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I don't know if anyone noticed this.
3rd MAW Marines return home
4/24/2009 By Cpl. Fredrick J. Coleman , Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif., —
Family and friends gathered at the Visiting Aircraft Line here April 14 to welcome more than 100 Marines from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 161 and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16 from their deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Marines of HMM-161 and the MALS-16 Marines attached to them wrapped up their seven-month deployment supporting the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward).
HMM-161, also known as the “Greyhawks,” operated from Al Asad Air Base, Iraq providing transportation for troops and cargo throughout Al Anbar Province. The squadron amassed more than 4,000 flight hours and 32,000 maintenance hours to keep the squadron’s CH-46E “Sea Knights” mission ready, according to Capt. John Fletcher, a pilot with HMM-161 who served on his first deployment to Iraq.
A detachment of maintenance Marines from MALS-16, also known as the “Forerunners,” helped HMM-161 with the maintenance requirements.
“The deployment went really smooth overall,” said Fletcher. “The maintenance department did an excellent job of ensuring no pilot waited on an aircraft for repairs.”
The Marines will receive a short break from their duties to catch up with their families.
“I left when my youngest daughter was only 5 weeks old so I have a lot to learn about her,” said Staff Sgt. Jonathan Johnson, an airframes mechanic with HMM-161. “I plan to focus my next few days on my family before getting back to business.”
The deployment marked the last time the squadron was designated as a Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron in a combat zone. The squadron will transition into the MV-22 Osprey and be renamed Marine Medium Tilt-Rotor Squadron-161 before 2010.
Posted : 2009-06-09 22:42
Boy, now that will be a transition... It seemed not so long ago when I was a member of the squadron, we were receiving the 100,000 flight hour accident free award in the mid 1980's @ Tustin.
Posted : 2009-06-17 10:39
HMM-161
My first squadron in Viet Nam flying the--(I think I can still spell it)--
YES I CAN--it was the great--:) UH-34D
Tom Knowles
Posted : 2009-06-17 11:54
Served with HMR161 in Korea Jan 53 until we with drew to go to Haiwaii. We had HRS 1,2, and 3's in those days. Quite a change!! It was a great helicopter squadron. I miss those days.
Posted : 2009-06-17 15:14
First Deployment HmR 161
Remember their loading on the train back of Hangar one early 1951 for San Diego & than Korea. They were the first Transport Helicopter formed from HMX-1 personnel. We were there as the first VMO-2 formed from HMX-1. Attached a photo on the MCAF post of the first personnel in VMO-2 at that time. The HRS & Bell HTL were duty Helicopters at those times. PC was way in the future ! ! ! SF PM
Posted : 2009-06-17 16:21
Topic starter
I heard from the 161 guys at the Miramar airshow that VMM-161 stands up tomorrow (8 Oct).
Posted : 2009-10-07 11:00
What great memories! I was transfered from HMM 262 based at New River, in October 1966 right before they deployed to Viet Nam. The whole Squadron departed for California in a single squadron fly over, 22 CH 46A's. They left two 46"s and 4 enlisted transferee's.
I was one of the enlisted Transferee's, we were transfered to HMM 161 which was transitioning from UH 34's to CH 46's on the rotation from serving in Viet Nam. Of course the equipment was left in Viet Nam, and the two 46's that were left behind, (couldn't make the trip), became HMM 161's first CH 46's.
Posted : 2009-10-27 20:59
