HMH-362

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 362 (VMM-362) is a United States Marine Corps squadron that operates MV-22 Osprey. The squadron, known as the "Ugly Angels", was reactivated on 17 August 2018 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California.

Mission

Support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Commander by providing assault support transport of combat troops, and equipment, day or night under all weather conditions during Expeditionary, Joint, or Combined operations.

History

The squadron was originally established as HMR-362 on 20 April 1952 as part of Marine Helicopter Transport Group 36 (MAG(HR)-36) which was established on 2 June 1952. The squadron was initially equipped with the Sikorsky HRS.

In the early 1960s HMM-362 formed part of Marine Aircraft Group 16 (MAG-16) at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma. On 1 January 1962 it embarked on . In late March the squadron participated in SEATO Exercise Tulungan in the Philippines, on the conclusion of that exercise it embarked on the ''Princeton'' and went to Naval Air Station Cubi Point to exchange some helicopters with HMM-261.

Vietnam War

The squadron served as the first Marine aircraft unit in South Vietnam. The squadron went ashore with their Sikorsky UH-34s on 15 April 1962 from the ''Princeton'' landing at Sóc Trăng Airfield in the Mekong Delta. The squadron was reinforced by three Cessna OE-1 observation aircraft and one R4D. This mission codenamed Operation Shufly was to increase the mobility of Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) units fighting the Vietcong (VC) in the rice producing Delta region. The squadron was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Archie Clapp and it gained the nickname "Archie’s Angels". The nickname evolved to "Ugly Angels" that gave HMM/HMH-362 their well-known call sign. The squadron conducted their first operation on 22 April lifting soldiers from the ARVN 7th Division. On 24 April the squadron supported the ARVN 21st Division in Operation ''Nightingale'' near Cần Thơ, during this operation VC fire hit a UH-34 severing a hydraulic line forcing it to make an emergency landing, but the helicopter was repaired and flown out. In June the squadron developed the concept of the Eagle Flight where four Marine helicopters loaded with about 50 ARVN soldiers circled above an operational area on alert for any VC attempting to evade the ground forces. Once the VC were located, often by the OE-1 observation aircraft, the helicopters would land the ARVN soldiers at a position where they could block the VC escape. On 1 August 1962 the squadron was replaced by HMM-163 as the ''Shufly'' squadron at Sóc Trăng.

On 1 February 1964 the squadron replaced HMM-361 as the ''Shufly'' squadron at Da Nang Air Base. During this deployment the squadron trained Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) pilots how to fly the UH-34 in preparation for the establishment of RVNAF UH-34 squadrons.

On 11 August 1965 the USS ''Princeton'' left Long Beach, California with the squadron onbord. The squadron deployed to South Vietnam from 2 September to 31 December 1965. During this time it supported Operation Harvest Moon.

From 6 January to 8 April 1966 the squadron was part of the Special Landing Force (SLF) aboard . In late January the squadron supported Operation Double Eagle landing the Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines. The squadron returned to SLF duty from 28 September to 31 December 1966 aboard .

The squadron continued with SLF duty until 18 January 1967. During this time it supported Operation Deckhouse V. The squadron joined MAG-36 at Phu Bai Combat Base on 19 January. The squadron returned to SLF duty with SLF Alpha from 28 June to 7 September. During this time it supported Operation Buffalo. On 8 September the squadron joined MAG-16 at Marble Mountain Air Facility, but on 16 October it rejoined MAG-36.

From late January 1968 the squadron supported the Battle of Khe Sanh. Several squadron UH-34s would be kept on standby in revetments at Khe Sanh Combat Base in January–February to conduct emergency medevac and resupply missions. On 18 April 1968 the squadron joined SLF Alpha from MAG-36. The squadron ended SLF duty on 5 September 1968 and rejoined MAG-16. On 11 October during Operation Maui Peak a squadron helicopter #58-1387 taking off flew into the bottom of an HMM-265 CH-46 resupply helicopter Bu 151917, both crashed killing all nine Marines onboard. The squadron rejoined SLF Alpha on 8 December 1968 on .

The squadron continued with SLF duty until 25 May 1969 when it rejoined MAG-36. On its return to shore the squadron was assigned to support the 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade. The squadron would fly the last combat missions of the UH-34 and on 18 August 1969 they held a ceremony at Phu Bai marking the end of its combat role. On 21 August the squadron was assigned to Fleet Marine Force Atlantic. The squadron would reform at Marine Corps Air Station New River