camp pendleton camp horno

Camp Pendleton Camp Horno - Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit gather at Horno Crosses to remember the Marines who made the ultimate sacrifice and a few words from their battalion commander during a motivational run before being separated from the 13th MEU at the camp. Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 6, 2016. (Sgt. Hector de Jesus/Marin Corps)

Navy officials' decision in June to clean up unopened beer cans around crosses honoring fallen Marines sparked a debate about what constitutes a war memorial or memorial.

Camp Pendleton Camp Horno

The crosses that adorn the hill above Camp Pendleton, Calif., in the Hornau area serve as a memorial to Marines honoring their fallen brothers and sisters. The first cross was created in 2003 by a small group of Marines with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines.

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Some Marines say what was cleaned up -- full cans and alcohol -- wasn't trash, but memories that Marines will carry with them for years.

1st Lt. Cameron Edinburg, a spokesman for the 1st Marine Division, told the Marine Corps Times that the area is cleaned "from time to time to ensure it is maintained in a respectable condition" and that the crosses have "messages of a personal nature."

Altering the memorial to the fallen Navy Cross legend would spark outrage. The monument to the fallen Marine Corps war hero and Navy Cross recipient is being replaced, and the family learned of the change through a Facebook post on Memorial Day.

Edinburg said about eight Humvee debris had been removed from the Horno Cross area, filling the entire dump.

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A social media post called for the Marines' opinion on the cleanup effort, noting that about 30 bags of cans and bottles had "significant significance to have been left there."

Former 2/1 Scout sniper Ethan Place told the Times he understands both sides of the issue, but says the Corps needs to be "cautious" about removing all cans and beer from the area.

Place received the Silver Star for his heroic actions during the first battle to clear Fallujah, Iraq, known as Operation Vigilance. He left Iraq with 32 confirmed kills as a 2/1 sniper.

Another Marine, who spoke to Marine Corps Times on condition of anonymity, said he also understands both sides of the argument and that the Horno cross region is starting to "get damaged."

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Edinburg said, "The crosses on the Camp Horno grounds of Camp Pendleton provide an incredible space for pedestrians to reflect on the sacrifices of their fallen brothers and sisters."

"The hill around the crosses was recently cleared of debris to keep the area in a state of respect so that we can continue to honor the Marines for whom the memorial was erected," Edinburgh said.

What counts as a war memorial or memorial is a difficult question and is often decided by the community that erected the monument.

According to the War Memorial Trust - a UK-based organization that helps preserve war memorials - war memorials are "unique" and represent "the community's preferred method of commemoration".

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Maj. Ray Mendoza Jr., former commanding officer of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, helped create the first Horno Cross. He was killed in November 2005 in Iraq by an improvised explosive device.

His wife, Karen Mendoza, told Fox News that Horn's Crosses were "a place where Marines mourn and grow, to let go of the burden of their lives so they can go back to that hill and to that hill" a return. They are fighting and risking their lives."

The first Khorne Cross was destroyed by fire in 2007. This cross was replaced and there are now two crosses on the Horno site.

From paintings, purple hearts to cans of beer and spirits, crosses have a variety of memorials.

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The controversy over the Hornau crosses is not the Corps' first run-in with controversy over changes to war memorials. It is the second time in 2019 that an altered war memorial commemorating Marines who sacrificed their lives during the war on terror has sparked controversy.

The decision by the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines to change the room to honor Marine Cross recipient Cpl. Michael Ouellette started a firestorm among the Marines in the unit.

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