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HMH-461
Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (HMH-461) is a United States Marine
Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH-53E Super Stallion transport
helicopters. The squadron, known as the "IronHorse", is based at Marine Corps
Air Station New River, North Carolina and is attached to Marine Aircraft Group
26 (MAG-26), 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW).
Mission
To provide timely and effective CH-53E helicopter combat assault transport of
heavy equipment, personnel and supplies, on order to support the Marine
Air-Ground Task Force and other units, as directed.
History
Early years
Squadron logo designed by Walt Disney during WWII that was never used.Marine
Fighting Squadron 461 (VMF-461) was founded on March 15, 1944 as part of Marine
Base Defense Group 43. It was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station El
Centro, California]], with the Vought F4U Corsair. The callsign of VMF-461 was
the "Red Raider" and their patch depicted a red bearded Viking who was there
mascot. In January 1945, the squadron was relocated at Marine Corps Air Station
El Toro and assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 46 (MAG 46). During 1946 to 1949,
VMF-461 was deployed aboard [[USS Palau (CVE-122}]], first as part of Marine
Aircraft Carrier Group 12, and later, as part of the Atlantic Fleet. Upon return
from deployment, VMF-461 was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11 at Marine
Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. In September of 1950, VMF-461
was deactivated.
In January 1957, the squadron was reactivated at Marine Corps Air Station New
River, North Carolina as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron (Medium) 461,
HMR(M)-461, assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 26. The squadron was equipped as
the iniatial squadron with the HR2S-1 (later to be designated as the CH-37),
then the newest and largest helicopter in the Marine Corps inventory. The
"Deuce," as it was called, was capable of carrying 26 troops, or 8,000 pounds of
cargo at speeds up to 110 knots. The aircraft was powered by two R2800-54
engines and carried a crew of four. As part of the U.S. Space Program in 1961,
HMR(M)-461 participated as the primary recovery vehicle for NASA AeroBee Rocket
launches at Wallops Island, Virginia In February 1962, HMR(M)-461 was
redesignated Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron-461 (HMH-461).
From 1962 to 1965, HMH-461 participated in various deployments and exercises in
the Mediterranean Sea and Caribbean Sea, while deployed aboard USS Boxer and USS
Guadalcanal. In February 1966, the squadron was reduced to cadre status to await
arrival of the CH-53A helicopter, which replaced the Ch-37. In November 1970,
the CH-53A was replaced by the CH-53D helicopter. Throughout the 1970s, HMH-461
continued its support of Fleet Marine operations in such places as the
Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, Scandinavia, Northern Europe and Great
Britain.
HMH-461 received a Meritorious Unit Citation for the time period Sept. 1, 1979
to April 30, 1980. In July 1981, the squadron was awarded the Chief of Naval
Operations Safety Award for 1980.
October 1987 marked another chapter in HMH-461 history with the first
operational flight of the squadron's new CH-53E helicopters. In September 1988,
HMH-461 took delivery of its first lot of eleven CH-53Es from Sikorsky Aircraft.
The 1990s
In January 1990, HMH-461 deployed four aircraft to Combined Arms Exercise (CAX)
3/4-90. During this deployment, two aircraft made Marine Corps aviation history
by being the first Marine Corps helicopters to aerial refuel using NVGs.
In February 1990, HMH-461 deployed four aircraft aboard ship to support the
presidential visit to the Anti-Drug Summit in Colombia.
From August 1990 through April 1991, the squadron deployed aboard USS Iwo Jima
and headed to the conflict in the Persian Gulf. In January 1991, Detachment
Delta launched two aircraft into Somalia for Operation Eastern Exit. In April,
after 236 days deployed, HMH-461 returned to New River.
In October 1993 through June 1994, a detachment of four aircraft left with
HMM-362 for contingency operations in Haiti.
Global War on Terror
In June of 2003, while deployed to Camp Le Monier, Djibouti, Africa when on a
routine training mission (7) 1000 lbs bombs were dropped on two CH-53E's
standing Casevac on Godoria Range by an Air Force B-52. Captain Seth Michaud was
killed in the mishap which destroyed both aircraft. In October of 2003 HMH-461
retrograded home to MCAS New River.
Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron-461, Detachment Bravo, returned home to MCAS
New River from Camp Lemonier in Djibouti, after being replaced on Oct. 22, 2004,
by a new detachment of Marines from HMH-461, also called Detachment Bravo. The
unit was deployed for seven months to the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of
Africa mission. During that time, the unit flew more than 500 flight hours in
support of the CJTF-HOA and performed over 20,000 maintenance hours on the four
CH-53E Super Stallions deployed at the facility at the time, two of which were
being rotated back and replaced by two brought in by the new detachment.
HMH-461 HOA II Detachment B returned home from the Horn of Africa in on May 2,
2005 after being replaced by there sister squadron HMH-464 who is also located
at MCAS New River.
On August 29, 2005 HMH-461 got the order to deploy with 18 hours notice in
support of relief operations for Hurricane Katrina. HMH-461 became the parent
squadron and formed HMH-461(-)(rein) with Marines and equipment from HMH-464,
HMM-365, HMT-302 and HMM 264 to support the Special Marine Air Ground Task Force
operations being conducted in the disaster area. HMH-461 self deployed to NAS
Pensacola and started relief operations the next day in New Orleans and
Mississippi. After four days working out of NAS Pensacola HMH-461(-)(rein) moved
to Keesler Air Force Base and continued relief operations from there. After
Hurricane Rita made landfall, HMH-461(-)(rein) started to provide disaster
relief to residents of western Louisiana. On 29 Sept 2005, HMH-461(-)(rein)
departed Keesler Air Force Base and returned home to MCAS New River.
Two weeks after returning home from Hurricane Katrina and Rita the squadron
received a warning order was given to be prepared to embark HMH-461 to go to Mar
Del Plata, Argentina to support President of the United States in support of the
Summit of the Americas. Two and a half weeks were spent in Argentina before
returning to United States.
In March of 2006 HMH-461 HOA Det B deployed to Camp Le Monier, Djibouti in
support of Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa.
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