HMH-362
Encyclopedia
Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362 (HMH-362) is a United States Marine Corps
helicopter squadron consisting of ten CH-53D Sea Stallion
assault support helicopters and 220 Marines and Sailors. The squadron, known as the "Ugly Angels", was activated on April 30, 1952 as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron and is currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay
, Hawaii
falling under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 24
(MAG-24) and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
(1st MAW) within III MEF.
Commander by providing assault support
transport of combat troops, and equipment, day or night under all weather conditions during Expeditionary, Joint, or Combined operations.
in the Mekong Delta
south of Saigon. under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Archie Clapp. The task unit was called "Shufly" and its first operational employment involved lifting Vietnamese troops into battle on April 22. It was the evolution of "Archie’s Angels" to "Ugly Angels" that gave HMM/HMH-362 their well-known call sign. HMM-362 served in the Republic of Vietnam until 1969, in addition to the first deployment to Soc Trang, the squadron also deployed to Ky Ha, Marble Mountain, and Hue/Phu Bai. During these years HMM-362 also supported operations in Vietnam from the sea, serving aboard the , , and . HMM-362 lost a total of thirty-three Marines during their years of supporting combat operations in the Republic of Vietnam.
The squadron would fly the last combat missions of the UH-34 "Huss" and on August 18, 1969 they held a ceremony at Phu Bai marking the end of its combat role. The final six aircraft in the squadron were flown to Da Nang
to be shipped back to the United States and the squadron's title was transferred to Marine Corps Air Station New River
, North Carolina
where they would transition to the CH-53 Sea Stallion
and redesignated as HMH-362.
The squadron relocated to Santa Ana, California in 1962 as part of Marine Aircraft Group 36, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing. From 1969 through 1995 the squadron was located at Marine Corps Air Station New River, NC and was under MAG-26, 2d MAW, II MEF. It was during this time that the squadron was officially re-designated Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362.
During the early 1990s the squadron deployed to Saudi Arabia
for Operation Desert Storm. In 1993 the squadron deployed aboard the with 6x CH-53D's and 4x UH-1N helicopters as part of a Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF). In 1994 the squadron served as the Aviation Combat Element aboard the in support of Operation Uphold Democracy
in Haiti
. Shortly after, HMH-362 had its very first WM (Melissa Winningham) join the squadron. In 1995 HMH-362 relocated to MCAF Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii as part of Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
, Japan
for a six-month period. Within 48 hours of their arrival in the western Pacific, the Ugly Angels embarked on a four-month, island-hopping tour known within the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing as the "Fishhook," so named for the shape of its stops in various Southeast Asian nations. Operating as the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) in five countries for Landing Force Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (LF CARAT) 2002, the squadron played an essential role in the Commander's, U.S. Pacific Command Theater Engagement Plan. During this period, the Ugly Angels flew over 7,100 nautical miles from mainland Japan through the Republic of the Philippines, Brunei, Singapore, and Malaysia to Utapao, Thailand, before redeploying to Iwakuni. The total distance covered by HMH-362’s helicopters exceeded that of a flight from New York to Hong Kong. HMH-362 ended 2002 with a culmination of over 59,000 Class A mishap-free flight hours.
After returning to Kaneohe Bay in 2002, HMH-362 resumed its assault support mission throughout the Hawaiian Islands. In September 2003, HMH-362 once again returned to the Western Pacific in support of the Unit Deployment Program, deploying with eight CH-53D aircraft to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. Over the six-month period, the squadron participated in exercises in the Republic of the Philippines. Additionally, the squadron deployed two separate training detachments to the Republic of Korea in January 2004. In March 2004, HMH-362 returned to the Republic of Korea in support of Exercise Foal Eagle. Additional high lights from UDP ’03-’04 included a three-week training detachment to the Japanese island of Okinawa, and support of Exercise Yamasakura on mainland Japan. HMH-362 redeployed to its home station of MCB Kaneohe Bay in April 2004 to resume its assault support mission in the Hawaiian Islands.
