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by Senior Airman Julius Delos Reyes
95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
1/24/2008 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Marine Aircraft Group 46 Detachment Bravo is scheduled to deactivate its Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 769 in the late summer as part of the 2007 Marine Corps Aviation Plan.
The aviation plan is a consolidated action plan that provides an overview of Marine aviation total force organization, aviation readiness and planned organization aircraft and equipment transitions over the next 10-year period.
"Ultimately, they are going to make a smaller force that will provide the same mission but less aircraft and people," said Sgt. Maj. Michael Brookman, MAG 46 Det. B's highest enlisted Marine. "They are trying to get the aircraft either to the active forces or to the retirement yard."
MAG 46 Det. B includes HMH-769 and Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 764. HMH-769 is responsible for CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopters, while HMH-764 manages CH-46E Sea Knight transport helicopters.
HMH-769 is scheduled to ship out its CH-53 helicopters gradually, said Lt. Col. Thomas McCarthy, MAG 46 Det. B commanding officer. About 65 reservists and 90 active-duty Marines within the squadron will be impacted by the deactivation.
"The (squadron has) already started moving some of its aircraft," Colonel McCarthy said. "By the end of July, all of the CH-53 aircraft will be gone from Edwards."
The MAG 46 Det. B will be focusing on helping HMH-769 with its equipment and personnel during August and September time frame, he said.
"As far as the active-duty Marines, they will begin to move this summer wherever they are needed," Colonel McCarthy said. "Some of them have already moved, and we are not receiving replacements."
This is just another permanent change of station move for the active-duty Marines, he said. The ones who are impacted the most with this transition are the reservists.
For the Marine reservists, some will be transferred to the HMH-764 squadron, Colonel McCarthy said. They also have the option to get out of the Reserves, find another military occupational specialty or transfer to another unit.
Meanwhile, MAG 46 Det. B here will continue to perform its function, Sergeant Major Brookman said.
"The Detachment Bravo's mission is to provide administration and supply support," he said. "We still have one squadron here, so our role is not going to change."
The HMH-769 deactivation will also mean a reduction of people within the detachment since they will be only be focusing on HMH-764, Sergeant Major Brookman said.
"Hopefully, this is going to be a smooth process," he said. "We have been planning this deactivation for about a year now. It is a lot of work to get from today until the HMH-769 deactivates."
Posted : 2008-01-24 19:40
Hmr-769
I first joined 769 in Oct. of 1959. We trained on the old HUP, and later the SH-34J's which we shared with the Navy at NAS Oakland, Ca.
After my second Vietnam tour I joined HMM-769 at NAS Alameda, Ca. This was in 1967. The aircraft of the day was the UH-34D.
I again joined HMH-769 in Sept of 1975 this time with CH-53A's. During my tours there, the Marine Reserves were very professional and took their jobs very seriously. Most pilots and enlisted were Vietnam veterans. They certainly earned my respect.
Sorry to see the squadron deactivate. It had a proud history.
MGYSGT FD BERMUDEZ
USMC (RET.)
Posted : 2008-01-26 15:09
HMH 769 Decommissioned
Yesterday, 2 August 2008, the Decommission Ceremony for Reserve Squadron 769 was held at Edwards AFB at 1200 hours. The program followed:
"Sequence of Events"
Invocation
Sound Attention
Sound Adjutant's Call
Box the Staff
Honors to the Commanding General
Troop the Line
March on the Colors
National Anthem
Guests of Honor's Remarks
Commanding Officer's Remarks
Retired the Guidons
Retire the Colors
Anchors Aweigh
Marines' Hymn
Auld Lang Syne
Dismiss the Squadron
I accompanied another Popasmoke member (former MarCad, HMM-363 squadron member, Air America pilot) and two former 769 Commanding Officers and one former 769 XO.
For a copy of the ceremony program you can download a copy in either Acrobat PDF or MS PowerPoint PPS:
Posted : 2008-08-03 23:59
'34?
Still not used to "Anchors Aweigh" at Marine Corps events....Brook, assuming this was in Miramar, where did the UH-34D come from??
Posted : 2008-08-04 05:42
Thanks
for going and sharing with the rest of us. It always hurts to lose a squadron.
Posted : 2008-08-04 09:02
Hey Joe
Read the top of the page. Edwards AFB. Looks like a number of Marine Squadrons there. I did not know that.
Posted : 2008-08-04 09:14
The UH-34
The 34 came from the on base museum.... they are going to try to spruce it up...... we looked for the BuNo but couldn't find it....
I've lived just 76 miles from Edwards for 20 years and it was the first time that I'd been on base......
went up Friday afternoon..... stayed on base Friday evening with the gentlemen I was with...... it was a good time..... all those officers looked so young... the General even looked pretty young.... the Colonel even Lt Col and Majors looked like they were barely out of high school... sure ages you on one hand and on the other memories of what we use to do .... and I loved flying the old Dog
Posted : 2008-08-04 13:28
Hmh-769
Wally,
Please post with new HMH-769 post.
Thanks,
Frank
MGYSGT FD BERMUDEZ
USMC (RET.)
Posted : 2008-08-04 15:09
Edwards!
That's where my group landed upon return from RVN! Larry said:
Looks like a number of Marine Squadrons there
Brook, is that a fact? Marine Squadrons based there, or just the retired unit whose birds will go elsewhere?? I guess that would explain the '34 at the base and the ceremony.
Posted : 2008-08-05 08:32
Re: HMH 769 Decommissioned
Joe and everyone,
I don't want to tell you any misinformation but as far as I can tell it was for the most of its life at NAS Alameda, however there is one hanger on the base where the ceremony was held that is for the Marine Detachment there. The 34 is non-operative and display purposes only that was borrowed from the on Base Air Museum.
If you download either the PDF file or PPS file it is the program given out at the Ceremony and has some history about the squadron.
I'll try to get hold of one of the guys and see what they can tell me. From what I could tell, the 53 in the door way in the background was from HMH 361. I don't know where the 46's on the tarmac belong or if they are another reserve squadron.
Posted : 2008-08-05 13:16
NAS Alameda
I was Rep there 1971/1973. Edwards??? Is that where it was at this time??? SF PM
Posted : 2008-08-05 16:15
Location
Paul,
The lineage shows NAS Alameda in 1961-1996, when they moved to El Toro. You were in Alameda, it would seem.
Posted : 2008-08-06 06:12
HMM-764 (CH-46E) is at Edwards AFB, and HMH-769 which is deactivated and many of their aircraft are being used to form up HMH-366 at MCAS Cherry Point (To be activated in October 2008).
KD
Posted : 2008-08-06 07:33
The 46's belong to HMM-764, which is based there also.
Posted : 2008-08-06 09:29
Re: HMH 769 Decommissioned
One more picture of our small group.
Left to Right: LtCol Wilbur C McMinn, LtCol Donald L Wright, Maj Paul Soby, Bill Collier and Brook Stevenson
Posted : 2008-08-08 17:31
Hmm-769 / Hmh-769
I was stationed at NAS Alameda directly after A school in early 1964, at the time there was 4 Helo folks, SSgt Shepard, Sgt Bob Adams, L/Cpl Phil Marnin and myself. We worked with the Navy and had 4 Sh-34J's It was great duty, the Marine detachment didnt hardly know we were there and the Navy didnt care. I was there until I was sent to Vietnam in 1966, and came back in 1967 after I reinlisted. and was the with Frank Bermudez when they switched over to H-53's
Posted : 2008-08-09 22:17
