Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 161
HMM-161
Since its activation in 1951, HMM-161 has served with pride and honor. The squadron pioneered the use of transport helicopters during the Korean War, operating from both land bases and from small CVE escort carriers. The "Grayhawks" have seen combat in Korea (1951-53), Vietnam (1965-66; 1968-70), Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm (1990-91), and most recently, in Iraq. HMM-161 is assigned to MAG-16, and is based at MCAS Miramar, CA.
Lineage
1951 - 1964
Activated 15 January 1951 at El Toro, California, as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 161, Air, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Deployed during August 1951 to Korea and attached to the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Participated in the war in Korea operating from East Central Front.
Participated in the defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone from July 1953 to March 1955.
Relocated during March 1955 to Kaneohe Bay, Territory of Hawaii, and attached to Marine Aircraft Group 13.
Redesignated 31 December 1956 as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron (Light) 161, Marine Aircraft Group 13, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Redesignated 1 June 1958 as Marine Helicopter Squadron (Composite) 161
Attached 1 October 1958 to the 1st Marine Brigade.
Attached 1 March 1959 to Marine Aircraft Group 13, 1st Marine Brigade.
Redesignated 1 July 1959 as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron (Light) 161.
Redesignated 1 February 1962 as Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 161, Marine Aircraft Group 13, 1st Marine Brigade.
1965 - 1969
Deployed during May 1965 to Hue/Phu Bai, Republic of Vietnam, and attached to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Relocated during January 1966 to Futenma, Okinawa.
Redeployed during April 1966 to Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam.
Redeployed during June 1966 to Phu Bai, Republic of Vietnam.
Relocated during November 1966 to Futenma, Okinawa and attached to Marine Aircraft Group 15, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade.
Relocated during December 1966 to New River, North Carolina and attached to Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing.
Redeployed during May 1968 to Quang Tri, Republic of Vietnam, and attached to Provisional Marine Aircraft Group 39, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Redeployed during October 1969 to Phu Bai, Republic of Vietnam, and attached to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
1970 - 2004
Redeployed during September 1970 to Santa Ana, California and attached to Marine Aircraft Group 56, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Reassigned during July 1971 to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Participated in the system of Unit Deployment between Marine AircraftGroup 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Aircraft Group 16 during the late 1970s and until 1985.
Deployed during June 1986 aboard USS Tarawa to the Western Pacific as the Aviation Combat Element for the 13th Marine Amphibious Unit.
Elements deployed to the Persian Gulf onboard USS Okinawa as part of Contingency Marine Air-Ground Task Force (CMAGTF) 1-88.
Deployed during January 1989 aboard USS Belleau Wood to the Western Pacific as the Aviation Combat Element for the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU (SOC)).
Elements participated during August 1989 in the cleanup of Prince William Sound, Alaska (Exxon Valdez) Oil Spill.<
Deployed during April 1990 aboard USS New Orleans for Rim-Of-The- Pacific (RIMPAC)-90.
Deployed on 17 August to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of Marine Aircraft Group 70, 7th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, in support of Operation Desert Shield.
Participated in Operation Desert Storm in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Emirate of Kuwait.
Deployed during May 1992 aboard USS Tarawa to the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf as the Aviation Combat Element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)).
Deployed during October 1994 aboard USS Essex to the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf as the Aviation Combat Element for the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)).
Participated in Operation United Shield, the withdrawal of United Nations forces from Somalia in 1995.
Relocated during November 1995 to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California.
Deployed during March 1997 aboard USS Boxer to the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf as the Aviation Combat Element for the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)).
Relocated during 1999 to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California.
Deployed during 2003 as Aviation Element for 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)). Participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Honors
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION STREAMER with two
bronze stars
- Korea
1951
- Vietnam
1965 -1966
- Iraq
21 March-24 April 2003
JOINT MERITORIOUS UNIT AWARD STREAMER
Somalia
1995
NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER with three bronze stars
- Korea
1952 - 1953
- Vietnam
1965
1968
- Southwest Asia
1990 - 1991
MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER with 3 bronze stars
- Vietnam
1968 - 1969
- Persian Gulf
1987 - 1988
- 1 May 2000-30 Apr 2001
- 8 Oct 2000 - 1 Jan 2001
NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE STREAMER with 3 bronze stars
KOREAN SERVICE STREAMER with 1 silver star
ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY STREAMER
- Somalia
1995
VIETNAM SERVICE STREAMER with 2 silver stars and 1 bronze star
SOUTHWEST ASIA SERVICE STREAMER with 3 bronze stars
GLOBAL WAR on TERRORISM EXPEDITIONARY STREAMER
KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION STREAMER
VIETNAM CROSS of GALLANTRY with PALM STREAMER
VIETNAM MERITORIOUS UNIT CITATION CIVIL ACTIONS STREAMER
Nicknames: "The First"; "Pineapple Squadron"; "Phrog Phlyers"; "Grayhawks"
ID Code:HR 1951-56; YR 1956-
Aircraft: HRS (CH-19E); HOK (OH-43); OE-1(O-1B); HUS (UH-34D); CH-46A/D/F/E
Squadron Web site: HMM-161 (Official site); "Shooter's Web Site"HMM-161 1967-68