(Source: US Marine Corps; issued Dec. 6, 2005)

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. --- The Marines of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-162 will depart for new skies as the “Golden Eagles” become the second squadron to transition to the Osprey.

The Golden Eagles will stand-down and case their colors during a ceremony in the squadron hangar Friday at 3 p.m.

“It’ll be very similar to a change of command ceremony, but instead of passing the colors to the incoming (commanding officer) the sergeant major and I will be casing them until 162 stands up as (Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron-162) next November,” said Lt. Col. Kurt Diehl, HMM-162 CO.

According to Capt. Trevor A. Wilk, HMM-162 unit information officer, all 12 of the squadron’s CH-46E aircraft were transferred to other locations.

“Three were taken to west coast squadrons and the rest went to higher echelon maintenance in order to be transferred to other (Marine Aircraft Wings),” Wilk explained.

As for the Marines of HMM-162, many will transition to the Osprey program while others get transferred to another CH-46E squadron.

“Every Marine in the unit will be executing orders December 9,” said Diehl. “Half of them will go to (Marine Medium Tiltrotor Training Squadron-204) to transition to the Osprey program.”

Diehl said serving as the commanding officer of HMM-162 and being forward deployed with his Marines has been a great honor.

“I ask these Marines to continue to perform their duties in the future as honorably and professionally as they have in the last eighteen months,” Diehl said.