HMMT-164
Encyclopedia
Marine Medium Helicopter Training Squadron 164 (HMM(T)-164), is a United States Marine Corps
Fleet Replacement Squadron
that is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
. Known as the Knightriders, they fall under the command Marine Aircraft Group 39
(MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
(3rd MAW).
. In August 1965 the squadron transferred to Marine Wing Support Group 37
at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro
, California. The squadron received the first CH-46 Sea Knight
s assigned to West Coast duty six months after activation.
HMM-164 brought the first CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters into Vietnam
when they landed at Marble Mountain
after transiting from the in March 1966. HMM-164 remained in Vietnam for a three and one-half years as part of Marine Aircraft Group 16
(MAG-16). During their time in country they operated in and around the following areas: Quảng Trị
, Dong Ha
, Khe Sanh
, Huế
, Phu Bai and off the decks of the , the and the Valley Forge. While in Vietnam, HMM-164 supported US forces in all the major operations, most notably in Operation Meade River and Operation Hastings
. On July 15, 1966 while conducting the initial insertion of ground forces during Operation Hastings
the squadron lost three CH-46A Sea Knights in the vicinity of LZ Crow near Con Thien
. Two aircraft crashed when their rotorblades intermeshed while trying to avoid Marines on the ground and the third crash was caused by heavy ground fire.
In October 1969, the squadron left Vietnam and relocated to Okinawa, Japan where it joined Marine Aircraft Group 15
(MAG-15). From October 1969 through April 1972, it deployed with elements of the United States Seventh Fleet
as part of a special landing force. HMM-164 supported combat and search and rescue
operations off the coast of Vietnam until April 1972 when it deployed aboard the . While aboard the Okinawa, HMM-164 continued to provide Joint Service combat support in Operation Song Than and Operation Lam Son 719
until returning to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
, Okinawa in 1973.
After the withdrawal of American forces from Vietnam and the squadron's subsequent transfer to Marine Aircraft Group 39
(MAG 36), HMM-164 participated in numerous peacetime operations aboard naval shipping traveling to Korea
, the Republic of the Philippines, and Japan as well as many exercises in Okinawa.
A detachment from the squadron participated in the evacuation of Americans from Phnom Penh
, Cambodia
, on April 12, 1975 as part of Operation Eagle Pull
. On April 30, 1975, an HMM-164 CH-46D crew lifted the last Americans out of Vietnam when they picked up the Marine combined security force during Operation Frequent Wind
.
, on September 1, 1978, HMM-164 returned home to MCAS Santa Ana, California. In September 1978, the squadron rejoined Marine Aircraft Group 36
(MAG-36) at MCAS(H) Futenma for a six-month tour beginning in August 1979 and returning to MCAS(H) Tustin in February 1980. On November 1, 1980, HMM-164 became the first unit on the West Coast to receive the "E" model CH-46. By March 1981, the squadron had received its full complement of "Echos". During the summer of 1989, the squadron simultaneously supported oil spill cleanup efforts in Valdez, Alaska
and an Air Contingency Force at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras.
In June 1990, HMM-164 deployed to the Western Pacific with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit
(13th MEU) and provided support relief efforts following the July earthquake
that devastated the Philippines
. In August 1990 the squadron proceeded to Southwest Asia
and participated in maritime interdiction operations during Operation Desert Shield and then provided combat support during Operation Desert Storm before returning to MCAS Tustin in April 1991.
The squadron deployed in October 1992 with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
(15th MEU). The squadron provided support to Joint Task Force (Somalia) during Operation Restore Hope from December 1992 until February 1993. HMM-164 returned to MCAS Tustin in April 1993. August 1993 found the squadron providing support for units training at the Mountain Warfare Training Center
, Bridgeport
, California and provided a mission capabilities demonstration for the Secretary of the Navy. In August 1993, the Marine Corps Aviation Association chose HMM-164 as the Medium Helicopter Squadron of the year.
June 1995, HMM-164 deployed as the Aviation Combat Element
with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit
(11th MEU). During this time it provided support for the United States Central Command
in Operation Vigilant Sentinel
in Kuwait
as well as Bahrain
, Qatar
, and United Arab Emirates
before returning and relocating to MCAS El Toro, California in December 1995.
In February 1996, HMM-164 was called upon to support the President of the United States
as he visited the flood-ravaged areas
around Portland, Oregon
.
On August 28, 1997, HMM-164 (REIN) deployed again with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. During the month of December 1997 and January 1998, the squadron's AV-8B Harrier IIs and KC-130 Hercules flew combat sorties in support of Operation Southern Watch
over southern Iraq
. HMM-164 (REIN) returned to MCAS El Toro on February 26, 1998, completing its final deployment before re-designation as a Fleet Replacement Squadron.
