HMM-365
Encyclopedia
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 (VMM-365) is a United States Marine Corps
tiltrotor
squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Blue Knights", is based at Marine Corps Air Station New River
, North Carolina
and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 26
(MAG-26) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
(2nd MAW).
of combat troops, supplies, and equipment during amphibious operations and subsequent operations ashore.
, California. Flying UH-34D
s, the squadron’s mission was to provide assault transport of troops and cargo in support of Fleet Marine Force
s during ship-to-shore movements. HMM-365 was reassigned to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
, Okinawa in August 1964 in preparation for the squadron’s deployment to the Republic of Vietnam. The squadron arrived in Da Nang
on October 7, 1964 and immediately began performing re-supply missions in support of Operation Shufly.
On October 11, the newly arrived Marine pilots and aircrews were involved in their first firefight when 8 UH-34Ds drew Viet Cong fire while landing a 112 man Vietnamese unit in the hills 10 miles (16.1 km) west-southwest of Tam Ky. On October 26, the Blue Knights suffered their first combat casualties when a copilot and crew chief were wounded by Viet Cong small arms fire while their helicopter was approaching an enemy contested landing zone 10 miles (16.1 km) southwest of Tam Ky. The pilot was able to return the damaged aircraft to Tam Ky and land safely. In early November, at the height of the monsoon season, Typhoon Iris struck the Vietnamese Coast. The hazardous weather conditions caused flight operations to be suspended except for emergency medical evacuations
. When flight operations resumed on November 10, the crews concentrated on rescuing Vietnamese civilians from the inundated coastal plains. Between 1700 and 1900 on their first day of flood relief operations, HMM-365 rescued 144 flood victims. Many of the rescues were accomplished by hoisting individuals from precarious positions in trees or on rooftops while being subjected to sporadic Viet Cong harassing fire. At the end of a 72-hour time period the Blue Knights had successfully rescued over 1,500 flood victims.
Meanwhile, other squadron members were modifying three helicopters to carry a new weapons system. The TK-1, an externally mounted combination of M-60 machine guns and 2.75 inches (69.9 mm) rocket launchers, that was first used in support of a Tiger Flight mission conducted just south of the Song Thu Bon, about 17 miles (27 km) from Da Nang. Two armed UH-34Ds expended 90 rockets and 500 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition on enemy positions during pre-landing strikes. The squadron executed similar operations the following day.
The squadron remained at Da Nang until February 1965. They embarked aboard the on March 7, 1965 to support the 7th Fleet’s Special Landing Force until April 27. HMM-365 returned to Da Nang on May 15 and remained until relieved in August 1965. The squadron flew over 12,000 mishap-free hours in support of combat operations. On September 1, HMM-365 was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 26
, MCAS New River, North Carolina
. For its service in Vietnam, the squadron was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation
and the Navy Unit Commendation
.
In 1966, the squadron conducted relief operations in the Dominican Republic
and Haiti
following Hurricane Inez
. In March 1967, HMM-365 received its first CH-46 Sea Knight
. The transition was completed by late June. In January 1970, the squadron received eight new CH-46F aircraft in preparation for its upcoming deployment to the Caribbean
. That June, the squadron flew disaster relief operations in Peru
following an earthquake.
On March 1, 1971, HMM-365 was deactivated.
HMM-365 was reactivated on June 13, 1980 and equipped with the new CH-46E helicopter. In May 1983 the squadron was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 29
. In 1984, HMM-365 became the first tactical helicopter squadron to achieve 75,000 mishap-free flight hours. In April 1989, HMM-365 began its second deployment as the Aviation Combat Element for the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit
. .
i invasion of Kuwait
, HMM-365 embarked aboard the USS Guam
for Operation Desert Shield. On January 6, 1991, while en route to Iraq, HMM-365 and HMM-263 conducted Operation Eastern Exit
, the Non-combatant Evacuation (NEO) of the American Embassy in Mogadishu
, Somalia
. The NEO was successful with 281 American and foreign nationals being evacuated.
