page_title: VMM-261
section_title: 1980s
hierarchical_section_title: VMM-261 / History / 1980s
caption_attribution_description: A U.S. Marine Corps Boeing CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter (BuNo 157654) from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 261 Raging Bulls awaits Rangers from 2nd Battalion to load prior to rescue of students from Grand Anse Beach Campus during "Operation Urgent Fury", the invasion of Grenada, on 3 November 1983.
context_page_description: 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 "Ragin Bulls", is based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina and typically falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 26 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. They are the fourth squadron in the Marine Corps to transition to the MV-22 Osprey.
context_section_description: In 1982, the Raging Bulls deployed to Beirut, Lebanon. In October 1983, the squadron had just departed Naval Base Norfolk aboard USS Guam heading toward Beirut, but received word to divert to the Caribbean for the invasion of Grenada, codenamed Operation Urgent Fury. There, the squadron provided the only helicopters for the initial landings of Marines and subsequent operations for the entire JTF until Army helicopters arrived on the third day of action. (Delta Force had arrived by Army helicopters as part of the initial assault, but after day one all the Army helicopters were unavailable due combat damage.  While providing Close Air Support to Army forces, two AH-1T (Cobra] were shot down resulting in three squadron pilots being killed. Later one CH-46 was damaged beyond repair during the successful rescue of several hundred American students at the Medical School's Grand Anse Campus, while inserting Rangers of 2nd BN, 75th Ranger Regt. Following this operation, HMM-261 resumed its mission to continue to war-ravaged Beirut, to relieve 24th MAU which had endured the bombing of the Marine barracks. While stationed off Beirut, the squadron conducted a variety of missions in support of the 22D Marine Amphibious Unit located ashore, US 6th Fleet and the Department of State (flying diplomats to/from the various meetings and evacuating over 800 American and Lebanese citizens to safety.)
caption: "Elvis 01" a CH-46E of HMM-261 awaits the loading of Army Rangers on Grenada during Operation Urgent Fury, October 1983.
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