HMM-164 Flying Death Squadron Patch – Sew On

HMM-164 Flying Death Squadron Patch Marines,  Enjoy this beautifully embroidered HMM-164 Flying Death Squadron Patch.  You'll be able to wear this patch proudly. 4 inches US Veteran-Owned Business Embroidered/Sew Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 164 (HMM-164) was activated under LtCol. Herbert J. Blaha on 1 July 1964 at Marine Corps Air Station Santa Ana, California as part of Marine Aircraft Group 36 (MAG-36) operating UH-34s.[1]: 55  In August 1965 the squadron transferred to Marine Wing Support Group 37 at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California.[1]: 95  The squadron received the first CH-46A Sea Knights assigned to West Coast squadrons.[1]: 55  The squadron had to address various technical teething problems including excessive rotor vibration and sand damage to the engines. In addition as a result of combat experience in South Vietnam the helicopters had to be modified to mount machine guns on either side of the helicopter.[1]: 100 Vietnam War On 16 February 1966 the squadron was loaded aboard USS Princeton for transport to U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay. Arriving at Subic Bay on 4 March they were transferred to the USS Valley Forge. On 8 March the squadron flew ashore to Marble Mountain Air Facility near Da Nang, South Vietnam joining Marine Aircraft Group 16 (MAG-16) and becoming the first CH-46 squadron to join the war.[1]: 99  Despite the earlier modifications the CH-46A experienced problems with sand damaging the engine compressors with the result that engines had to be replaced every 200-300 sorties, however by the end of August filters had been installed which remedied the issue.[1]: 101–2  In late March the squadron supported Operation Kings.[2]: 79  On 23 June the squadron supported Operation Turner to destroy munitions left at the A Shau Special Forces Camp after the camp was abandoned at the end of the Battle of A Sau.[2]: 150  During Operation Hastings on 15 July at LZ Crow (16.861°N 106.909°E) two squadron CH-46s collided and crashed, while a third CH-46 from HMM-265 hit a tree and crashed. As a result of these collisions, two Marines were killed and seven injured and all three helicopters were too badly damaged for recovery and had to be destroyed. Later that day another CH-46 from HMM-265 was hit by People's Army of Vietnam fire and crashed, killing 13 Marines. Marines promptly renamed the area as "Helicopter Valley".[2]: 164–5  From 4 July the squadron supported Operation Macon.[2]: 205 On 3 April 1967 the squadron became the Special Landing Force (SLF) helicopter squadron.[3]: 281  In late April the squadron supported The Hill Fights around Khe Sanh Combat Base.[3]: 39  In later April the squadron supported Operation Beacon Star.[3]: 156  From 20 May the squadron supported Operation Hickory.[3]: 28  In early July the squadron supported Operation Buffalo.[3]: 163  On 13 July the squadron returned ashore to Phu Bai Combat Base.[3]: 281  On 16 October the squadron was assigned to MAG-36.[3]: 281 On 3 March 1968 the squadron was assigned to SLF Bravo on USS Valley Forge.[4]: 719  On 16 June the squadron returned ashore.[4]: 719  In late August the squadron supported Operation Sussex Bay.[4]: 382  On 29 December the squadron was again assigned to SLF Bravo on USS Tripoli.[4]: 719 In January 1969 the squadron supported Operation Bold Mariner.[5]: 300  On 20 October the squadron left South Vietnam and relocated to Okinawa. In early November the squadron embarked on board Amphibious Ready Group Bravo, alternating maintenance and training at Subic Bay and periods at sea along the littoral of South Vietnam, from the Cà Mau Peninsula to the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone.[5]: 310 In May 1971 the squadron was part of 31st Marine Amphibious Unit (31st MAU) on Amphibious Ready Group Alpha on USS New Orleans.[6] South Vietnamese Marines load aboard an HMM-164 CH-46D to join Operation Lam Son 72 On 11 April 1972 the squadron was reassigned to 33rd Marine Amphibious Unit (33rd MAU).[7]: 140  On 12 and 23 May the squadron