Operation Desert Storm began on February 17. On 26 February the Blue Knights conducted a night time, long-range mission in support of the amphibious demonstration against Bubiyan Island
. A cease-fire went into effect on February 28, and the Blue Knights returned to MCAS New River.
While deployed in 1992, the Amphibious Ready Group moved into the Adriatic Sea
to support Operation Provide Promise
. On September 3, while on station near the coast, the Blue Knights launched a Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and personnel (TRAP) mission into Yugoslavia
following the downing of an Italian cargo aircraft carrying relief supplies into Sarajevo.
In 1995, the squadron was presented with the Marine Corps Aviation Association (MCAA) Edward C. Dyer Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron of the Year Award.
The squadron departed for its 1997 deployment aboard the USS Nassau
on November 23, 1996. During the deployment, the Blue Knights supported Operation Decisive Endeavor in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Operation Silver Wake
, the Non-combatant Evacuation of the American Embassy in Tirana
, Albania
. During Silver Wake, the squadron successfully evacuated 851 Americans and third country nationals. Once again, the squadron received the 1997 MCAA Edward C. Dyer Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron of the Year Award.
In 1999, the Blue Knights supported Operation Noble Anvil and Operation Shining Hope
in the Kosovo War
and based aircraft ashore at Skopje
, Macedonia
from June to July in order to support NATO’s peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance missions. In September, the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit
was ordered to support earthquake relief operations in Turkey
. HMM-365 flew rescue and surveyor teams during Operation Avid Response.
, the Blue Knights prepared for immediate departure. The 26th MEU set sail September 20. The MEU transited to a position off the coast of Pakistan
to begin combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. HMM-365(Rein), in concert with HMM-163
(Rein), launched 6 CH-53Es to secure Camp Rhino
, nearly 800 nautical miles (1,481.6 km) inland. After securing both Camp Rhino and Kandahar
Airport deep in Afghanistan
, the Blue Knights supported coalition forces conducting raids against the Taliban from December 2001 to February 2002. In March, the ARG transited to the Red Sea
for a potential NEO in Yemen
and to support Vice President Dick Cheney
’s visit to the region.
In January 2003, the Blue Knights prepared for deployment to Ali Al Salem Airbase, Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). OIF began on March 20, with HMM-365 leading the TRAP Team effort for the initial heliborne raids on the crucial Al Faw Peninsula. From March 20 until May 1, the squadron provided CASEVAC
and assault support
to I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF), the 24th MEU, the 15th MEU, Task Force Tarawa
, and United Nations
forces. Blue Knight crews flew multiple raids and recon inserts as ground forces progressed north towards Baghdad
. Due to the expeditious nature of I MEF’s battle rhythm, section detachments were configured into combat crews and pushed forward with coalition forces in order to provide 24-hour support. Blue Knight aircrews flew 200 to 300 miles (482.8 km) missions across the Kuwaiti border, into Iraq, to conduct relief operations with other sections for up to a week at a time. The squadron supported I MEF operations from Ali Al Salem until mid-April when it re-deployed itself in a single day to Jalibah FOB, Iraq where it rejoined MAG-29. The squadron conducted flight operations from Iraq until May 10, when the squadron embarked aboard USS Kearsarge
. After supporting the President’s visit to Egypt
and Jordan
, the USS Kearsarge transited to Liberia
for possible NEO operations. The Blue Knights returned to New River on June 28, 2003.
On August 7, 2004, HMM-365’s main body departed New River, NC for Al Asad Air Base
, Iraq. On August 21, the squadron assumed the assault support mission from HMM-261
.
On November 25, the Blue Knights flew the Secretary of the Navy, the honorable Gordon R. England
. On the 13th and 14 December the squadron flew the Commandant of the Marine Corps
, General Michael Hagee
, to Al Taqaddum and Fallujah
. On February 23, 2005, HMM-365 returned to CONUS
after flying more than 3,961 combat hours, 2,404 sorties, 11,162 passengers, and 748,496 pounds of cargo without the loss of aircraft or personnel.
