Marines killed in helicopter crash identified
- The five Marines were on a routine training mission
- The cause of the crash is still unknown
- The CH-53E has a worse safety rate than other helicopters
Five Marines were killed after a CH-53E helicopter crashed near San Diego.
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(NewsNation) — The Marine Corps has confirmed the identities of the five Marines killed when the CH-53E helicopter crashed in California. All the men were assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
The men have been identified as:
- Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief.
- Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief.
- Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho, a CH-53E helicopter pilot.
- Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire, a CH-53E helicopter pilot.
- Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Michigan, a CH-53E helicopter pilot.
Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21 of Olathe, Kansas, was a CH-53E crew chief. (U.S. Marine Corps) 
Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, from Chandler, Arizona, was a CH-53E helicopter crew chief. (U.S. Marine Corps) 
Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, from Emmett, Idaho, was a CH-53-E helicopter pilot. (U.S. Marine Corps) 
Capt. Jack Casey, 26, from Dover, New Hampshire, was a CH-53E helicopter pilot. (U.S. Marine Corps) 
Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, from Traverse City, Michigan, was a CH-53E helicopter pilot. (U.S. Marine Corps)
Davis enlisted in 2019. His decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and a Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
Langen enlisted in 2017 and was awarded 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.
Moulton joined the Marines in 2019. He received the National Defense Service Medal.
Casey joined in 2019 and also received the National Defense Service Medal.
Nava was commissioned in 2017 and his decorations included the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.
The Marines were flying a routine training mission from Creech Air Force Base near Las Vegas to Miramar Air Station in San Diego when the helicopter crashed. The cause of the crash is still being determined but the area was experiencing turbulent weather at the time of the accident.
The helicopter was first reported overdue at 1:00 a.m. Wednesday and Cal Fire was notified at 2:20 a.m. Military and civil authorities launched a search of the Pine Valley, California, area, hampered in their efforts by snow and rough terrain.
The helicopter was located on Wednesday and the crew confirmed dead on Thursday.
The CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter has an accident rate roughly twice that of other helicopters used by the Marines. The heavy-duty aircraft is primarily used to transport supplies and is capable of lifting up to 16 tons.
CH-53Es have been involved in other crashes in 2014, 2016 and 2018, with two of those crashes fatal to all on board.
