MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- Five Marines of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, were honored during a memorial ceremony on the afternoon of Feb. 16, 2024.
More than 550 Marines, family and friends gathered to pay tribute to the five Marines who lost their lives as the result of a CH-53E mishap on Feb. 6, 2024, in Pine Valley, California:
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.
The ceremony took place in hangar 4, home of the HMH-361 “Flying Tigers.”
The national anthem played, followed by the presentation of the battlefield crosses—five in total, one representing each Marine. Flight helmets, flight gear and boots rested on Marine Corps service rifles, in front of each Marine’s portrait.
A friend and fellow squadron member of each Marine provided remarks, recounting anecdotes of shared experiences and highlighting the lasting impact each fallen Marine had on their lives.
Lance Cpl. Owen Preble, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief with HMH 361, spoke on behalf of Davis, reflecting on their time together in training and at the squadron.
“This was a tragic event for all of us,” said Preble. “The squadron has received love and support, and everyone has come together.”
Following the eulogies and a poem reading, the commanding officer of HMH-361, Lt. Col. Nicholas Harvey, gave remarks.
“There are no words that can express the pain that one feels when losing a loved one—a fellow Marine, a nephew, a brother, a son, a husband, a father,” said Harvey. “We can feel the presence of everyone in this hangar today, and that speaks volumes to the love, kinship, and brotherhood we share with our fallen Marines.”
The service moved toward its concluding events with the reading of “The Marines’ Prayer” and final roll call. Sergeant Maj. Damien Blaise, sergeant major of HMH-361, performed the final roll call, a military ritual which pays tribute to fallen members of a unit, signifying the very last time their name will be called in the Marine Corps.
A bugler with the 3rd MAW Band played "Taps,” a call to remember those who gave their lives in service to the nation. Retired U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Joel Daniel played “Lord Lovat’s Lament” on bagpipes, signaling the end of the ceremony.
The 3rd MAW deeply mourns the loss of our Marines and honors their sacrifice, knowing that their spirit and contributions live on within the squadron.