In August 2005, in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina
, the Blue Knights dispatched two aircraft and personnel to the Gulf Coast of the United States
to conduct search-and-rescue and disaster relief operations in support of JTF Katrina. Later that year on November 2, 2005, the squadron had the first CH-46E Sea Knight to be retired and stored in the Boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
some 41 years after the first CH-46 entered the fleet
.
In April of 2008, HMM-365(Rein) deployed as the aviation combat element
of the 24th MEU. The MEU was subsequently sent into Afghanistan
as part of Operation Enduring Freedom where their aircraft have been spread out and based out of Kandahar International Airport and Forward Operating Bases Bastion and Dwyer
which are over 100 miles away. During the course of this deployment they have been tasked with supporting the MEU and also the International Security Assistance Force
(ISAF) and local Afghan forces. They are currently still in Afghanistan and have logged over 3,000 combat sorties since the beginning of the deployment.
The squadron was redesignated as Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 on January 15, 2009 after completing their conversion to the MV-22 Osprey. VMM-365 is the fifth squadron aboard MCAS New River to switch to the Osprey.
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...
tiltrotor
Tiltrotor
A tiltrotor is an aircraft which uses a pair or more of powered rotors mounted on rotating shafts or nacelles at the end of a fixed wing for lift and propulsion, and combines the vertical lift capability of a helicopter with the speed and range of a conventional fixed-wing aircraft...
squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Blue Knights", is based at 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...
and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 26
Marine Aircraft Group 26
Marine Aircraft Group 26 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station New River that is currently composed of seven MV-22 Osprey squadrons one of which is the Fleet Replacement Squadron and one aviation logistics squadron...
(MAG-26) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina...
(2nd MAW).
Mission
Provide assault supportAssault 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...
of combat troops, supplies, and equipment during amphibious operations and subsequent operations ashore.
Vietnam War
Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 365 was established on July 1, 1963 at Marine Corps Air Facility Santa AnaMarine Corps Air Station Tustin
Tustin Legacy is a planned community in Tustin, California being developed on the former Marine Corps Air Station Tustin. The project, under construction, will include parks, a commercial retail center and various densities of housing, for a total of 4,600 units.The City’s vision for Tustin Legacy...
, California. Flying UH-34D
H-34 Choctaw
The Sikorsky H-34 Choctaw was a piston-engined military helicopter originally designed by American aircraft manufacturer Sikorsky for the United States Navy for service in the anti-submarine warfare role....
s, the squadron’s mission was to provide assault transport of troops and cargo in support of Fleet Marine Force
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces are combined general and special purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that are designed in engaging offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment...
s during ship-to-shore movements. HMM-365 was reassigned to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma or MCAS Futenma is a United States Marine Corps base located in Ginowan, northeast of Naha, on the island of Okinawa. It is home to approximately 4,000 Marines of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and has been a U.S. military airbase since the island was occupied...
, Okinawa in August 1964 in preparation for the squadron’s deployment to the Republic of Vietnam. The squadron arrived in 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...
on October 7, 1964 and immediately began performing re-supply missions in support of Operation Shufly.
MEDEVAC
Medical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
. When flight operations resumed on November 10, the crews concentrated on rescuing Vietnamese civilians from the inundated coastal plains. Between 1700 and 1900 on their first day of flood relief operations, HMM-365 rescued 144 flood victims. Many of the rescues were accomplished by hoisting individuals from precarious positions in trees or on rooftops while being subjected to sporadic Viet Cong harassing fire. At the end of a 72-hour time period the Blue Knights had successfully rescued over 1,500 flood victims.
Meanwhile, other squadron members were modifying three helicopters to carry a new weapons system. The TK-1, an externally mounted combination of M-60 machine guns and 2.75 inches (69.9 mm) rocket launchers, that was first used in support of a Tiger Flight mission conducted just south of the Song Thu Bon, about 17 miles (27 km) from Da Nang. Two armed UH-34Ds expended 90 rockets and 500 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition on enemy positions during pre-landing strikes. The squadron executed similar operations the following day.
