Grieving family members of five Marines who died in a helicopter crash during a deadly storm in California earlier this week said Saturday that their deaths are the latest example of deadly and unnecessary accidents in the military.
Steven Langen, father of Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, who served as crew chief aboard the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter that went down in the mountains 45 minutes outside of San Diego Tuesday, told The Post that his son’s death was a recent case of an all-too-common story in military community.”
“This is probably the only instance where they develop the f–k and they say, ‘What are we doing to our service members? We have to stop this,’” he said.
On Tuesday, the group headed back to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego from Creech Air Force Base outside Las Vegas as California was battered by unprecedented rain and snow that made flying conditions dangerous and unstable.
Officials said Thursday that an investigation was underway into the cause of the crash, but Bradford Moulton, the uncle of victim Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, questioned why his nephew and his fellow Marines were in the air during the “storm of a thousand years.”
USMC Alec Langen (center) with his parents Steven and Caryn Langen. Courtesy of Steven Langen
“They’re Marines, they’re flying in bad weather, they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing … but I certainly hope that operations officers will keep them on the ground,” he said Saturday.
The fatal crash comes nearly three months after five Army special operations soldiers were killed when their helicopter crashed in the Mediterranean Sea during an aerial refueling exercise.
Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis. AP Capt. Benjamin Moulton, his uncle told The Post, intended to become a jet pilot for the Marines. AP Captain Jack Casey is 26 years old. AP Captain Miguel Nava is 28 years old. AP
Eight members of the Air Force’s special operations service were also killed during a November exercise when their CV-22 Osprey crashed off the coast of Yakushima Island, Japan, en route to Okinawa.
The following month, one Marine was killed and 14 others were injured when their amphibious assault vehicle overturned during a training exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton north of San Diego.
Aviation experts previously told The Post that heavy weather conditions most likely contributed to the fatal helicopter crash that also claimed the lives of Captain Jack Casey, 26, Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, and Captain Miguel Nava.
“Not only did it not have to happen, it shouldn’t have happened,” said father Davis Gregory, 53, a retired naval aviation officer.
Aviation experts previously told The Post that heavy weather conditions most likely contributed to the fatal helicopter crash.
The grieving relatives of the Marines all said their relatives were destined to enlist and follow in the footsteps of their family members from a young age.
Steven Langen said he served as a Marine crew chief from 1986 to 1995 and flew the same type of helicopter as his son, Alec — who he believed “did it better.”
Langen recalled Alec saying he only wanted one present before his 17th birthday party.
“The next thing you know, (there’s) a knock on the door. And there was a Marine recruiter standing there,” he said. “All he wanted for his birthday was to register a year early for the delayed entry program.”
Langen waved from the side of the plane. Courtesy of Steven Langen
He said his son died “doing what he loved,” but is survived by his wife of 21 years, whom he married just four months earlier.
Gregory Davis said his son was surrounded by the Navy and Marine Corps his entire upbringing, beginning with his birth at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in Washington.
“He was very proud to be a Marine, he loved his job, he loved what he did,” his father said.
“We are proud of Donovan and all he has accomplished in 21 short years.”
Aerial map view of Miramar Air Station. Google world
Benjamin Moulton, his uncle told The Post, aspires to become a jet pilot for the Marines, just like his grandfather, who was a Marine pilot and reached the rank of colonel before retiring.
Moulton was “a very bright kid” who received a full ride to the University of Washington on an ROTC scholarship and was eventually selected to become a helicopter pilot in the military branch.
“He was going to be a Marine pilot no matter what,” shared his proud uncle.
A CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter. US NAVY/AFP via Getty Images
Maj. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte, commanding general of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, previously said the Marines who died in the helicopter crash “served a calling greater than themselves and were proud to do so.” We will forever be grateful for their call to duty and selfless service.”
The Post has reached out to Marin for comment. The families of Casey and Nava could not be reached.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