On January 8, 1999, HMM-164 relocated to MCAS Camp Pendleton, California as part of the Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) move and was attached to MAG-39 effective January 11. In February 1999, the Squadron was re-designed HMM(T)-164 and was tasked to become the Marine Corps’ Fleet Replacement Squadron
for the CH-46E.
During March 1999, the squadron deployed two aircraft to Moffett Federal Airfield
to support Operation Urban Warrior and accept its first two student pilots. In May, the Marine Enlisted Aircrew Training Department accepted its first class of new enlisted aircrew.
On June 1, 1999, the squadron took over the role as Model Manager and Fleet Project Team Manager for the CH-46E. Since the beginning of the new millennium, HMM(T)-164 has trained over 360 new pilots and 460 crew chiefs.
On June 28, 2008, HMMT-164 deployed to Naval Air Station Lemoore
after California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
requested military assistance to fight raging wildfires
. The helicopters are providing medium lift rotary wing support to United States Northern Command
and the National Fire Center.
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...
Fleet Replacement Squadron
Fleet Replacement Squadron
A Fleet Replacement Squadron , is a unit of the United States Navy and Marine Corps that trains Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers on the specific front-line aircraft they have been assigned to fly...
that is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
. Known as the Knightriders, they fall under the command Marine Aircraft Group 39
Marine Aircraft Group 39
Marine Aircraft Group 39 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California that is currently composed of six AH-1W Super Cobra and UH-1N Huey light attack squadrons, three CH-46 Sea Knight squadrons and one logistics squadron...
(MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 3d Marine Aircraft Wing is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and provides the aviation combat element for I Marine Expeditionary Force...
(3rd MAW).
Vietnam War
Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 164 (HMM-164) was activated on July 1, 1964 at Marine Corps Air Station Santa Ana, California as part of Marine Aircraft Group 36Marine Aircraft Group 36
Marine Aircraft Group 36 is an active air group of the United States Marine Corps, tasked with providing assault support aircraft. It is currently part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing , itself an integral part of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, and based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in...
. In August 1965 the squadron transferred to Marine Wing Support Group 37
Marine Wing Support Group 37
Marine Wing Support Group 37 is a United States Marine Corps aviation combat service support unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of 4 squadrons, that provide the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and I Marine Expeditionary Force with complete airfield operation...
at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was a United States Marine Corps Air Station located near Irvine, California.Before it was decommissioned in 1999, it was the home of Marine Corps aviation on the West Coast. Designated as a Master Jet Station, its four runways could handle the largest aircraft...
, California. The squadron received the 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...
s assigned to West Coast duty six months after activation.
HMM-164 brought the first CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters into Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
when they landed at Marble Mountain
Marble Mountains (Vietnam)
Marble Mountains is a cluster of five marble and limestone hills located in Ngu Hanh Son ward, south of Da Nang city in Vietnam. The five 'mountains' are named after the five elements; Kim , Thuy , Moc , Hoa and Tho ....
after transiting from the in March 1966. HMM-164 remained in Vietnam for a three and one-half years as part of Marine Aircraft Group 16
Marine Aircraft Group 16
Marine Aircraft Group 16 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of one CH-46 Sea Knight squadron, four V-22 Osprey squadrons, four CH-53 Super Stallion squadrons, one Personnel Support Detachment and a maintenance and...
(MAG-16). During their time in country they operated in and around the following areas: Quảng Trị
Quang Tri
Quảng Trị is a town district of Quang Tri province in the North Central Coastal region of Vietnam. Significantly, it was the only South Vietnamese provincial capital to be captured by the North Vietnamese forces for a limited period in the 1972 offensive....
, Dong Ha
Dong Ha
Đông Hà is the capital town of Quang Tri province, Vietnam. It is located at around . Dong Ha is situated at the crossroads of National Highway 1A and Route 9, part of the East-West Economic Corridor . It lies on the Reunification Express Railway and is served by Dong Ha Railway Station...
, Khe Sanh
Khe Sanh
Khe Sanh is the district capital of Hướng Hoá District, Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam, located 63 km west of Đông Hà.Khe Sanh Combat Base was a United States Marine Corps outpost in South Vietnam used during the Vietnam War. The airstrip was built in September 1962...
, Huế
Hue
Hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
, Phu Bai and off the decks of the , the and the Valley Forge. While in Vietnam, HMM-164 supported US forces in all the major operations, most notably in Operation Meade River and Operation Hastings
Operation Hastings
Operation Hastings was an American military operation in the Vietnam War. The operation was a qualified success in that it pushed the North Vietnamese Army forces back across the Demilitarized Zone . As the NVA clearly did not feel constrained by the "demilitarized" nature of the DMZ, US military...