The squadron remained at Da Nang until February 1965. They embarked aboard the on March 7, 1965 to support the 7th Fleet’s Special Landing Force until April 27. HMM-365 returned to Da Nang on May 15 and remained until relieved in August 1965. The squadron flew over 12,000 mishap-free hours in support of combat operations. On September 1, HMM-365 was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 26
Marine Aircraft Group 26
Marine Aircraft Group 26 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station New River that is currently composed of seven MV-22 Osprey squadrons one of which is the Fleet Replacement Squadron and one aviation logistics squadron...
, MCAS New River, 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...
. For its service in Vietnam, the squadron was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation (US)
The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941...
and the Navy Unit Commendation
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...
.
In 1966, the squadron conducted relief operations in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and 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...
following Hurricane Inez
Hurricane Inez
Hurricane Inez was a deadly, destructive, powerful and very long-lived Cape Verde-type hurricane that carved an erratic path through the Lesser Antilles, Hispaniola, Cuba, the Bahamas, Florida, and Mexico in 1966...
. In March 1967, HMM-365 received its first CH-46 Sea Knight
CH-46 Sea Knight
The Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight is a medium-lift tandem rotor transport helicopter, used by the United States Marine Corps to provide all-weather, day-or-night assault transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment. Assault Support is its primary function, and the movement of supplies and...
. The transition was completed by late June. In January 1970, the squadron received eight new CH-46F aircraft in preparation for its upcoming deployment to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. That June, the squadron flew disaster relief operations in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
following an earthquake.
On March 1, 1971, HMM-365 was deactivated.
1980s
Marine Aircraft Group 29
Marine Aircraft Group 29 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station New River that is currently composed of four CH-53E Super Stallion squadrons including the Fleet Replacement Squadron, three Light Attack Squadron flying AH-1W SuperCobras and UH-1N Twin Hueys,...
. In 1984, HMM-365 became the first tactical helicopter squadron to achieve 75,000 mishap-free flight hours. In April 1989, HMM-365 began its second deployment as the Aviation Combat Element for the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit
24th Marine Expeditionary Unit
The 24th 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...
. .
1990s
Four months later, after the IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i invasion of Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, HMM-365 embarked aboard the USS Guam
USS Guam (LPH-9)
USS Guam , an Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship, was laid down by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard 15 November 1962; launched 22 August 1964; sponsored by Mrs. Vaughn H. Emory Green; and commissioned 16 January 1965, Captain N. E. Thurmon in command...
for Operation Desert Shield. On January 6, 1991, while en route to Iraq, HMM-365 and HMM-263 conducted Operation Eastern Exit
Operation Eastern Exit
Operation Eastern Exit was the codename given to the military evacuation of the United States embassy in Mogadishu, Somalia. On 1 January 1991, after increasing violence in Mogadishu during the Somali Civil War, James Keough Bishop, the then US ambassador to Somalia, requested military assistance...
, the Non-combatant Evacuation (NEO) of the American Embassy in Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
, Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. The NEO was successful with 281 American and foreign nationals being evacuated.
Operation Desert Storm began on February 17. On 26 February the Blue Knights conducted a night time, long-range mission in support of the amphibious demonstration against Bubiyan Island
Bubiyan Island
Bubiyan Island is the largest island in the Kuwaiti coastal island chain situated in the north-western corner of the Persian Gulf, with an area of ....
. A cease-fire went into effect on February 28, and the Blue Knights returned to MCAS New River.
While deployed in 1992, the Amphibious Ready Group moved into the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
to support Operation Provide Promise
Operation Provide Promise
Operation Provide Promise was a humanitarian relief operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Yugoslav Wars, from 2 July 1992, to 9 January 1996, which made it the longest running humanitarian airlift in history....
