Operation Desert Storm Singapore

[Beverly Friddle]

Themission of Marine Aircraft Group 39 is to provide utility helicopter support, close-in fire support, fire support coordination, aerial reconnaissance, observation and forward air control in aerial and ground escort operations during ship-to-shore movement and subsequent operations ashore.

Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 was originally commissioned as Marine Light Helicopter Squadron 364 on 1 September 1961 at Marine Corps Air Facility Santa Ana, CA. In November 1961, it received delivery of its first Sikorsky H-34 helicopter and in February of 1962, the designation of the squadron was changed to HMM-364 in 1962.

In the spring of 1962, the squadron participated in Mid-Pacific operations to assist in recovering instruments that had been used in the atomic test program. In November 1963, the squadron deployed to Okinawa and subsequently to Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam. The squadron served in Vietnam until July of 1964. Eight months later the squadron was back in South Vietnam, this time conducting operations with the Special Landing Force of the Seventh Fleet. HMM-364 remained in Vietnam until September of 1966. The squadron was then placed in cadre status at Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, CA, and consisted of three officers and 12 enlisted Marines. In March of 1967, the squadron was reorganized and began receiving delivery of the then-new Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter. In October of that year, HMM-364 re-deployed to the Republic of Vietnam, initially to Phu Bai and eventually to Marble Mountain. HMM-364 participated in Operations Osceola, Kentucky, Mameluke Thrust, and Hue City and finally in the evacuation of the embassy in Saigon. For almost half of its short 10-year existence, HMM-364 had served in the Republic of Vietnam. It was at this time that the squadron adopted the "Purple Fox" name. During the three tours in Vietnam, the squadron's pilots and crewman flew almost 70,000 hours in combat and combat support missions and were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for meritorious conduct in the performance of duty. As our nation briefly stepped-down from its wartime posture in the early 1970s, so did the Foxes. On 22 March 1971, the squadron folded its colors and was decommissioned.

On 28 September 1984, HMM-364 was reactivated at Marine Aircraft Group 24, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, the squadron enjoyed many Western Pacific deployments. The Foxes participated in Team Spirit 1986 and 1988 at Pohang, Korea in support of III Marine Amphibious Force. In February 1990, the Purple Foxes deployed to Okinawa, participating in numerous Special Operations Capable (SOC) missions and supported Team Spirit '90 together with a detachment of six CH-46s. From August 1990 to March 1991, HMM-364 was placed in reserve during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, becoming the sole supporting squadron for 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade. In June 1991, the Purple Foxes once again deployed to Okinawa. During the deployment, the squadron supported Marine Air Ground Task Force 4-90 in the Philippines, assisting with the relief efforts following the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo and participating in joint exercises in Korea and Japan. Early the following year, the Purple Foxes headed for the Hawaiian island of Kauai, performing humanitarian relief due to the devastation left by Hurricane Iniki. From January to July 1993, the Purple Foxes again deployed to Okinawa. The squadron participated in exercise Team Spirit, Korea, as well as serving as the Aviation Combat Element of the 35th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the USS Belleau Wood during Cobra Gold 1993.

In August 1995, the Purple Foxes packed up and embarked upon USS Tarawa to move to MCAS El Toro. That same year, HMM-364 was selected to be the Aviation Command Element for Special Marine Air-Ground Task Force Experimental [SPMAGTF (X)] SEA DRAGON. This very important and high visibility project was an exercise conceived by the Commandant's Warfighting Laboratory (CWL) to develop and test methods and techniques for the 21st century battlefield. In February 1996, the Purple Foxes again made headlines by providing Executive Transport for President Clinton and other dignitaries while they toured flood-damaged Portland, Oregon. This marked the first time in history that a U.S. President had flown in a Fleet Marine Force helicopter. In July 1998, HMM-364 (REINFORCED), 13th MEU ACE, participated in RIMPAC 1998 while conducting the pre-deployment work-up schedule associated with a MEU(SOC) squadron. On December 5, the squadron embarked aboard USS Boxer, participating in Operation Southern Watch and various split-ARG operations off the Horn of Africa, as well as supporting exercise EAGER MACE, Kuwait.

In June of 1999 the Purple Foxes returned from deployment and moved into their current home at Marine Aircraft Group 39 aboard Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, CA. The Purple Foxes began training to their new core competency as part of 3d MAW's "Fly-In" echelon for contingency operations. With the new focus of deploying by strategic lift and naval shipping, the Purple Foxes spent much of the next two years supporting Combined Arms Exercises, participating in Combat Readiness Evaluations, and supporting Marine training aboard Camp Pendleton. In October 2000, the squadron embarked aboard USS Peleliu to maintain proficiency in shipboard operations; later in the deployment, the squadron was also a guest of both USS Bonhomme Richard and USS Peleliu in support of Operation KERNEL BLITZ.