. On July 15, 1966 while conducting the initial insertion of ground forces during Operation Hastings
Operation Hastings
Operation Hastings was an American military operation in the Vietnam War. The operation was a qualified success in that it pushed the North Vietnamese Army forces back across the Demilitarized Zone . As the NVA clearly did not feel constrained by the "demilitarized" nature of the DMZ, US military...
the squadron lost three CH-46A Sea Knights in the vicinity of LZ Crow near Con Thien
Con Thien
Con Thien , was a United States Marine Corps combat base located near the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone about 3 km from North Vietnam...
. Two aircraft crashed when their rotorblades intermeshed while trying to avoid Marines on the ground and the third crash was caused by heavy ground fire.
In October 1969, the squadron left Vietnam and relocated to Okinawa, Japan where it joined Marine Aircraft Group 15
Marine Aircraft Group 15
Marine Aircraft Group 15 was a United States Marine Corps aviation group established during World War II. MAG-15, a transport and photo-reconnaissance training group, was commissioned on 1 March 1942, headquartered at Camp Kearny, San Diego. In addition to radio and photographic training, the...
(MAG-15). From October 1969 through April 1972, it deployed with elements of the United States Seventh Fleet
United States Seventh Fleet
The Seventh Fleet is the United States Navy's permanent forward projection force based in Yokosuka, Japan, with units positioned near Japan and South Korea. It is a component fleet force under the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with...
as part of a special landing force. HMM-164 supported combat and search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
operations off the coast of Vietnam until April 1972 when it deployed aboard the . While aboard the Okinawa, HMM-164 continued to provide Joint Service combat support in Operation Song Than and Operation Lam Son 719
Operation Lam Son 719
Operation Lam Son 719 was a limited-objective offensive campaign conducted in southeastern portion of the Kingdom of Laos by the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam between 8 February and 25 March 1971, during the Vietnam War...
until returning 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 1973.
Marine Aircraft Group 39
Marine Aircraft Group 39 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California that is currently composed of six AH-1W Super Cobra and UH-1N Huey light attack squadrons, three CH-46 Sea Knight squadrons and one logistics squadron...
(MAG 36), HMM-164 participated in numerous peacetime operations aboard naval shipping traveling to Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, the Republic of the Philippines, and Japan as well as many exercises in Okinawa.
A detachment from the squadron participated in the evacuation of Americans from Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, on April 12, 1975 as part of Operation Eagle Pull
Operation Eagle Pull
Operation Eagle Pull was the American evacuation by air of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 12 April, 1975. At the beginning of April 1975, Phnom Penh, the last remaining stronghold of the Khmer Republic, was surrounded by the Khmer Rouge and totally dependent on aerial resupply through Pochentong Airport...
. On April 30, 1975, an HMM-164 CH-46D crew lifted the last Americans out of Vietnam when they picked up the Marine combined security force during Operation Frequent Wind
Operation Frequent Wind
Operation Frequent Wind was the evacuation by helicopter of American civilians and 'at-risk' Vietnamese from Saigon, South Vietnam, on 29–30 April 1975 during the last days of the Vietnam War...
.
Post-Vietnam through today
With the advent of the 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...
, on September 1, 1978, HMM-164 returned home to MCAS Santa Ana, California. In September 1978, the squadron rejoined Marine Aircraft Group 36
Marine Aircraft Group 36
Marine Aircraft Group 36 is an active air group of the United States Marine Corps, tasked with providing assault support aircraft. It is currently part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing , itself an integral part of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, and based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in...
(MAG-36) at MCAS(H) Futenma for a six-month tour beginning in August 1979 and returning to MCAS(H) Tustin in February 1980. On November 1, 1980, HMM-164 became the first unit on the West Coast to receive the "E" model CH-46. By March 1981, the squadron had received its full complement of "Echos". During the summer of 1989, the squadron simultaneously supported oil spill cleanup efforts in Valdez, Alaska
Valdez, Alaska
Valdez is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. The port of Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y...
and an Air Contingency Force at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras.
In June 1990, HMM-164 deployed to the Western Pacific with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit
13th Marine Expeditionary Unit
The 13th 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 a command element, a reinforced...
(13th MEU) and provided support relief efforts following the July earthquake
1990 Luzon earthquake
The Luzon earthquake occurred on Monday, July 16, 1990, at 4:26 PM local time in the Philippines. The densely populated island of Luzon was struck by an earthquake with a 7.8 Ms...
that devastated the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. In August 1990 the squadron proceeded to Southwest Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
and participated in maritime interdiction operations during Operation Desert Shield and then provided combat support during Operation Desert Storm before returning to MCAS Tustin in April 1991.
