May 14 - May 17, 2024:
Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA)More Details
Patch
Unit Details
Strength
USMC Squadron
Type
Aviation
Year
1965 - 2011
Description
Activated 1 July 1965 at Santa Ana, California as a unit of
MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 36, III MARINE AIRCRAFT WING
Reassigned during August 1965 to MARINE WING SERVICE GROUP 37
Deployed during September-October 1966 to the Republic of Vietnam and reassigned to
MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 36, I MARINE AIRCRAFT WING
Participated in the War in Vietnam, October 1966 - August 1969,
Redeployed during August 1969 to Futema, Okinawa and reassigned to
MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 15, 9th MARINE AMPHIBIOUS BRIGADE
Reassigned during December 1969 to
MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 36, I MARINE AIRCRAFT WING
Participated during the early 1970s as part of the SPECIAL LANDING FORCE
in support of the War in Vietnam, and with the
31st MARINE AMPHIBIOUS UNIT assigned to the SEVENTH FLEET
Participated during July and August 1972 in Philippine Flood Relief
Participated during April 1975 in the evacuation of Saigon
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The LINEAGE of HMM - 165
Activated 1 July 1965 at Santa Ana, California as Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 165, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
Reassigned during August 1965 to Marine Wing Service Group 37
Deployed during September - October 1966 to the Republic of Vietnam and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 36, Ist Marine Aircraft Wing
Participated in the War in Vietnam, October 1966 - August 1969, operating from:
Ky Ha ... Hue/Phu Bai ... USS Valley Forge ...
USS Tripoli ... Marble Mountain
Redeployed August 1969 to Futema, Okinawa and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 15, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade
Reassign during December 1969 to Marine Aircraft Group 36,
I Marine Aircraft Wing
Participated during July and August 1972 in Philippine Flood Relief
Participated during the early 1970s as part of the Special Landing Force in support of the War in Vietnam, and with the 31st Marine Amphibious Unit assigned to the Seventh Fleet
Participated during April 1975 in the evacuation of Saigon
Relocated 27 November 1977 to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii and reassigned to Marine Air Group 24, 1st Marine Brigade
Participated in contingency operations in the vicinity of Beirut, Lebanon, September - October 1983 operating from USS Tarawa
Supported United States interest, to include reinforcement of American embassy, during the December 1989 Philippine Coup attempt
Participated in operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, August 1990 - March 1991
Elements participated in Joint Task Force, Full Accounting, Cambodia, September - October 1992 and March - April 1993
Reassigned during September 1994 to the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Aviation Support Element
Relocated during May 1996 to MAG - 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing MCAS El Toro, California
Relocated during November 1998 to MAG - 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, MCAS Miramar, California
Participated in peacekeeping operations in East Timor in late 1999
On station aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard as part of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit ...
Description
In February 1986 an almost bloodless revolution brought Corazon Aquino into office as the seventh president of the Republic of the Philippines. Aquino had been swept into office on a wave of high expectations that she would be able to right all of the wrongs done to the Philippines under Marcos. When she could not do this and when the same problems recurred, Filipinos grew disillusioned.
Philippine politics between 1986 and 1991 was punctuated by Aquino's desperate struggle to survive physically and politically a succession of coup attempts, culminating in a large, bloody, and well-financed attempt in December 1989. This attempt, led by renegade Colonel Gregorio Honasan, involved upwards of 3,000 troops, including elite Scout Rangers and marines, in a coordinated series of attacks on Camp Crame and Camp Aquinaldo, Fort Bonifacio, Cavite Naval Base, Villamor Air Base, and on Malacañang itself, which was dive-bombed by vintage T-28 aircraft. Although Aquino was not hurt in this raid, the situation appeared desperate, for not only were military commanders around the country waiting to see which side would triumph in Manila, but the people of Manila, who had poured into the streets to protect Aquino in February 1986, stayed home this time.
Aquino found it necessary to request United States support to put down this uprising. In November-December 1989 US forces moved to evacuate Americans during the coup attempt, and generally protect US interests in the Philippines. During this operation, a large special operations force was formed, USAF fighter aircraft patrolled above rebel air bases, and two aircraft carriers were positioned off the Philippines.
In early December 1989, the USS Enterprise participated in Operation Classic Resolve, President Bush's response to Philippine President Corazon Aquino's request for air support during the rebel coup attempt. Bush approved the use of US F-4 fighter jets stationed at Clark Air Base on Luzon to buzz the rebel planes at their base, fire in front of them if any attempted to take off, and shoot them down if they did. The buzzing by US planes soon caused the coup to collapse. On 02 December 1989 President Bush reported that on 01 December US fighter planes from Clark Air Base in the Philippines had assisted the Aquino government to repel a coup attempt. In addition, 100 marines were sent from the US Navy base at Subic Bay to protect the US Embassy in Manila. Enterprise remained on station conducting flight operations in the waters outside Manila Bay.
Politically this coup was a disaster for Aquino. Her vice president openly allied himself with the coup plotters and called for her to resign. Even Aquino's staunchest supporters saw her need for United States air support as a devastating sign of weakness. Most damaging of all, when the last rebels finally surrendered, they did so in triumph and with a promise from the government that they would be treated "humanely, justly, and fairly." One of the devastating results of this insurrection was that just when the economy had finally seemed to turn around, investors were frightened off, especially since much of the combat took place in the business haven of Makati. Tourism, a major foreign-exchange earner, came to a halt. Business leaders estimated that the mutiny cost the economy US$1.5 billion.