Two sergeants charged in hazings

Web posted February 14, 1998

Associated Press

PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- Two Marine sergeants were charged Friday with dereliction of duty and other counts stemming from the beating of a Marine private at Fort Knox, Ky., a military official said.

Four privates already face assault and other charges in the beating of Pvt. Maciej Lugowski at a Marine barracks where investigators said there were weekly fights, mock crucifixions and beatings.

Pvt. Lugowski, 20, of New York, lost his spleen and suffered other injuries in the Dec. 17 assault.

Sgt. Michael P. Whitaker, 25, of Great Falls, Mont., and Sgt. Bruce T. Dowling Jr., 24, of Irvington, Ala., were charged Friday with dereliction of duty, violating rules for reporting offenses and violating bans on hazing, said Maj. Rick Long, a spokesman for the Parris Island Marine Corps Training Depot.

The dereliction of duty charge alleges the two ``willfully failed to stop and report acts of hazing, disorderly conduct, maltreatment and assaults.''

Pvt. Lugowski and the other privates were students training to be tank mechanics at the U.S. Army Armor School at Fort Knox. Sgt. Whitaker and Sgt. Dowling are instructors at the school.

The charges allege the two failed to stop initiations in which other Marines fought each other, pushed each other's heads into the toilet, taped trainee's arms to poles and tied students into mattress sacks.

During earlier military proceedings against the privates, investigators and attorneys said Thursday nights at the Fort Knox Marine barracks were set aside for trainees to fight in ``love sessions,'' in which the only instructions were not to hit in the face or below the belt. Kidney punches were encouraged.

There are also allegations of mock crucifixions, with trainees' hands taped to broomsticks pushed through the backs of their shirts.

Maj. Long said at least one more noncommissioned officer will be charged next week.

He said if convicted by a military court, the maximum penalty Sgt. Whitaker and Sgt. Dowling could receive is six months in the brig, six months' forfeiture of two-thirds pay, reduction in rank to private and a bad conduct discharge.