The Ugly Angels embarked on its third UDP tour in the spring of 2005, spending six months aboard MCAS Futenma in Okinawa, Japan. That summer, one-half of the squadron was attached to the aviation combat element for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit
(31st MEU) and participated in the Philippines Bilateral Exercise (PHIBLEX) aboard the . In November 2005, the squadron conducted a presidential support mission during which it flew logistical support missions for the Commander-in-Chief’s visit to Osaka, Japan. The squadron’s flawless execution of that mission prompted a second presidential support operation the following February in Hyderabad, India. In July, 2006, HMH-362 operated aboard the as the aviation combat element
for the RIMPAC exercise 2006.
The "Ugly Angels" remained there for seven months and returned in November of 2007. During the deployment, HMH-362 became the first heavy lift helicopter squadron in OIF to incorporate the "Aeroscout" mission. The Marine Corps Aviation Association honored the "Ugly Angels" by awarding the squadron the Keith B. McCutcheon Award as Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron of the Year.
as part of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan and later Marine Aircraft Group 40
which is the aviation combat element
of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. For this high altitude deployment the T64-GE-413 engines of the squadron's CH-53Ds were upgraded to the T64-GE-416 engine which is used in the CH-53E Super Stallion
. The squadron arrived in Afghanistan on April 15 and began supporting combat operations on April 22.
The squadron moved from Kandahar International Airport to operate from Camp Bastion
on May 17 and resumed operations on May 18. The Ugly Angels provided assault support as part of Operation Kanjari, a heliborne insert of approximately 4,000 Marines into the heart of Taliban country in the Helmand River Valley
. The squadron returned to Marine Corps Base Hawaii on August 18, 2009, 40 years to the day after receiving their first CH-53. The squadron did not receive any enemy caused damage throughout the entire deployment.
The Ugly Angels would again deploy to the Helmand Province from August 2010 to March 2011. In August 2010 the Ugly Angles departed Hawaii for Camp Bastion to conduct a Relief in Place (RIP) with fellow Hawaiian squadron HMH-363. On 7 September 2010, during a Transfer of Authority (TOA) ceremony on the Bastion flight line the Ugly Angels assumed the CH-53D mission from the Red Lions. The squadron of 190 Marines and Sailors operated from Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM 10.2 in support of 3d Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), Regional Command Southwest. The Ugly Angels provided day and night all weather professional assault support to Marine Corps Infantry and coalition partners under the call sign of “Provider.”
The Ugly Angels immediately surged to support the Afghanistan national elections. Multiple flights were flown in support of polling centers and the movement of Afghanistan officials throughout the Helmand Province. Highlights of the deployment were the support of over 20 named operations. The employment for the first time of the GAU-21/A 0.50 Cal Medium Window Pintle Connection Weapon System mounted in both the left and right forward windows. This weapon system is also used with the Ramp Mounted Weapon System. Aircraft 51 (Buno 157748) attained 10,000 flight hours, the Ugly Angel Games, the airfield movement of all squadron aircraft and spaces from the old Bastion flight line to the newly built Bastion flight line and multiple Aero-Hunter Missions with 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines. Many Distinguished Visitors spent time with the Ugly Angels from the 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps General James F. Amos, the Commanding General 3d MAW (FWD), and the Commanding General 1st Marine Division (FWD).
The Ugly Angels were recognized for excellence and continued their relationships with friends and families throughout the deployment. The Secretary of the Navy awarded the Ugly Angels as the 2010 Navy and Marine Corps aviation squadron for safety and excellence. Lt Sarah Ballard, US Navy, was selected as the Operational Flight Surgeon of the year 2010, Corporal Yevgeniy Levin participated in a Naturalization ceremony in Kandahar, the squadron flew American Flags for the U.S. Bobsled Team and Sergeant Joshua Obermier was recognized as the 2011 Marine Corps Aviation Associations James E. Nicholson Non-Commissioned Leadership award.
The Ugly Angels conducted a RIP/TOA with fellow Hawaiian squadron HMH-463 “Pegasus” on 10 March 2011 and redeployed to Hawaii after supporting Regional Command Southwest with over 4200 sorties, safety delivered over 17,000 passengers and 2.3 million pounds of cargo. This accomplishment was made possible by an extremely dedicated and talented maintenance department that conducted over 68,000 maintenance man-hours and 21 aircraft phase inspections. The squadron had two aircraft sustain battle damage during the deployment, and all Ugly Angels that deployed to Afghanistan safely returned to Hawaii.
