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
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
July 21–August 15, 1972. Weeks of torrential rain flooded northern and central Luzon, killing more than 300 people and isolating 700,000. AF units; 374th Tactical Airlift Wing; 36th, 774th, and 776th Tactical Airlift Squadrons; and 31st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. Marine/Navy; USS TRIPOLI (LPH-10), USS NEW ORLEANS (LPH-11) and the HMM-165 (White Knights).
The approach of a series of typhoons and tropical storms brought weeks of torrential rain to the island of Luzon in the northern Philippines during July and early August. In July, more than 77 inches of rain fell over central and northern Luzon, putting some highways under three feet of water. Over 300 people died and 700,000 were isolated and in need of food. By August 4, about 100,000 flood evacuees had crowded into 40 shelters in the Manila area. This was the worst disaster in the Philippines since World War II.
The Philippine government sought relief from the United States, whose Agency for International Development sponsored a humanitarian operation called Operation Saklolo. U.S. military organizations from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force participated in the operation under direction of RADM John H. Dick. To feed the isolated flood victims, bakers in Manila prepared thousands of nutribuns, high protein bread rolls, from AID flour. Relief officials set up a Philippine regional disaster relief coordination center at Clark AB in Luzon. Admiral Dick organized an airlift to transport the nutribuns from Manila to Clark and distribute them from Clark around Luzon.
During Operation Saklolo, Air Force C–130 Hercules cargo airplanes transported 2,000 tons of relief supplies in Luzon, including food, medical supplies, clothing, and fuel. The aircraft were flown by the 36th and 774th Tactical Airlift Squadrons, on rotational duty in the western Pacific, and the 776th Tactical Airlift Sq of the 374th Tactical Airlift Wing, based at Ching Chuan Kang AB in Taiwan. Most of the C–130s delivered nutribuns from Nichols Field near Manila to Clark AB, where they were distributed to flood victims by trucks, helicopters, and boats. Each C–130 delivered an average of 75 tons of cargo per day, flying in poor weather that included low ceilings, poor visibility, and heavy rain. Three C–130s shuttled daily between Manila, Clark, and the U.S. naval base at Subic Bay during the operation.
At least one Hercules flew relief supplies from Davao in the southern Philippines to Manila for flood victims in Luzon. Clark AB’s 31st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron also employed HC–130s to deliver food among key points on Luzon during the emergency.
To distribute food and other supplies accumulating at the Clark AB relief center, Admiral Dick relied on Air Force helicopters at the base and Navy and Marine Corps helicopters from nearby Cubi Point NAS. Air Force H–3s and H–43s from the 31st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron transported hundreds of bags of nutribuns to flood victims, some by landing on small areas of high ground surrounded by floodwaters and some by airdropping in regions without landing zones.
Crowds of hungry people flocked to each helicopter as it landed or descended, hoping to get some of the food. The 31st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron distributed 50 tons of food, medical supplies, and clothing from Clark AB to villages in central and northern Luzon cut off from normal transportation routes. Small H–43s transported Army disaster assistance relief teams around the island, where they gave over 305,000 cholera and typhoid inoculations. Larger H–3 helicopters flew medical supplies and food, including rice and nutribuns, from Clark AB to villages around Luzon. The Jolly Green Giants evacuated medical patients to hospitals in the Manila area. Among the Air Force helicopter pilots were Capt. Loran Rodway and Capt. Richard P. O’Dell. Captain O’Dell represented the 31st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at an awards ceremony in Manila at the conclusion of Operation Saklolo.
At that ceremony, President Ferdinand Marcos awarded the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation to 30 U.S. military organizations participating in the flood disaster relief operations. The operation reinforced friendly relations between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines during a crucial stage in the Vietnam War and proved that the two nations could work together in a common cause. It also demonstrated that U.S. military organizations from several services could carry out joint operational goals.
