, issued a statement saying he is “outraged” by the tapes. But he acknowledged that, despite efforts to stamp out hazing, it remains an “insidious” problem because such ceremonies are carried out in secrecy.