Bethel Marine who died in helicopter crash remembered at service

By Bill Van Tassel

BETHEL — “Do you ever feel like you’re doing exactly what you were meant to do?” This was a question Ben Cross put to his friend Jeremy Methven while they were cadets at Virginia Military Institute.
Methven, a lieutenant in the Marines, told the story at a funeral service for Cross at Telstar High School in Bethel. Cross was one of three Marines who died in a helicopter crash in Australia in August.
Methven said Cross’s words were not so much a question, but a statement that showed a goal Cross had had since he was a boy: to become a Marine pilot.

Cross, 26, who was promoted from first lieutenant to captain after his death, was a Telstar and VMI graduate, and was stationed in Okinawa as a Marine pilot.
Methven shared his thoughts about Cross in front of a packed Telstar High School auditorium on Sept. 16. He was having difficulty, as did other speakers, getting the words out, his emotions taking over. Listening in the audience were family and friends, active and retired military, buddies from Cross’s VMI years and his comrades from the Marines.
Also in attendance were Maine Bikers for Veterans, the Flag Ladies of Freeport, police officers, former Telstar classmates and others who just want to pay their respects.
One classmate, Tim Aguilar, said, “Ben was an inspiration to me in high school. We’d talk about college and our future. He knew exactly what he wanted to do.”
Aguilar credits Cross with motivating him to go into engineering. Today Aguilar is employed doing bridge design for McFarland-Johnson Engineering in Freeport.
Cross’s older brother, Ryan, gave the eulogy. After thanking everyone for the support his family has received in the last month, he said, “I met my best friend when Ben was born.”
He talked about Cross being energetic and “always pushing the limits.” He said Cross was his moral compass.
Amidst the tears, Ryan Cross included a few of the comical things his brother did, like his Christopher Walken imitation or his desire to become a Native American. “You couldn’t convince him that he couldn’t do that,” he joked. He added that his brother was always looking for an adventure.
Cross’s uncle, Chris Young, said, “It’s rare to meet someone in this world who has his goals set so early in life.”
He related a story of the young soldier doing mountain training in Colorado. Cross received a special commendation from his leader for staying behind to help those trainees who were having difficulty with the task.
Cross’s parents, Robert and Valerie, spoke briefly, but poignantly. “Ben meant so much to everyone he touched and everyone who touched him,” and quietly affirming, “This is going to be a long road for us.” Evident in their remarks was the pride they had in their son during his 26x years.
Several speakers noted that the young Marine died while doing what he loved. Marine Col. Patrick Looney thanked Cross’s parents for raising “such a fine young man.” He added, “The apple didn’t fall far from the tree.”
Following the ceremony at Telstar, family and friends attended the interment service at Riverside Cemetery. Cross was posthumously awarded the rank of captain. He graduated from Telstar High School in 2009, where he had been a star student/athlete and class president.