In August of 2001, having been assigned to support I MEF, HMM-364 was tasked to support exercise RSO&I/FOAL EAGLE 2002. As this concept unfolded, a pre-deployment work-up cycle took place at an expeditionary Forward Operating Base at Fort Hunter-Liggett, CA in support of exercise SEAHORSE WIND. Further workup training was conducted in the form of a combined MCCRE with HMLA-369 at NAF El Centro, STRATMOBEX from March ARB to Edwards AFB, and cold-weather training at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center Bridgeport, CA, all while concurrently standing by for immediate tasking resulting from the events of 11 September 2001. The capstone event was the deployment to the Republic of Korea to participate in the annual RSO&I/FOAL EAGLE Exercise from January to April 2002. HMM-364 was the first Marine Helicopter Squadron to deploy using contract Russian AN-124 aircraft, as well as USAF C-5 Strategic Lift. The squadron flew missions in support of Special Warfare Command and the Korean Combined Rescue Coordination Center.

With a desert deployment looming on the horizon, the Purple Foxes sent detachments to Yuma, AZ and Fallon, NV to perfect desert-flying skills in both day and night regimes, as well as to support CAX 02-03. Following CAX, the squadron deployed twelve CH-46Es and all squadron personnel to Kuwait. In January 2003, all twelve aircraft were flown from MCAS Camp Pendleton to NAS North Island, "shrink-wrapped," and craned into the hull of USS Pollux, a USNS Fast Surface Shipping vessel, another first for the transportation of CH-46Es in Marine Corps history. Several squadron Marines were assigned as the security force for the vessel while the Main Body was flown to Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait. By the end of February, USS Pollux had reached Kuwait and the off-loaded aircraft were flown to Ali Al Salem. In conjunction with MAG-39 and its augments, HMM-364 began mission planning and rehearsals for combat operations against Iraq.

Operation IRAQI FREEDOM commenced on the evening of 20 March 2003, following preliminary strikes by coalition forces. HMM-364 was involved from the first night, supporting attacks by the 1st Marine Division's Regimental Combat Team 7 and the British 42nd Commando. Squadron aircrews conducted Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) missions in direct support of RCT-7 for the duration of the war, traveling with the 1st Marine Division from Al Basra to downtown Baghdad. With the conclusion of hostile operations in Iraq on 17 April 2003, HMM-364 continued to fly CASEVAC and Logistical Support for Marine Corps humanitarian aid on behalf of the Iraqi people. After nine months of successful operations in its first combat theater since Vietnam, HMM-364 returned to MCAS Camp Pendleton in October of 2003.

The Purple Foxes took the medium lift mission from HMM-268 on 15 October 2009. During a four month deployment, HMM-364 flew 2,253.0 flight hours, moving over 6,500 passengers and 147,000 pounds of cargo. In January of 2010, HMM-364 sent the first five aircraft home from Al Asad. With only eight remaining aircraft, the squadron continued to operate a full flight schedule. The final eight aircraft were loaded onto Russian AN-124 aircraft for return to CONUS days after the last mission was flown in Iraq. HMM-364 returned home to Camp Pendleton in early February of 2010 as the last operating Marine Aviation unit in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.

Once aboard Camp Pendleton, the squadron shifted its focus to shipboard operations. In September of 2010, The Purple Foxes received the order to support the 11th MEU aboard USS Makin Island for San Francisco Fleet Week while at the same time, supporting WTI class 1-11. In September, the squadron sent five aircraft to Yuma, AZ for WTI and a week later flew five more aircraft aboard USS Makin Island in support of San Francisco Fleet Week. This marked the first time HMM-364 had conducted ship board operations in over 10 years.

The overriding focus of effort during the beginning of 2011 was a DFT to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to support Third Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (3rd ANGLICO) by assisting in the training and evaluation of their Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs). Not long after, the squadron participated in the Naval Aviation Centennial launching a division in a formation flight of eight CH-46Es, which flew among two-hundred total aircraft commemorating the Centennial of Naval Aviation. Additionally, the squadron was tasked with flying several Pax, Mail, and Cargo (PMC) missions to USNS Curtiss in support of Operation Pacific Horizon, and this provided an opportunity to conduct initial and refresher day Carrier Qualifications.

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