US military names five marines killed in California helicopter crash
The Marine Corps released the names on Friday of the five marines killed when their CH-53E super stallion helicopter went down in the mountains outside San Diego during a historic storm. All of them were in their 20s.
The decorated marines had been assigned to marine heavy helicopter squadron 361, marine aircraft group 16, 3rd marine aircraft wing and were based at Marine Corps air station Miramar in San Diego.
“We have been confronted with a tragedy that is every service family’s worst fear,” said Lt Col Nicholas J Harvey, the commanding officer of the squadron. “The Flying Tigers family stands strong and includes the friends and community who have supported our squadron during this challenging time. We will get through this together.”
The youngest was Lance Cpl Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas, who had just been promoted to the rank of lance corporal on New Year’s Day. The oldest was Capt Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Michigan.
Davis and Sgt Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Arizona, had both been crew chiefs. The others had been CH-53E pilots.
“We will miss him dearly,” Langen’s mother, Caryn Langen, told KNSD-TV of San Diego.
The other pilots on board were Capt Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire, and Capt Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho.
The super stallion vanished late on Tuesday night on its way back to Miramar from Creech air force base. The craft was discovered on Wednesday morning near the mountain community of Pine Valley.
The military confirmed on Thursday that all five Marines had been killed when their helicopter went down during stormy weather, and efforts were under way to recover their remains, which would take weeks because of the rough terrain and weather, said Col James C Ford, the operations officer with the 3rd marine aircraft wing. In the meantime, marines are staying with the remains around the clock to adhere to their ethos of never leaving any marine behind.
The military is investigating the crash.