. On September 3, while on station near the coast, the Blue Knights launched a Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and personnel (TRAP) mission into Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
following the downing of an Italian cargo aircraft carrying relief supplies into Sarajevo.
In 1995, the squadron was presented with the Marine Corps Aviation Association (MCAA) Edward C. Dyer Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron of the Year Award.
The squadron departed for its 1997 deployment aboard the USS Nassau
USS Nassau (LHA-4)
USS Nassau was a Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship. She was capable of transporting more than 3,000 US United States Navy and United States Marine Corps personnel. Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, laid the ship's keel on August 13, 1973, she was commissioned on July 28, 1979...
on November 23, 1996. During the deployment, the Blue Knights supported Operation Decisive Endeavor in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Operation Silver Wake
Operation Silver Wake
Operation Silver Wake was a non-combatant evacuation operation led by the United States to evacuate American citizens, noncombatants and designated third country nationals from Albania in March 1997. The operation was performed by U.S. Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducting...
, the Non-combatant Evacuation of the American Embassy in Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. During Silver Wake, the squadron successfully evacuated 851 Americans and third country nationals. Once again, the squadron received the 1997 MCAA Edward C. Dyer Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron of the Year Award.
In 1999, the Blue Knights supported Operation Noble Anvil and Operation Shining Hope
Operation Shining Hope
Joint Task Force Shining Hope was the United States contribution to Operation Allied Harbour. The mission of JTF Shining Hope was to conduct foreign humanitarian assistance operations in support of US government agencies and non-governmental and international organizations engaged in providing...
in the Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
and based aircraft ashore at Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
, Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
from June to July in order to support NATO’s peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance missions. In September, the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit
26th Marine Expeditionary Unit
The 26th 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. The MEU consists of four major parts: a command element,...
was ordered to support earthquake relief operations in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. HMM-365 flew rescue and surveyor teams during Operation Avid Response.
The Global War on Terror
Following the September 11, 2001 attacksSeptember 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, the Blue Knights prepared for immediate departure. The 26th MEU set sail September 20. The MEU transited to a position off the coast of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
to begin combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. HMM-365(Rein), in concert with HMM-163
HMM-163
Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 163 is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH-46E Sea Knight transport helicopters...
(Rein), launched 6 CH-53Es to secure Camp Rhino
Camp Rhino
Forward operating base Rhino, also known as Camp Rhino, was the first US land base established in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. It was located in the Registan Desert, southwest of Kandahar.-History:...
, nearly 800 nautical miles (1,481.6 km) inland. After securing both Camp Rhino and Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
Airport deep in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
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...
, the Blue Knights supported coalition forces conducting raids against the Taliban from December 2001 to February 2002. In March, the ARG transited to the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
for a potential NEO in Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
and to support Vice President Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
’s visit to the region.
In January 2003, the Blue Knights prepared for deployment to Ali Al Salem Airbase, Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). OIF began on March 20, with HMM-365 leading the TRAP Team effort for the initial heliborne raids on the crucial Al Faw Peninsula. From March 20 until May 1, the squadron provided CASEVAC
CASEVAC
Casualty evacuation, also known as CASEVAC or by the callsign Dustoff, is a military term for the emergency patient evacuation of casualties from a combat zone. Casevac can be done by both ground and air...
and 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...
to I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF), the 24th MEU, the 15th MEU, Task Force Tarawa
Task Force Tarawa
Task Force Tarawa was the name given to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. They were a Marine Air-Ground Task Force commanded by Brigadier General Richard F...
, and United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
forces. Blue Knight crews flew multiple raids and recon inserts as ground forces progressed north towards Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. Due to the expeditious nature of I MEF’s battle rhythm, section detachments were configured into combat crews and pushed forward with coalition forces in order to provide 24-hour support. Blue Knight aircrews flew 200 to 300 miles (482.8 km) missions across the Kuwaiti border, into Iraq, to conduct relief operations with other sections for up to a week at a time. The squadron supported I MEF operations from Ali Al Salem until mid-April when it re-deployed itself in a single day to Jalibah FOB, Iraq where it rejoined MAG-29. The squadron conducted flight operations from Iraq until May 10, when the squadron embarked aboard USS Kearsarge
USS Kearsarge (LHD-3)
USS Kearsarge is the third of the United States Navy. She is the fifth ship to be named in honor of the USS Kearsarge, a sloop-of-war that gained fame during the American Civil War, which was in turn named for Mount Kearsarge in New Hampshire.-Construction:Kearsarges keel was laid down on 6...
