page_title: VMM-161
section_title: Vietnam War and the 1980s
hierarchical_section_title: VMM-161 / History / Vietnam War and the 1980s
caption_attribution_description: English: An Us Marines Corp CH-46
context_page_description: Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 is a United States Marine Corps transport squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Greyhawks", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 16 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron has the distinction of being the first helicopter transport squadron in the world.
context_section_description: HMM-161 deployed in May 1965 to Phu Bai Combat Base, Republic of Vietnam and attached to MAG-16, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. It then relocated in January 1966 to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa to receive its new Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight. By April 1966, the Greyhawks had redeployed to Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam with a move to Phu Bai that June. On September 25, 1966 a UH-34D HUS from HMM-161 was struck by a friendly artillery shell while conducting a medevac mission during Operation Prairie resulting in the death all five Marines on board.  It is the only known case of friendly artillery fire shooting down an American helicopter during the war.  The squadron relocated once again in November 1966 to Futenma, Okinawa, where it was attached to Marine Aircraft Group 15 (MAG-15), 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade. A month later the Greyhawks returned to CONUS, as they were attached to Marine Aircraft Group 26 (MAG-26), 2d MAW at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina. HMM-161 then redeployed in May 1968 to Quảng Trị Combat Base, Republic of Vietnam and attached to provisional Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39), 1st MAW. The Squadron finished its Vietnam years with its final deployment to Phu Bai in October 1969 while attached to MAG-16, 1st MAW.
  HMM-161 came home in September 1970 and attached to MAG-56, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force Pacific. It was reassigned in July 1971 to MAG-16, 3d MAW.  Elements of the Squadron participated in the August 1989 cleanup of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
caption: CH-46E
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