Received from Bob Ballantyne Col USMCR (Ret) via email:

Message:
HMM-264 and the Cuban Missle Crisis:

My log book shows that 45 years ago tomorrow, 26 Oct 1962, HMM-264 (rear) began to on-load the squadron and some 2dDiv troops aboard USS Boxer, LPH-4, off Onslow Beach, said on-load being completed 28 Oct. Another MAG-26 squadron was already aboard.

On 28 Oct we caught up with and moved aboard USS Okinawa, LPH-3, then a "newer" LPH, where the bulk of HMM-264 already was aboard having left sometime before that on a "shakedown cruise" for USS Okinawa.

At that time 264 was flying UH-34Ds.

We operated out of NAS Mayport FL from 10 Nov to 13 Nov and thus celebrated the MC birthday there. On 16 and 17 Nov we were back off of Onlsow beach to practice a landing in prep for same in Cuba. We then again operated out of Mayport 19-23 Nov 1962.

We returned to New River and off-loaded 1 and 2 December. I recall unmarried officers and enlisted personnel remaining on board the night of 1 Dec so married officers could go ashore to their families. I believe the same thing happened on the night of 16 Nov, and also recall some wives flying or driving to Mayport to meet their husbands there when we were ashore.

My first flight with HMM-264 was 12 Oct 62, having completed flight school 4 Sep 62. When I reported in to HMM-264 the bulk of the squadron was in the south supporting the 101st Airborne when James Meredith was enrolled at Old Miss.

45 freakin' years ago!!!

Bob Ballantyne Col USMCR (Ret)