Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (
HMH-461) is a
United States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
helicopter squadron consisting of
CH-53E Super StallionThe Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion is the largest and heaviest helicopter in the United States military. It was developed from the CH-53 Sea Stallion, mainly by adding a third engine, a seventh blade to the main rotor and canting the tail rotor 20 degrees. Sailors commonly refer to the Super...
transport helicopters. The squadron, known as "Ironhorse", is based at
Marine Corps Air Station New RiverMarine Corps Air Station New River is a United States Marine Corps helicopter base in Jacksonville, North Carolina, in the eastern part of the state. In 1972, the airfield was named McCutcheon Field for Brigadier General Keith B. McCutcheon, one of the fathers of Marine Corps helicopter aviation...
,
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and falls under the command of
Marine Aircraft Group 26Marine Aircraft Group 26 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station New River that is currently composed of seven MV-22 Osprey squadrons one of which is the Fleet Replacement Squadron and one aviation logistics squadron...
(MAG-26) and the
2nd Marine Aircraft WingThe 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina...
(2nd MAW).
Mission
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 ForceThe Marine Air-Ground Task Force is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander that...
and other units, as directed.
Early years
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, and flew the Vought
F4U CorsairThe Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
. The callsign of VMF-461 was the "Red Raider" and their patch depicted a red bearded Viking who was their mascot. In January 1945, the squadron was relocated at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro and assigned to
Marine Aircraft Group 46Marine Aircraft Group 46 was a United States Marine Corps reserve aviation group based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California with subordinate units spread throughout California. It previously composed of one adversary squadron equipped with the F-5, one CH-46 squadron, one CH-53E...
(MAG 46). During 1946 to 1949, VMF-461 was deployed aboard
USS PalauUSS Palau was a Commencement Bay class escort carrier of the United States Navy.She was laid down by the Todd-Pacific Shipyards Inc., Tacoma, Washington, 19 February 1945; launched 6 August 1945; sponsored by Mrs. J. P. Whitney; and commissioned 15 January 1946, Capt. W. E...
, 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 11Marine Aircraft Group 11 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of three F/A-18C squadrons, three F/A-18D squadrons, one fleet readiness squadron, one KC-130 tactical aerial refueling squadron and a maintenance and...
at
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry PointMarine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...
,
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. In September 1950, VMF-461 was deactivated.
On January 1957, the squadron was reactivated at
Marine Corps Air Station New RiverMarine Corps Air Station New River is a United States Marine Corps helicopter base in Jacksonville, North Carolina, in the eastern part of the state. In 1972, the airfield was named McCutcheon Field for Brigadier General Keith B. McCutcheon, one of the fathers of Marine Corps helicopter aviation...
, North Carolina as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron (Medium) 461, HMR(M)-461, assigned to
Marine Aircraft Group 26Marine Aircraft Group 26 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station New River that is currently composed of seven MV-22 Osprey squadrons one of which is the Fleet Replacement Squadron and one aviation logistics squadron...
. The squadron was equipped as the initial squadron with the
HR2S-1|-See also:-References:* Harding, Stephen. U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947. Shrewsbury, UK:Airlife Publishing, 1990. ISBN 1-85310-102-8.* Swanborough, F.G. and Peter M. Bowers. United States Military Aircraft since 1909. London:Putnam, 1963....
(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
NASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
AeroBee Rocket launches at Wallops Island, Virginia In February 1962, HMR(M)-461 was redesignated Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron-461 (HMH-461).
While deployed aboard
USS BoxerUSS Boxer was one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy. She was the fifth US Navy ship to bear the name, and was named for a British ship captured by the Americans during the War of 1812...
and
USS GuadalcanalUSS Guadalcanal , the third Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship , was launched by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard 16 March 1963, sponsored by Mrs. David Shoup, wife of General Shoup, the former Commandant of the Marine Corps; and commissioned 20 July 1963, Captain Dale K. Peterson in command...
from 1962 to 1965, HMH-461 participated in various deployments and exercises in the
Mediterranean SeaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
and
Caribbean SeaThe Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
. 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.
