The funeral escort for USMC Capt. Jack Casey of Dover travels north on the Spaulding Turnpike in Newington on Feb. 20. 2024. The remains of Casey, a U.S. Marine Corps pilot, who was killed in a helicopter crash in California, was returned to his hometown of Dover. The route from Pease Air National Guard Base in Newington followed a route past schools he attended including Saint Thomas Aquinas High School and Saint Mary Academy both in Dover. A service will be held at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School on Friday from 3 -7 p.m. followed by a service on Saturday at St. Theresa's Parish in Rye at 10 a.m.
Above, law enforcement officers, including Deputy Mason Krieger, right, with the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Department, salute Marine Capt. Jack Casey from the Woodbury Avenue overpass in Newington as Casey’s funeral escort, at left, travels north on the Spaulding Turnpike on Tuesday.
Right photo: Students and staff at Saint Mary Academy in Dover pay tribute to Marine Capt. Jack Casey of Dover as his funeral escort travels north on Central Avenue Tuesday. The route from Pease Air National Guard Base in Newington passed by schools he attended including St. Thomas Aquinas High School and Saint Mary Academy, both in Dover. A service will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas High School on Friday from 3-7 p.m. followed by a service on Saturday at St. Theresa’s Parish in Rye at 10 a.m.
The funeral escort for USMC Capt. Jack Casey of Dover travels north on the Spaulding Turnpike in Newington on Feb. 20. 2024. The remains of Casey, a U.S. Marine Corps pilot, who was killed in a helicopter crash in California, was returned to his hometown of Dover. The route from Pease Air National Guard Base in Newington followed a route past schools he attended including Saint Thomas Aquinas High School and Saint Mary Academy both in Dover. A service will be held at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School on Friday from 3 -7 p.m. followed by a service on Saturday at St. Theresa's Parish in Rye at 10 a.m.
The funeral escort for USMC Capt. Jack Casey of Dover travels north on the Spaulding Turnpike in Newington on Feb. 20. 2024. The remains of Casey, a U.S. Marine Corps pilot, who was killed in a helicopter crash in California, was returned to his hometown of Dover. The route from Pease Air National Guard Base in Newington followed a route past schools he attended including Saint Thomas Aquinas High School and Saint Mary Academy both in Dover. A service will be held at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School on Friday from 3 -7 p.m. followed by a service on Saturday at St. Theresa's Parish in Rye at 10 a.m.
The funeral escort for USMC Capt. Jack Casey of Dover travels north on the Spaulding Turnpike in Newington on Feb. 20. 2024. The remains of Casey, a U.S. Marine Corps pilot, who was killed in a helicopter crash in California, was returned to his hometown of Dover. The route from Pease Air National Guard Base in Newington followed a route past schools he attended including Saint Thomas Aquinas High School and Saint Mary Academy both in Dover. A service will be held at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School on Friday from 3 -7 p.m. followed by a service on Saturday at St. Theresa's Parish in Rye at 10 a.m.
Above, law enforcement officers, including Deputy Mason Krieger, right, with the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Department, salute Marine Capt. Jack Casey from the Woodbury Avenue overpass in Newington as Casey’s funeral escort, at left, travels north on the Spaulding Turnpike on Tuesday.
Right photo: Students and staff at Saint Mary Academy in Dover pay tribute to Marine Capt. Jack Casey of Dover as his funeral escort travels north on Central Avenue Tuesday. The route from Pease Air National Guard Base in Newington passed by schools he attended including St. Thomas Aquinas High School and Saint Mary Academy, both in Dover. A service will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas High School on Friday from 3-7 p.m. followed by a service on Saturday at St. Theresa’s Parish in Rye at 10 a.m.
More than 550 people — Marine aviators, crew, family and friends — gathered Friday at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar to remember five Marines who died two weeks ago in a helicopter crash east of the base near San Diego.
A memorial of five flight helmets, flight gear and boots resting on rifles stood beside wreaths and photo portraits of the men, all members of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The ceremony took place at Miramar's Hangar 4, home to the squadron, according to a statement from service officials.
The Marines were killed Feb. 6 when their CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter went down at Pine Valley, Calif. The crew were on a night flight between Creech Air Force Base near Las Vegas and Miramar. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The Marines who died were:
Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, N.H., a CH-53E helicopter pilot.
Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kan., a CH-53E helicopter crew chief.
Sgt. Alec Langen, 23, of Chandler, Ariz., a CH-53E helicopter crew chief.
Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho, a CH-53E helicopter pilot.
Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Mich., a CH-53E helicopter pilot.
"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 Lt. Col. Nicholas Harvey, the squadron commanding officer. "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."
Each of the fallen squadron members who died was remembered by a friend with personal stories of shared experiences that had a positive impact on the speakers' lives, service officials said.
Lance Cpl. Owen Preble, a CH-53E helicopter crew chief, spoke on behalf of Davis, reflecting on their time together in training and with the squadron.
"This was a tragic event for all of us," Preble said. "The squadron has received love and support, and everyone has come together."
The national anthem was played, eulogies and a poem read, and the "Marine Prayer" recited. An honor guard in Marine camouflage uniforms and white gloves gave a 21-gun salute, with each of seven rifle bearers firing three shots in unison, according to a service statement.
Sgt. Maj. Damien Blaise, the senior non-commissioned officer with squadron 361, made the final roll call of the fallen — by tradition, the last time the crew members' names are called out in the Marine Corps.
A bugler with the wing's band played taps and then retired Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Joel Daniel played "Lord Lovat's Lament" on bagpipes to end the ceremony.
