A group of four Marines bit off more than they could chew Sunday and had to be rescued in Joshua Tree National Park. Twentynine Palms Fire Captain Durk Carlisle said the four Marines had become stranded up in a wash and one of the Marines was suffering from a severe case of dehydration. Twentynine Palms Fire, along with park rangers, Joshua Tree Search and Rescue, Morongo Basin Ambulance, and the Sheriff’s Department, were called to the 49 Palms Oasis trailhead about 6 p.m. Carlisle said they originally thought the Marines had gone in from 49 Palms, but as it turns out, they had started in the interior of the park and were about 10 miles from the 49 Palms trailhead. The Marines were able to talk to the fire communication center and they were able to give general information about their location. A Sheriff’s helicopter was called into help with the rescue, but the air was too unstable due to the stormy weather. Paramedics traveled through the extremely rough terrain to reach the Marines and the helicopter was called back about 11 p.m. to airlift the Marine who was dehydrated. Carlisle added that another Marine had a twisted ankle and was slightly dehydrated; the other two Marines were fine. The Marine was flown to the Naval Hospital on board the Twentynine Palms Combat Center.