New
CH-53E Super StallionThe Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion is the largest and heaviest helicopter in the United States military. It was developed from the CH-53 Sea Stallion, mainly by adding a third engine, a seventh blade to the main rotor and canting the tail rotor 20 degrees. Sailors commonly refer to the Super...
helicopters marked another chapter in HMH-461 history with the first operational flight in October 1987. In September 1988, HMH-461 took delivery of its first lot of eleven CH-53Es from
Sikorsky AircraftThe Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Connecticut. Its parent company is United Technologies Corporation.-History:...
.
The 1990s
End of January 1990 around and 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.
Deployment started in February 1990 when HMH-461 deployed four aircraft aboard ship to support the presidential visit to the Anti-Drug Summit in
ColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
.
Beginning in August 1990 through April 1991, the squadron deployed aboard
USS Iwo JimaUSS Iwo Jima was the lead ship of her class and type—the first ship to be designed and built from the keel up as an amphibious assault ship. She carried helicopters and a detachment of embarked Marines for use in the Navy's "vertical envelopment" concept of amphibious operations...
and headed to the conflict in the
Persian GulfThe Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. In January 1991, Detachment Delta launched two aircraft into
SomaliaSomalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
for Operation Eastern Exit. In April, after 236 days deployed, HMH-461 returned to New River.
Your Ironhorse Marines again deployed in October 1993 through June 1994 when a detachment of four aircraft left with HMM-362 for contingency operations in Haiti.
They deployed again in May and June 1997 when a detachment from this squadron participated in Operation Guardian Retreival in Congo-Brazzaville. The detachment then conducted a non-combatant evacuation (NEO) in
Sierra LeoneSierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
as part of
HMM-261(Rein)Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Raging Bulls", is based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina and typically falls under the command of Marine Aircraft...
which was named Operation Noble Obelisk. The NEO saved U.S., British, and other third-country nationals who were threatened by the Revolutionary United Front.
Global War on Terror
In June 2003, while deployed to Camp Lemonnier,
DjiboutiDjibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
,
AfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
when on a routine training mission (7) 1000 lbs bombs were dropped on two CH-53Es standing
CasevacCasualty evacuation, also known as CASEVAC or by the callsign Dustoff, is a military term for the emergency patient evacuation of casualties from a combat zone. Casevac can be done by both ground and air...
on Godoria Range by an
Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
B-52. Captain Seth Michaud was killed in the mishap which destroyed both aircraft. In October 2003 HMH-461 retrograded home to MCAS New River.
The Ironhorses, Detachment Bravo, returned home to MCAS New River from Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, after being replaced on October 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.
Sister squadron
HMH-464Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464 is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopters. The squadron, known as the "Condors" and is based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina...
relieved HMH-461 HOA II Detachment B who then returned home from the Horn of Africa in on May 2, 2005.
More operations began on August 29, 2005 HMH-461 got the order to deploy with 18 hours notice in support of relief operations for
Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. HMH-461 became the parent squadron and formed HMH-461(-)(rein) with Marines and equipment from
HMH-464Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464 is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopters. The squadron, known as the "Condors" and is based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina...
,
HMM-365Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Blue Knights", is based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 26 ...
,
HMT-302Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron 302 , is a United States Marine Corps helicopter training squadron stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina...
and HMM 264 to support the Special
Marine Air-Ground Task ForceThe Marine Air-Ground Task Force is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander that...
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
MississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. After four days working out of NAS Pensacola HMH-461(-)(rein) moved to
Keesler Air Force BaseKeesler Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Biloxi, a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. The base is named in honor of aviator 2d Lt Samuel Reeves Keesler, Jr., a Mississippi native killed in France in First World War.-Units:The base is home of...
and continued relief operations from there. After
Hurricane RitaHurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...
made landfall, HMH-461(-)(rein) started to provide disaster relief to residents of western
LouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. On 29 Sept 2005, HMH-461(-)(rein) departed Keesler Air Force Base and returned home to MCAS New River.
