Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361
HMH-361
"Flying Tigers"
In 1953, HMR-361 supported the 2d Marine
Provisional Atomic Exercise Brigade during exercise Desert Rock
V. HMM-361 deployed to the Caribbean during the 1962 Cuban
Missile Crisis. HMM-361 (and later HMH-361) deployed to Vietnam
in 1965 for the first of two combat tours.
HMH-361 participated in the first Gulf War (1990-91), operations
in Somalia (1995), and most recently, Afghanistan
(2000-2001).
HMH-361 is currently assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16, based
at Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, Cailifornia.
LINEAGE
1952 - 1955
Activated 25 February 1952 at Santa Ana, California, as Marine
Helicopter Transport Squadron 361, Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force,
Pacific.
Assigned during March 1952 to Marine Helicopter Transport Group
16, Air, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Reassigned during June 1952 to Marine Helicopter Transport Group
36, Air, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Reassigned during January 1953 to Marine Helicopter Transport
Group 16, Air, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Relocated during May 1953 to Kaneohe Bay, Territory of Hawaii,
and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 13, Air, Fleet Marine
Force, Pacific.
Relocated during February - March 1955 to Santa Ana, California,
and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 36, Air, Fleet Marine
Force, Pacific.
Reassigned during September 1955 to the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing,
Air, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
1956 - 1964
Redesignated 31 December 1956 as Marine Helicopter Transport
Squadron (Light) 361.
Redesignated 1 February 1962 as Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron
361. Participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis, October - December
1962.
Deployed during September - October 1963 to Da Nang, Republic of
Vietnam, and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 1st Marine
Aircraft Wing.
Redeployed during February 1964 to Futenma, Okinawa.
Embarked on board the USS Valley Forge, April - July
1964.
Relocated during September 1964 to Santa Ana, California, and
reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 36, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing,
Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
1965 - 1970
Deployed during May - August 1965 to Da Nang, Republic of
Vietnam, and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 1st Marine
Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Participated in the war in Vietnam, August 1965 - May 1968,
operating from
Da Nang
Marble Mountain
Ky Ha
Dong Ha
USS Iwo Jima
Deactivated (administrative) 18 May 1968
Reactivated 3 June 1968 at New River, North Carolina, as Marine
Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 and assigned to Marine Aircraft
Group 26, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force,
Atlantic.
Deployed during July - August 1969 to Hue/Phu Bai, Republic of
Vietnam, and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine
Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Particpated in the war in Vietnam, August 1969 - January 1970,
operating from
Hue/Phu Bai
Marble Mountain
Relocated during January - February 1970 to Santa Ana,
California, and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 56, 3d Marine
Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
1971 - 2006
Reassigned during July 1971 to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3d
Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Marine Corps Air Station (Helicopter), Santa Ana, California
redesignated 1 December 1978 as Marine Corps Air Station
(Helicopter), Tustin, California.
Participated in the Unit Deployment Program between Marine
Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Aircraft
Group 16, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing during the late 1970s, 1980s,
and 1990s.
Marine Corps Air Station (Helicopter), Tustin, California
redesignated 1 June 1985 as Marine Corps Air Station, Tustin,
California.
Participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert
Storm, Southwest Asia, August 1990 - April 1991.
Elements particpated in Operation United Shield,
Somalia, January - March 1995.
Elements participated in Operation Enduring Freedom,
Afghanistan, 2000-2001.
UNIT HONORS
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION
STREAMER
Vietnam
1965 - 1967
JOINT MERITORIOUS UNIT AWARD STREAMER
Somalia
1995
NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION with 2 bronze stars
Vietnam
1963 -1965
1965 - 1967
Southwest Asia
1990 - 1991
MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER with one bronze
star
1986 - 1987
1989 - 1990
NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE STREAMER with 3 bronze
stars
ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY STREAMER
Cuba
1962
VIETNAM SERVICE STREAMER with one silver and four bronze
stars
SOUTHWEST ASIA SERVICE STREAMER with three bronze stars
GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM EXPEDITIONARY STREAMER
VIETNAM CROSS of GALLANTRY with PALM
STREAMER
VIETNAM MERITORIOUS UNIT CITATION CIVIL ACTIONS
STREAMER
- Nicknames:"Tweed's Tigers"; "Ross's Rice Runners"; "Andy's Orphans"; "Flying Tigers"
- ID Code: HN 1952-56 YN 1956-
- Aircraft: OY-1; HRS (CH-19E); HUS (UH-34D); CH-53A/D/E
- Squadron Web Pages:
HMH-361 (Official site)
HMM/HMH-361 (Vietnam)
HMH-361(Vietnam)