‘I think of his spirit’: Marine, UW graduate who died in helicopter crash remembered

A University of Washington graduate, and marine, was among the five killed in a helicopter crash in California last week.

Captain Benjamin Moulton was a pilot on board the helicopter when it went missing on Tuesday.

The chopper was traveling from Las Vegas to San Diego for “routine flight training.”

It went missing on Tuesday and was found the next day 45 miles east of San Diego.

All five marines on board were killed in the crash.

Moulton graduated from the UW in 2019 and was the captain of the boxing team.

We spoke to his former coach, who told us he was a born leader.

“When I think of Ben I think of his spirit, his attitude, his perseverance,” said coach Russell Crandall. “He had this unique ability to push through what other people would think is too hard and he’d do it with a smile on his face.”

Moulton had been promoted to captain last August.

“Ben was always in the front, whenever he would finish first, from the front of the pack,” said Crandall. “Always go back. Always go back and pick up a teammate, who was who was slowed down.”

A memorial service for Moulton is set for this Thursday. It’s happening at 4:30 p.m. inside Clark Hall on the UW campus.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

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