Closing out operations and 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 PlataMar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
,
ArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
to support the
President of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in support of the 4th Summit of the Americas. Two and a half weeks were spent in Argentina before returning to United States.
Keeping the rotation going, HMH-461 HOA Det B deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti in March 2006 in support of Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa.
Employed again, HMH-461 Det A attached to
HMM-365Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Blue Knights", is based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 26 ...
in August 2007 to support the long range - heavy lift requirements required of the
aviation combat elementIn the United States Marine Corps, the aviation combat element or air combat element is the air arm of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force . It provides rotary-wing, tiltrotor, and fixed-wing aircraft, support equipment, pilots, maintenance personnel, as well as command and control assets to the...
of the
24th Marine Expeditionary UnitThe 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel...
. The 24th MEU later deployed to
KandaharKandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
,
AfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in March 2008. On April 28, 2008, HMH-461 personnel led the insertion of
1st Battalion 6th MarinesThe 1st Battalion, 6th Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. It consists of approximately 1,100 Marines and Sailors...
(-) in multiple waves and divisions behind enemy lines in Garmsir, Afghanistan in support of Operation Azada Wosa. The detachment also succeeded in demonstrating the first successful employment of Low Cost Low Altitude Aerial Resupply from the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter delivering much needed supplies to an outlying Forward Operating Base. They were also responsible for transporting numerous VIPs into the objective area in Garmsir as well as numerous FOBs in Helmand Province. VIPs who were transported include the
United States Secretary of the NavyThe Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...
, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and both the
Commandant of the Marine CorpsThe Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
and
Sergeant Major of the Marine CorpsSergeant Major of the Marine Corps is a unique non-commissioned rank and billet in the United States Marine Corps....
. The Marines of HMH-461 Det A continued to support the assault support and heavy lift requirements of the 24th MEU operating in the volatile
Helmand ProvinceHelmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
of Afghanistan until they all returned home safely in November 2008.
On January 2009, HMH-461 detached another set of Marines to support operations in the Horn of Africa.
Notice came again to deploy in June 2009 with five days warning in order to support Operation Jupiter Sentinal. The squadron rapidly embarked 4 aircraft and all available Ironhorse Marines aboard the
USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7)USS Iwo Jima is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship.Fabrication work for Iwo Jima began at Ingalls shipyard on 3 September 1996, and the ship's keel was laid on 12 December 1997. She was launched on 4 February 2000. USS Iwo Jima was christened by her sponsor, Mrs. Zandra Krulak, wife of General...
which quickly started steaming towards the
GhanaGhana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
n coast to support President
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's visit to
AccraAccra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
and
Cape Coast CastleCape Coast Castle is a fortification in Ghana built by Swedish traders. The first timber construction on the site was erected in 1653 for the Swedish Africa Company and named Carolusborg after King Charles X of Sweden. It was later rebuilt in stone....
.
Unit awards
A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. HMH-461 has been presented with the following awards:
| Streamer |
Award |
Year(s) |
Additional Info |
 |
Navy Unit Commendation StreamerThe Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
with one Bronze Star |
|
|
_streamer.jpg) |
Meritorious Unit Commendation StreamerThe Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
|
|
|
 |
World War II Victory StreamerThe World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of...
|
1941–1945 |
Pacific WarThe Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
|
 |
National Defense Service StreamerThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
with three Bronze Stars |
1950–1954, 1961–1974, 1990–1995, 2001–present |
Korean WarThe Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Gulf WarThe Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, War on TerrorismThe War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
|
 |
Armed Forces Expeditionary StreamerThe Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
|
1992–1993 |
Somalia |
 |
Southwest Asia Service StreamerThe Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War...
with three Bronze Stars |
|
|
 |
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary StreamerThe Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is a United States armed forces military award created by George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 by Executive Order 13289. It recognizes those military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror from September 11,...
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 |
Global War on Terrorism Service StreamerThe Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003...
|
2001–present |
|
See also
- United States Marine Corps Aviation
United States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....
- List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons