Marine Medium Helicopter Training Squadron 164
HMMT-164
HMM-164 was the first West Coast operator of the CH-46. After three tours of duty in Vietnam, which included time with the Special Landing Force and participation in Operation "Frequent Wind in 1975", the "Knightriders" returned to Southern California in 1977 as part of MAG-16. HMMT-164 is currently assigned to MAG-39, and is the Fleet Replacement Squadron for the CH-46.
LINEAGE
1964 - 2004
Activated 1 July 1964 at Santa Ana,
California, as Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 164 and assigned
to Marine Aircraft Group 36, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet
Marine Force, Pacific.
Reassigned during August 1965 to Marine Service Group 37.
Deployed during March 1966 to Marble Mountain, Republic of
Vietnam, and assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 1st Marine
Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Participated in the war in Vietnam, March 1966 - September 1969,
operating from
Marble Mountain
USS Valley Forge
USS New Orleans
USS Princeton
USS Tripoli
Hue/Phu Bai
Redeployed during October 1969 to Naha, Okinawa, and reassigned
to Marine Aircraft Group 15, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (Rear),
Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Reassigned during November 1969 to Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st
Marine Aircraft Wing (Rear), Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Deployed at various times as part of the Special Landing Force
with the Seventh Fleet, 1969 - 1972.
Relocated during January 1970 to Futenma, Okinawa.
Elements participated in the Southeast Asia Evacuations, April -
June 1975.
Deployed at various times during the 1970s to the Western
Pacific.
Relocated during August 1978 to Tustin, California, and
reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing,
Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Participated in the system of Unit Deployment between Marine
Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Aircraft
Group 16, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing during the 1980s.
Deployed as part of the 11th and 13th Marine Expeditionary Units
for operations in the Western Pacific during the 1980s.
Participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm,
Southwest Asia, September 1990 - April 1991.
Participated in operations in Somalia, December 1992 - February
1993.
Relocated during 1998 to Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton,
California and assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3d Marine
Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Redesignated 23 February 1999 as Marine Medium Helicopter
Training Squadron 164.
UNIT HONORS
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION STREAMER with three
bronze stars
Vietnam
1966 - 1967
1967
1968
Philippines
1970
JOINT MERITORIOUS UNIT AWARD STREAMER
Somalia
1992 - 1993
NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER with four bronze stars
Vietnam
1968
1968
1969
1972
Southwest Asia
1990 - 1991
MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER with 2 bronze stars
1985
1985 - 1987
1998-1999
NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE STREAMER with 2 bronze stars
ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY STREAMER
VIETNAM SERVICE STREAMER with 2 silver stars
SOUTHWEST ASIA SERVICE STREAMER with 3 bronze stars
PHILIPPINE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION STREAMER
VIETNAM CROSS of GALLANTRY with PALM STREAMER
- Nicknames: "Flying Clamors"; "Vietnam's Flying Death";"Knightriders"
- ID Code: YT 1964-
- Aircraft: CH-46A/D/F/E
- Squadron Web Pages: HMMT-164 (Official site)