. After supporting the President’s visit to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, the USS Kearsarge transited to Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
for possible NEO operations. The Blue Knights returned to New River on June 28, 2003.
On August 7, 2004, HMM-365’s main body departed New River, NC for Al Asad Air Base
Al Asad
Al Asad Airbase is the second largest US military airbase in Iraq and is located in the largely Sunni western Province of Iraq Al Anbar. It was formerly the home of the II Marine Expeditionary Force until January 2010...
, Iraq. On August 21, the squadron assumed the assault support mission from HMM-261
HMM-261
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Raging Bulls", is based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina and typically falls under the command of Marine Aircraft...
.
On November 25, the Blue Knights flew the Secretary of the Navy, the honorable Gordon R. England
Gordon R. England
Gordon Richard England is an American businessman who served as the United States Deputy Secretary of Defense and twice as United States Secretary of the Navy in the administration of U.S. President George W...
. On the 13th and 14 December the squadron flew the Commandant of the Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
, General Michael Hagee
Michael Hagee
General Michael W. Hagee was the 33rd Commandant of the United States Marine Corps , succeeding James L. Jones on January 13, 2003. He stepped down as Commandant two months before the end of his four-year term, and was succeeded by General James T. Conway on November 13, 2006...
, to Al Taqaddum and Fallujah
Fallujah
Fallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jewish academies for many centuries....
. On February 23, 2005, HMM-365 returned to CONUS
Conus
Conus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. This genus is placed in the subfamily Coninae within the family Conidae. Geologically speaking, the genus is known from the Eocene to the Recent ...
after flying more than 3,961 combat hours, 2,404 sorties, 11,162 passengers, and 748,496 pounds of cargo without the loss of aircraft or personnel.
In August 2005, in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, the Blue Knights dispatched two aircraft and personnel to the Gulf Coast of the United States
Gulf Coast of the United States
The Gulf Coast of the United States, sometimes referred to as the Gulf South, South Coast, or 3rd Coast, comprises the coasts of American states that are on the Gulf of Mexico, which includes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida and are known as the Gulf States...
to conduct search-and-rescue and disaster relief operations in support of JTF Katrina. Later that year on November 2, 2005, the squadron had the first CH-46E Sea Knight to be retired and stored in the Boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Davis–Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, and approximately south-southeast of downtown, Tucson, Arizona....
some 41 years after the first CH-46 entered the fleet
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces are combined general and special purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that are designed in engaging offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment...
.
In April of 2008, HMM-365(Rein) deployed 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...
of the 24th MEU. The MEU was subsequently sent into Afghanistan
Afghanistan
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 Operation Enduring Freedom where their aircraft have been spread out and based out of Kandahar International Airport and Forward Operating Bases Bastion and Dwyer
Camp Dwyer
Camp Dwyer in Afghanistan is a military base and air field of the United States Marine Corps. It is in the Helmand River Valley in the Garmsir District...
which are over 100 miles away. During the course of this deployment they have been tasked with supporting the MEU and also the International Security Assistance Force
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
(ISAF) and local Afghan forces. They are currently still in Afghanistan and have logged over 3,000 combat sorties since the beginning of the deployment.
The squadron was redesignated as Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 on January 15, 2009 after completing their conversion to the MV-22 Osprey. VMM-365 is the fifth squadron aboard MCAS New River to switch to the Osprey.
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
External links
- VMM-365's official website
- http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/9B59761D89E4CB4285257125007E686F?opendocumentSquadron trains during workups for the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit24th Marine Expeditionary UnitThe 24th 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...
]