On 18 March 2010, the entire squadron was reunited in Hawaii and on 8 April 2010 the last Change of Command ceremony was held aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii. The Ugly Angels immediately began another aggressive PTP cycle. The Ugly Angles will again return to Afghanistan in 2012, which will mark the final combat deployment for the CH-53D as all Sea Stallions will be retired from service at the completion of their deployment. More importantly, it will mark the end of an era as the squadron will be placed in a cadre status awaiting the arrival of the Sikorsky CH-53K Heavy Helicopter in 2018.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
helicopter squadron consisting of ten CH-53D Sea Stallion
CH-53 Sea Stallion
The CH-53 Sea Stallion is the most common name for the Sikorsky S-65 family of heavy-lift transport helicopters. Originally developed for use by the United States Marine Corps, it is also in service with Germany, Iran, Israel, and Mexico...
assault support helicopters and 220 Marines and Sailors. The squadron, known as the "Ugly Angels", was activated on April 30, 1952 as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron and is currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay
Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay
Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay or MCAS Kaneohe Bay is a United States Marine Corps airfield located within the Marine Corps Base Hawaii complex, formerly known as Marine Corps Air Facility Kaneohe Bay or Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
falling under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 24
Marine Aircraft Group 24
Marine Aircraft Group 24 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Facility Kaneohe Bay that is currently composed of three CH-53D Sea Stallion squadrons, a personnel support detachment and a maintenance and logistics squadron...
(MAG-24) and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
1st Marine Aircraft Wing
The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan...
(1st MAW) within III MEF.
Mission
Support the Marine Air-Ground Task ForceMarine Air-Ground Task Force
The Marine Air-Ground Task Force is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander that...
Commander by providing assault support
Assault Support
Assault Support is one of the six functions of United States Marine Corps aviation and comprises those actions required to airlift personnel, supplies or equipment into or within a battle area by helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft. It provides the Marine Air-Ground Task Force commander the...
transport of combat troops, and equipment, day or night under all weather conditions during Expeditionary, Joint, or Combined operations.
History
Vietnam War
The Ugly Angels hold the proud distinction of having served as the first Marine aircraft unit in the Republic of Vietnam, going ashore on 15 April 1962 as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron Light (HMM) 362 with their Sikorsky UH-34s, arriving at Soc TrangSoc Trang
Sóc Trăng is a city in Vietnam. It is the capital of the Soc Trang province. It was upgraded from a town to a city following decree 22/2007/NĐ-CP on 8 February 2007.-Name:The name is believed to derive from the Khmer language...
in the Mekong Delta
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. The Mekong delta region encompasses a large portion of southwestern Vietnam of . The size of the area covered by water depends on the season.The...
south of Saigon. under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Archie Clapp. The task unit was called "Shufly" and its first operational employment involved lifting Vietnamese troops into battle on April 22. It was the evolution of "Archie’s Angels" to "Ugly Angels" that gave HMM/HMH-362 their well-known call sign. HMM-362 served in the Republic of Vietnam until 1969, in addition to the first deployment to Soc Trang, the squadron also deployed to Ky Ha, Marble Mountain, and Hue/Phu Bai. During these years HMM-362 also supported operations in Vietnam from the sea, serving aboard the , , and . HMM-362 lost a total of thirty-three Marines during their years of supporting combat operations in the Republic of Vietnam.
The squadron would fly the last combat missions of the UH-34 "Huss" and on August 18, 1969 they held a ceremony at Phu Bai marking the end of its combat role. The final six aircraft in the squadron were flown to Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
to be shipped back to the United States and the squadron's title was transferred to Marine Corps Air Station New River
Marine Corps Air Station New River
Marine Corps Air Station New River is a United States Marine Corps helicopter base in Jacksonville, North Carolina, in the eastern part of the state. In 1972, the airfield was named McCutcheon Field for Brigadier General Keith B. McCutcheon, one of the fathers of Marine Corps helicopter aviation...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
where they would transition to the CH-53 Sea Stallion
CH-53 Sea Stallion
The CH-53 Sea Stallion is the most common name for the Sikorsky S-65 family of heavy-lift transport helicopters. Originally developed for use by the United States Marine Corps, it is also in service with Germany, Iran, Israel, and Mexico...
and redesignated as HMH-362.
