Fales’ death accidental
Published 11:13 pm Thursday, December 22, 2005
Marine Corporal Adam Fales was at his laptop listening to country music when he was accidentally shot by a member of his unit, his family learned on Wednesday.
“He was listening to music with three of his buddies when two of them got up to leave,” said older brother Jacob Fales, also a corporal in the Marines. “They picked up their guns. One of them accidentally pulled the trigger. The gun was pointed at Adam.”
The news comes as a relief to his family. Not knowing the details of his death produced some anxious moments. There were some initial concerns that foul play had been involved in his death.
“We want him here (safely) with us, but it helps,” Jacob said.
Jacob said his mother requested that the two members of his unit not be punished because of the accident.
“They were his buddies,” he said. “They were guys he really cared for, guys he would be keeping up with for the rest of their lives. They were is best friends there. He talked about them all of the time.”
Jacob said the Marines in his unit violated a couple of rules, which led to the accident. He said rules required that chamber of the gun be cleared of any ammunition before a soldier leaves the barracks.
He said guns are also supposed to be pointed in the air to prevent an accident of the nature that caused his brother’s death.
“We realize it was an accident,” Jacob said. “It’s no different than someone running a stop sign and causing an accident in a car. This is something they will have to live with for the rest of their lives.”
Funeral services for Adam Fales will be held at 10 a.m. today at Cullman Heritage Funeral Home. Burial will take place at Straight Mountain Baptist cemetery in Oneonta, where he will receive full military honors.
He was in the middle of a nine-month tour of duty in Iraq with Combat Support Detachment 21, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force. He was based at Cherry Point, N.C.
He was nearing the end of his four-year enlistment and due home in February.