The squadron deployed in October 1992 with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
The 15th 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...
(15th MEU). The squadron provided support to Joint Task Force (Somalia) during Operation Restore Hope from December 1992 until February 1993. HMM-164 returned to MCAS Tustin in April 1993. August 1993 found the squadron providing support for units training at the Mountain Warfare Training Center
Mountain Warfare Training Center
The Mountain Warfare Training Center is a United States Marine Corps installation located in Pickel Meadows on California State Route 108 in the Toiyabe National Forest, 21 miles northwest of Bridgeport, California...
, Bridgeport
Bridgeport
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut.Bridgeport may also refer to:-Places:In Canada:* Bridgeport, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:* Bridgeport, Alabama* Bridgeport, California, in Mono County...
, California and provided a mission capabilities demonstration for the Secretary of the Navy. In August 1993, the Marine Corps Aviation Association chose HMM-164 as the Medium Helicopter Squadron of the year.
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...
with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit
11th Marine Expeditionary Unit
The 11th 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 a command element, a reinforced...
(11th MEU). During this time it provided support for the United States Central Command
United States Central Command
The United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense...
in Operation Vigilant Sentinel
Operation Vigilant Sentinel
Operation Vigilant Sentinel was a response to Saddam Hussein advance of its military forces on the border with Kuwait. The United States deployed the 74th Air Control Squadron to Kuwait on August 24, 1995. The specific battle management functions the 74th Air Control Squadron and its counterparts...
in 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...
as well as Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, and United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
before returning and relocating to MCAS El Toro, California in December 1995.
In February 1996, HMM-164 was called upon to support the President of the United States
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
as he visited the flood-ravaged areas
Willamette Valley Flood of 1996
The Willamette Valley Flood of 1996 was part of a larger series of floods in the Pacific Northwest of the United States which took place between late January and mid-February, 1996. It was Oregon's largest flood event in terms of fatalities and monetary damage during the 1990s...
around Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
On August 28, 1997, HMM-164 (REIN) deployed again with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. During the month of December 1997 and January 1998, the squadron's AV-8B Harrier IIs and KC-130 Hercules flew combat sorties in support of Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
over southern Iraq
Iraq
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....
. HMM-164 (REIN) returned to MCAS El Toro on February 26, 1998, completing its final deployment before re-designation as a Fleet Replacement Squadron.
On January 8, 1999, HMM-164 relocated to MCAS Camp Pendleton, California as part of the Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) move and was attached to MAG-39 effective January 11. In February 1999, the Squadron was re-designed HMM(T)-164 and was tasked to become the Marine Corps’ Fleet Replacement Squadron
Fleet Replacement Squadron
A Fleet Replacement Squadron , is a unit of the United States Navy and Marine Corps that trains Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers on the specific front-line aircraft they have been assigned to fly...
for the CH-46E.
During March 1999, the squadron deployed two aircraft to Moffett Federal Airfield
Moffett Federal Airfield
Moffett Federal Airfield , also known as Moffett Field, is a joint civil-military airport located between northern Mountain View and northern Sunnyvale, California, USA. The airport is near the south end of San Francisco Bay, northwest of San Jose. Formerly a United States Navy facility, the former...
to support Operation Urban Warrior and accept its first two student pilots. In May, the Marine Enlisted Aircrew Training Department accepted its first class of new enlisted aircrew.
On June 1, 1999, the squadron took over the role as Model Manager and Fleet Project Team Manager for the CH-46E. Since the beginning of the new millennium, HMM(T)-164 has trained over 360 new pilots and 460 crew chiefs.
On June 28, 2008, HMMT-164 deployed to Naval Air Station Lemoore
Naval Air Station Lemoore
Naval Air Station Lemoore or NAS Lemoore is a United States Navy base, located in Kings County and Fresno County, California. Lemoore Station, California, a census-designated place, is located inside the base's borders....
after California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
requested military assistance to fight raging wildfires
2008 California wildfires
2008 California wildfires may refer to:*Summer 2008 California wildfires*November 2008 California wildfires**Montecito Tea Fire**Sayre Fire**Freeway Complex Fire**Yorba Linda Firestorms...
. The helicopters are providing medium lift rotary wing support to United States Northern Command
United States Northern Command
United States Northern Command is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States military. Created on 1 October 2002 in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks, its mission is to protect the United States homeland and support local, state, and federal authorities...
and the National Fire Center.
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