Post Vietnam
During the early 1990s the squadron deployed to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
for Operation Desert Storm. In 1993 the squadron deployed aboard the with 6x CH-53D's and 4x UH-1N helicopters as part of a Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF). In 1994 the squadron served as the Aviation Combat Element aboard the in support of Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy
Operation Uphold Democracy was an intervention designed to remove the military regime installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état that overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide...
in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
. Shortly after, HMH-362 had its very first WM (Melissa Winningham) join the squadron. In 1995 HMH-362 relocated to MCAF Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii as part of Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Global War on Terror
In March 2002, HMH-362 opened a new chapter when it became the first CH-53D squadron from MAG-24 assigned to the Marine Corps’ Unit Deployment ProgramUnit Deployment Program
To reduce the number of unaccompanied tours and improve unit continuity, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, established the Unit Deployment Program to provide for the deployment of units to the Western Pacific for periods of approximately six months...
at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni or MCAS Iwakuni is a United States Marine Corps air station located in the Nishiki river delta, southeast of the Iwakuni Station in the city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi in Japan.-Tenant commands:...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
for a six-month period. Within 48 hours of their arrival in the western Pacific, the Ugly Angels embarked on a four-month, island-hopping tour known within the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing as the "Fishhook," so named for the shape of its stops in various Southeast Asian nations. Operating as the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) in five countries for Landing Force Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (LF CARAT) 2002, the squadron played an essential role in the Commander's, U.S. Pacific Command Theater Engagement Plan. During this period, the Ugly Angels flew over 7,100 nautical miles from mainland Japan through the Republic of the Philippines, Brunei, Singapore, and Malaysia to Utapao, Thailand, before redeploying to Iwakuni. The total distance covered by HMH-362’s helicopters exceeded that of a flight from New York to Hong Kong. HMH-362 ended 2002 with a culmination of over 59,000 Class A mishap-free flight hours.
After returning to Kaneohe Bay in 2002, HMH-362 resumed its assault support mission throughout the Hawaiian Islands. In September 2003, HMH-362 once again returned to the Western Pacific in support of the Unit Deployment Program, deploying with eight CH-53D aircraft to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. Over the six-month period, the squadron participated in exercises in the Republic of the Philippines. Additionally, the squadron deployed two separate training detachments to the Republic of Korea in January 2004. In March 2004, HMH-362 returned to the Republic of Korea in support of Exercise Foal Eagle. Additional high lights from UDP ’03-’04 included a three-week training detachment to the Japanese island of Okinawa, and support of Exercise Yamasakura on mainland Japan. HMH-362 redeployed to its home station of MCB Kaneohe Bay in April 2004 to resume its assault support mission in the Hawaiian Islands.
The Ugly Angels embarked on its third UDP tour in the spring of 2005, spending six months aboard MCAS Futenma in Okinawa, Japan. That summer, one-half of the squadron was attached to the aviation combat element for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit
31st Marine Expeditionary Unit
The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel...
(31st MEU) and participated in the Philippines Bilateral Exercise (PHIBLEX) aboard the . In November 2005, the squadron conducted a presidential support mission during which it flew logistical support missions for the Commander-in-Chief’s visit to Osaka, Japan. The squadron’s flawless execution of that mission prompted a second presidential support operation the following February in Hyderabad, India. In July, 2006, HMH-362 operated aboard the as the aviation combat element
Aviation combat element
In the United States Marine Corps, the aviation combat element or air combat element is the air arm of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force . It provides rotary-wing, tiltrotor, and fixed-wing aircraft, support equipment, pilots, maintenance personnel, as well as command and control assets to the...
for the RIMPAC exercise 2006.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
2007 would see HMH-362 participate in its first major combat operation since Desert Storm. On April 3, the Ugly Angels departed MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii for a planned seven-month tour aboard Al Asad Airbase in western Iraq as part of OIF 06-08. The squadron officially assumed their mission following a transfer of authority from HMH-363 on April 13th, and subsequently flew over 380 combat flight hours in the first two weeks in the Al Anbar Province.The "Ugly Angels" remained there for seven months and returned in November of 2007. During the deployment, HMH-362 became the first heavy lift helicopter squadron in OIF to incorporate the "Aeroscout" mission. The Marine Corps Aviation Association honored the "Ugly Angels" by awarding the squadron the Keith B. McCutcheon Award as Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron of the Year.
Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation Enduring Freedom
On January 23, 2009 the squadron was again deployed to Al Asad Airbase, in Iraq in support of OIF. Early into their deployment however their tasking was changed and the squadron was redeployed to Kandahar International Airport in AfghanistanAfghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
as part of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan and later Marine Aircraft Group 40
Marine Aircraft Group 40
Marine Aircraft Group 40 is a composite United States Marine Corps aviation unit that is based in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and currently deployed to Afghanistan...
which is the aviation combat element
Aviation combat element
In the United States Marine Corps, the aviation combat element or air combat element is the air arm of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force . It provides rotary-wing, tiltrotor, and fixed-wing aircraft, support equipment, pilots, maintenance personnel, as well as command and control assets to the...
of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. For this high altitude deployment the T64-GE-413 engines of the squadron's CH-53Ds were upgraded to the T64-GE-416 engine which is used in the CH-53E Super Stallion
CH-53E Super Stallion
The Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion is the largest and heaviest helicopter in the United States military. It was developed from the CH-53 Sea Stallion, mainly by adding a third engine, a seventh blade to the main rotor and canting the tail rotor 20 degrees. Sailors commonly refer to the Super...
. The squadron arrived in Afghanistan on April 15 and began supporting combat operations on April 22.
The squadron moved from Kandahar International Airport to operate from Camp Bastion
Camp Bastion
Camp Bastion is the main British military base in Afghanistan. Accommodating 21,000 people it is situated northwest of Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand Province, and exists to be the logistics hub for operations in Helmand....
on May 17 and resumed operations on May 18. The Ugly Angels provided assault support as part of Operation Kanjari, a heliborne insert of approximately 4,000 Marines into the heart of Taliban country in the Helmand River Valley
Helmand River
The Helmand River is the longest river in Afghanistan and the primarily watershed for the endorheic Sistan Basin....
. The squadron returned to Marine Corps Base Hawaii on August 18, 2009, 40 years to the day after receiving their first CH-53. The squadron did not receive any enemy caused damage throughout the entire deployment.
Operation Enduring Freedom
Following an extremely safe and successful combat tour, the Ugly Angels conducted a Change of Command on 15 Sep 2009 and quickly transitioned from combat operations to garrison operations that would focus on a robust Pre-deployment Training Program (PTP). This training plan would be executed over a compressed 10-month timeline. During this PTP cycle, the Ugly Angels supported Lava Viper, a joint operations live fire exercise on the Big Island of Hawaii within the U.S. Army’s Pohakuloa Training Area, Weapons and Tactics course 2-10 and a desert training package at Marine Corps Station in Yuma, AZ. Toy for Tots were flown by Ugly Angels from Oahu to Molokai just in time for Christmas. The squadron conducted the first external lift of an 11th Marines M777A2 cannon at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii airfield in 2010. Gunnery Sergeant Donald Wilson was recognized as the 2010 Marine Corps Aviation Associations “Willie D. Sproule” Maintenance Marine of the year and Sergeant Steve Boungnadeth was recognized as 2010 MCAA Paul G. Vess' Avionics Marine of the year.The Ugly Angels would again deploy to the Helmand Province from August 2010 to March 2011. In August 2010 the Ugly Angles departed Hawaii for Camp Bastion to conduct a Relief in Place (RIP) with fellow Hawaiian squadron HMH-363. On 7 September 2010, during a Transfer of Authority (TOA) ceremony on the Bastion flight line the Ugly Angels assumed the CH-53D mission from the Red Lions. The squadron of 190 Marines and Sailors operated from Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM 10.2 in support of 3d Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), Regional Command Southwest. The Ugly Angels provided day and night all weather professional assault support to Marine Corps Infantry and coalition partners under the call sign of “Provider.”
