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16 February 2024
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Five US marines killed in a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter crash in California
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Five US marines have been killed in a helicopter crash in California on Tuesday, 7 February 2024. The aircraft, a CH-53E Super Stallion, went down on Tuesday night during stormy weather in mountains outside San Diego in the US. The helicopter was discovered on Wednesday morning near the mountain community of Pine Valley, about 45 miles from the city, said the military.
A search and rescue effort got under way as a turbulent storm dumped heavy snow and record rain over California.
The operation involved federal, state and local agencies, including the US Forest Service, US Border Patrol, San Diego County Sheriff's Department and the state Civil Air Patrol.
Marines have been at the crash site keeping watch over their peers’ remains day and night, despite rough weather, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing commander Maj. Gen. Michael Borgschulte said in a statement Thursday.
The five Marines had been on a routine training flight Tuesday from Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, the Corps has said. But the aircraft never arrived at Miramar, the San Diego installation where their squadron is based. That day, San Diego County was hit by a storm as Southern California was battered by a weather phenomenon called an atmospheric river.
A team of federal, state and local agencies began a search for the helicopter shortly after it went missing and found it Wednesday morning in Pine Valley, California, east of San Diego.
The marines who were killed were not immediately named but they were assigned to the Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, the military said. Major General Michael J Borgschulte, commander of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, said in a statement: "It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I share the loss of five outstanding marines from 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and the Flying Tigers."
The helicopter had been returning to the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego after training at Creech Air Force Base, northwest of Las Vegas.
The Marines are Lance Cpl Donovan Davis, age 21, a crew chief from Olathe, Kansas; Sgt Alec Langen, age 23, a crew chief from Chandler, Arizona; Capt. Benjamin Moulton, age 27, a pilot from Emmett, Idaho; Capt Jack Casey, age 26, a pilot from Dover, New Hampshire and Capt. Miguel Nava, age 28, a pilot from Traverse City, Michigan, according to a 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing news release.
Davis enlisted in the Marine Corps in September 2019 and was promoted to lance corporal in January, according to the news release. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
Langen enlisted in September 2017, and was promoted to sergeant in October 2022. His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.
Moulton commissioned in the Marine Corps in March 2019 and was promoted to captain in August 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.
Casey commissioned in the Marine Corps in May 2019 and was promoted to captain in September 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.
Nava commissioned in the Marine Corps in May 2017 and was promoted to captain in November 2021. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
President Joe Biden said in a statement that he and First Lady Jill Biden were "heartbroken" to learn of the marines' deaths. "Our service members represent the very best of our nation - and these five marines were no exception," President Biden said.
The Super Stallion helicopter, the US military's largest, can carry dozens of people and requires four crew members: a pilot, co-pilot, crew chief and mechanic.
More than 130 are in operation in the US military, with the aircraft performing "a full range of military combat operations in Beirut, Somalia, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya", according to a US Navy website.
The Super Stallion helicopter has been involved in several other deadly accidents.
Four US marines were killed in 2018 when their aircraft crashed near the California-Mexico border during a training mission.
The Marine Corps ruled out pilot error for the accident. The victims' families later sued two companies they alleged provided a defective part that they blamed for the crash.
In 2005, a Super Stallion went down in a sandstorm in Iraq, killing 31 people on board. The accident, blamed on pilot error, was the single deadliest loss of US troops during the war.
Source: Sky News, Marine Corps Times
A search and rescue effort got under way as a turbulent storm dumped heavy snow and record rain over California.
The operation involved federal, state and local agencies, including the US Forest Service, US Border Patrol, San Diego County Sheriff's Department and the state Civil Air Patrol.
Marines have been at the crash site keeping watch over their peers’ remains day and night, despite rough weather, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing commander Maj. Gen. Michael Borgschulte said in a statement Thursday.
The five Marines had been on a routine training flight Tuesday from Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, the Corps has said. But the aircraft never arrived at Miramar, the San Diego installation where their squadron is based. That day, San Diego County was hit by a storm as Southern California was battered by a weather phenomenon called an atmospheric river.
A team of federal, state and local agencies began a search for the helicopter shortly after it went missing and found it Wednesday morning in Pine Valley, California, east of San Diego.
The marines who were killed were not immediately named but they were assigned to the Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, the military said. Major General Michael J Borgschulte, commander of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, said in a statement: "It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I share the loss of five outstanding marines from 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and the Flying Tigers."
The helicopter had been returning to the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego after training at Creech Air Force Base, northwest of Las Vegas.
The Marines are Lance Cpl Donovan Davis, age 21, a crew chief from Olathe, Kansas; Sgt Alec Langen, age 23, a crew chief from Chandler, Arizona; Capt. Benjamin Moulton, age 27, a pilot from Emmett, Idaho; Capt Jack Casey, age 26, a pilot from Dover, New Hampshire and Capt. Miguel Nava, age 28, a pilot from Traverse City, Michigan, according to a 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing news release.
Davis enlisted in the Marine Corps in September 2019 and was promoted to lance corporal in January, according to the news release. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
Langen enlisted in September 2017, and was promoted to sergeant in October 2022. His decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.
Moulton commissioned in the Marine Corps in March 2019 and was promoted to captain in August 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.
Casey commissioned in the Marine Corps in May 2019 and was promoted to captain in September 2023. His decorations include the National Defense Service Medal.
Nava commissioned in the Marine Corps in May 2017 and was promoted to captain in November 2021. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
President Joe Biden said in a statement that he and First Lady Jill Biden were "heartbroken" to learn of the marines' deaths. "Our service members represent the very best of our nation - and these five marines were no exception," President Biden said.
The Super Stallion helicopter, the US military's largest, can carry dozens of people and requires four crew members: a pilot, co-pilot, crew chief and mechanic.
More than 130 are in operation in the US military, with the aircraft performing "a full range of military combat operations in Beirut, Somalia, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya", according to a US Navy website.
The Super Stallion helicopter has been involved in several other deadly accidents.
Four US marines were killed in 2018 when their aircraft crashed near the California-Mexico border during a training mission.
The Marine Corps ruled out pilot error for the accident. The victims' families later sued two companies they alleged provided a defective part that they blamed for the crash.
In 2005, a Super Stallion went down in a sandstorm in Iraq, killing 31 people on board. The accident, blamed on pilot error, was the single deadliest loss of US troops during the war.
Source: Sky News, Marine Corps Times
