MADELEINE BRAND, host: In western Iraq today, 14 US Marines were killed by a roadside bomb.  The      tragedy was compounded further with the news that the troops were members      of the same battalion that lost six Marines in Iraq just two days ago.  A      Marine Corps spokesman says the Marines killed this week belonged to the      3rd Battalion, 25th Marines Unit, based in Brook Park, Ohio.  That's a      suburb of Cleveland.  Brigadier General Carter Ham announced today's      deaths at the Pentagon.</s>Brigadier General CARTER HAM: This morning at about 0630 local time in      Iraq, a mounted US Marine element operation near Hadithah was attacked by      an explosive device.  Initial reports are that 15 personnel were killed      in the attack:  14 United States Marines and one interpreter.</s>MADELEINE BRAND, host: The 14 Marines and the interpreter died when their troop carrier      struck a gigantic roadside bomb.  In recent months, insurgents have been      exploding larger and more sophisticated bombs.  At the Pentagon, General      Ham provided few details of the attack.</s>MADELEINE BRAND, host: Brig. Gen. HAM:  The report this morning only is that it was an explosive      device, so not yet sure of whether it was a mine or whether it was      command detonated.  We just don't know those details yet.</s>MADELEINE BRAND, host: It was one of the deadliest single attacks on American troops      since the war in Iraq began more than two years ago.  The six other      Marines killed on Monday were on sniper duty northwest of Baghdad.  Again      here's General Ham.</s>MADELEINE BRAND, host: Brig. Gen. HAM:  This is a very lethal and, unfortunately, adaptive enemy      that we are faced with inside Iraq.</s>MADELEINE BRAND, host: Today, in Brook Park, Ohio, a bouquet of red roses was placed at      the gate of the Marine headquarters, an old brick schoolhouse.  Several      businesses tied red, white, and blue ribbons on their doors and had      American flags hanging in their windows.
In one of the deadliest single insurgent attacks in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion and occupation in March 2003, 14 Marines and their interpreter were killed by a massive roadside bomb on Wednesday near the city of Haditha, northwest of Baghdad. The same Marine Corps battalion lost six other Marines in an attack two days before.