The Ugly Angels immediately surged to support the Afghanistan national elections. Multiple flights were flown in support of polling centers and the movement of Afghanistan officials throughout the Helmand Province. Highlights of the deployment were the support of over 20 named operations. The employment for the first time of the GAU-21/A 0.50 Cal Medium Window Pintle Connection Weapon System mounted in both the left and right forward windows. This weapon system is also used with the Ramp Mounted Weapon System. Aircraft 51 (Buno 157748) attained 10,000 flight hours, the Ugly Angel Games, the airfield movement of all squadron aircraft and spaces from the old Bastion flight line to the newly built Bastion flight line and multiple Aero-Hunter Missions with 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines. Many Distinguished Visitors spent time with the Ugly Angels from the 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps General James F. Amos, the Commanding General 3d MAW (FWD), and the Commanding General 1st Marine Division (FWD).
The Ugly Angels were recognized for excellence and continued their relationships with friends and families throughout the deployment. The Secretary of the Navy awarded the Ugly Angels as the 2010 Navy and Marine Corps aviation squadron for safety and excellence. Lt Sarah Ballard, US Navy, was selected as the Operational Flight Surgeon of the year 2010, Corporal Yevgeniy Levin participated in a Naturalization ceremony in Kandahar, the squadron flew American Flags for the U.S. Bobsled Team and Sergeant Joshua Obermier was recognized as the 2011 Marine Corps Aviation Associations James E. Nicholson Non-Commissioned Leadership award.
The Ugly Angels conducted a RIP/TOA with fellow Hawaiian squadron HMH-463 “Pegasus” on 10 March 2011 and redeployed to Hawaii after supporting Regional Command Southwest with over 4200 sorties, safety delivered over 17,000 passengers and 2.3 million pounds of cargo. This accomplishment was made possible by an extremely dedicated and talented maintenance department that conducted over 68,000 maintenance man-hours and 21 aircraft phase inspections. The squadron had two aircraft sustain battle damage during the deployment, and all Ugly Angels that deployed to Afghanistan safely returned to Hawaii.
On 18 March 2010, the entire squadron was reunited in Hawaii and on 8 April 2010 the last Change of Command ceremony was held aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii. The Ugly Angels immediately began another aggressive PTP cycle. The Ugly Angles will again return to Afghanistan in 2012, which will mark the final combat deployment for the CH-53D as all Sea Stallions will be retired from service at the completion of their deployment. More importantly, it will mark the end of an era as the squadron will be placed in a cadre status awaiting the arrival of the Sikorsky CH-53K Heavy Helicopter in 2018.
Historical "Ugly Angel" Patches
Unit awards
A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. HMH-362 has been presented with the following awards:| Streamer | Award | Year(s) | Additional Info |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Presidential Unit CItation Streamer Presidential Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation is a senior unit award granted to military units which have performed an extremely meritorious or heroic act, usually in the face of an armed enemy... with two Bronze Stars |
1965-1967 | Vietnam |
 |
Navy Unit Commendation Streamer Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944... with one Silver and one Bronze Star |
1962,1965-1966,1968-1969 | Vietnam |
_streamer.jpg) |
Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions.... with four Bronze Stars |
1968-1969, 1987-1988, 1993, 1996-1998 | |
 |
National Defense Service Streamer National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower... with three Bronze Stars |
1962–1969, 1991, 2001–present | Vietnam War Vietnam War The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of... , Gulf War Gulf War The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf... , War on Terrorism War on Terrorism The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries... |
 |
Vietnam Service Streamer with two Silver Stars and one Bronze Star | Vietnam | |
 |
Southwest Asia Service Streamer Southwest Asia Service Medal The Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War... with two Bronze Stars |
||
| | Iraq Campaign Streamer with two Bronze Stars | 2007, 2009 | Iraq |
| Afghanistan Campaign Streamer with one Bronze Star | 2009, 2010-2011 | Afghanistan | |
 |
Global War on Terrorism Service Streamer Global War on Terrorism Service Medal The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003... |
2001–present | |
 |
Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Streamer | Vietnam | |
See also
- United States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....
- List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
- List of inactive United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons