Body of New Hampshire Marine killed in helicopter crash comes home

DOVER, N.H. (AP) — The body of one of five Marines killed when their helicopter went down in the mountains outside San Diego during a storm was brought back to his home state of New Hampshire on Tuesday and a procession was held in his honor.

Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, was a pilot aboard the CH-53E helicopter that went down during a training exercise on Feb. 7.

He and the other four were 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.

The military is investigating the crash.

In New Hampshire, Casey attended St. Mary Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas High School. He played football and lacrosse and was a member of the Robotics team, and also a lifeguard at Hampton Beach.

Casey attended college at the Virginia Military Institute. He graduated from Office Candidate School in 2018, earning a pilot’s commission in the U.S. Marine Corps. He earned his wings and got married in 2022.

His obituary hinted at a jokester who was never too busy to help. “He could eat Cheetos before Marine Corp fitness tests, running a sub 18 min 3 mile,” it said. “In the Rumpass Bumpass Triathlon, most people were in racing bibs. Jack wore his beloved Red Sox cut off. Flannel shirts and Birkenstocks were his trademark.”

A Mass was scheduled for Saturday at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Rye.