Names of 5 Marines killed in California helicopter crash identified

The five U.S. Marines who died after a military helicopter went down in the mountains near San Diego have been identified, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing said Friday.

They were all in their 20s and had been conducting routine flight training, said Capt. Stephanie Leguizamon, a U.S. Marine Corps spokesperson.

The five men have been identified as Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21; Sgt. Alec Langen, 23; Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27; Capt. Jack Casey, 26, and Capt. Miguel Nava, 28.

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They had all been assigned to Miramar’s Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Miramar.

“Our top priority now is supporting the families of our fallen heroes, and we ask for your respect and understanding as they grieve,” Lt. Col. Nicholas J. Harvey, commanding officer of HMH-361, said Friday. “The Flying Tigers family stands strong and includes the friends and community who have supported our squadron during this challenging time.”

In a Friday statement, the U.S. Marine Corps said Moulton and Casey had been promoted to the rank of captain last year. All five men had decorated careers, the Marine Corps said, including several National Defense Service Medals and Global War on Terrorism Service Medals among the group.

Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire, a CH-53E helicopter pilot. Jack Casey commissioned in the Marine Corps on May 16, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on Sept. 1, 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.

The CH-53E Super Stallion was reported missing Tuesday night during a “routine training flight” from Creech Air Force Base, northwest of Las Vegas, to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, according to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The aircraft was found Wednesday morning near Pine Valley, about 45 miles east of San Diego.

“It is with a heavy heart and a profound sadness that I share the loss of five outstanding Marines,” Maj. Gen. Michael Borgschulte, commanding general of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, said in a statement. “To the families of our fallen Marines, we send our deepest condolences and commit to ensuring your support and care during this incredibly difficult time.”

Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Alec Langen enlisted in the Marine Corps on Sept. 14, 2017, and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on Oct. 1, 2022. His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.

The cause of the crash remains unknown.

As the investigation into the crash was ongoing earlier this week, Marines were stationed at the scene to stay with the remains, according to Col. James C. Ford, operations officer with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.

Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Miguel Nava commissioned in the Marine Corps on May 26, 2017, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on Nov. 1, 2021. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

“Their fellow Marines have remained by their side as Marines do and took shifts throughout the night at the mishap site, keeping watch over our fallen despite the hazardous weather conditions,” Ford said. “Our fellow Marines were and continue to be guarded by their brothers and sisters.”

Learn more: Graphics and maps show flight, crash site.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that he and first lady Jill Biden were “heartbroken” over the deaths of the Marines.

Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. Benjamin Moulton commissioned in the Marine Corps on March 29, 2019, and was promoted to the rank of Captain on Aug. 1, 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.

“As the Department of Defense continues to assess what occurred, we extend our deepest condolences to their families, their squadron, and the U.S. Marine Corps as we grieve the loss of five of our nation’s finest warriors,” Biden said. “Our service members represent the very best of our nation and these five Marines were no exception.”

Recovery efforts hindered by heavy snowfall

Local, state and federal authorities began a search early Wednesday and discovered the aircraft in Pine Valley, California just after 9 a.m. PST. The condition of the aircraft has not been released, nor the time the Marines departed from Nevada or when they were scheduled to land at the base in San Diego.

The last known contact with the helicopter was at about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, Cal Fire’s spokesperson Capt. Mike Cornette told CBS 8 news. Its location was based on a “ping” reported to a Cal Fire dispatch center.

Harsh conditions and heavy snow from a historic storm that hit California this week made it difficult for rescue crews to access the area, said Cal Fire and the San Diego County Fire Protection District. The storm pummeled the region with record-setting rainfall beginning over the weekend and lasting through Tuesday, when the helicopter was scheduled to arrive in San Diego. The “atmospheric river” storm also brought heavy snow across the region’s mountains.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, along with the Civil Air Patrol, the U.S. Border Patrol Search, Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR) Unit, Cal Fire San Diego and the U.S. Forest Service, were involved in the sweeping search. Jeeps and drones were used to manage the difficult terrain.

Ford said ground recovery efforts will take place over coming weeks, citing the “hazardous terrain and weather” at the scene. Capt. Stephanie Leguizamon, a spokesperson for the wing, also noted that recovery efforts were challenged by snowfall and the cold weather.

The Marine helicopter crashed late Tuesday in a mountainous region east of San Diego.

CH-53E Super Stallion involved in several deadly incidents

The CH-53E Super Stallion is the largest and heaviest helicopter used in the U.S. military. Described as a “heavy-lift helicopter,” it’s capable of carrying troops, equipment and supplies from ship to shore and can launch amphibious assaults, according to the Naval Air Systems Command website.

The aircraft, made to withstand harsh conditions such as moving over rugged terrain in bad weather, has been involved in several deadly crashes.

In April 2018, four crew members were killed when their CH-53E Super Stallion crashed a few miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. The helicopter was also with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing out of the Miramar air station in San Diego.

Two years earlier, 12 Marines died when two Super Stallion helicopters collided off the coast of Oahu in Hawaii. In 2005, 31 people died when a CH-53E crashed in Iraq during a sandstorm.

Rich Martindell, a former aircraft accident investigator in the Air Force, told USA TODAY the accident rate of CH-53 helicopters is more than double that of other Marine aircraft. He said that from 1984 to 2008, the CH-53 had an average of 5.96 accidents per 100,000 hours of flight, while other helicopters had an average of 2.26 per 100,000 hours.

Martindell, who has helped investigate more than 300 aircraft accidents, said the accident rate of the CH-53E will be one of the many factors considered by the investigative board.

“They’re very unique helicopters that can haul tremendous loads and are very useful,” he said. “But now it’s a matter of seeing if you can mitigate the risk of using it.”

Contributing: The Associated Press; N’dea Yancey-Bragg and Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Names of 5 Marines killed in California helicopter crash identified