page_title: HMH-466
section_title: Gulf War & the 1990s
hierarchical_section_title: HMH-466 / History / Gulf War & the 1990s
caption_attribution_description: English: Wolfpack Marines gather around the CH-53E Super Stallion that landed at Al Asad, Iraq Feb. 18, marking the 60,000 hours of flight time since the squadron was established in November 1984. This landing also recorded the 60,000th hour of Class A mishap-free flight time for Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Brandon L. Roach
context_page_description: Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopters. The squadron, known as the "Wolfpack", 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.
  In the past 25 years, the Wolfpack has participated in fourteen Marine Expeditionary Units, Special Operations Capable [MEU ] Deployments and has been the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Secretary of Defense Phoenix Award for outstanding maintenance, the Fleet Marine Force Pacific Annual Aviation Safety Award, the Mike Yunck Award for best overall squadron in the Third Marine Aircraft Wing, Meritorious Unit Citation, Navy and Marine Corps Unit Commendation, Presidential Unit Citation, the Keith B. McCutcheon Award for Heavy Lift Squadron of the Year, the Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award.
context_section_description: When Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990, the Wolfpack became the first CH-53E squadron to deploy to Saudi Arabia. While in support of operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM, HMH-466 recovered downed aircraft, conducted the first Night Vision Goggle (NVG) troop insertion, and provided heavy lift support from port facilities to staging areas in preparation for the ground phase of the operation. Upon cessation of hostilities, the Wolfpack returned to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Tustin having sustained no losses of personnel or aircraft.
  In May 1992, the Wolfpack embarked upon its first Unit Deployment Program (UDP) to MAG-36, MCAS Futenma, Okinawa, Japan and became the second CH-53E squadron deployed to the Western Pacific. In addition, the squadron detached four aircraft to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 161 (HMM-161) in support of the 11th MEU (SOC). In November 1992, HMH-466 returned to MAG-16 thus concluding the first of many extremely successful six-month UDP rotations.
  From December 1992 to March 1993, the Wolfpack detached four aircraft to Somalia in support of Operation RESTORE HOPE. In November 1993, the squadron celebrated its ninth birthday. During this month, the Wolfpack attained 25,000 flight hours, becoming the only CH-53E squadron to reach this class “A” mishap-free milestone. The squadron again deployed to the Western Pacific in May 1994, detaching four aircraft to both HMM-161 and HMM-262 in support of the 15th and 31st MEU (SOC)s, respectively.- The four CH-53 E's of 15th MEU ACE were detached to Entebbe, Uganda as part of Operation Support Hope- the refugee relief operation for the Rwandan refugees.
  On 29 May 1995, the Wolfpack became the first Marine Corps CH-53E squadron to exceed 30,000 mishap-free flight hours. During October 1995, the Wolfpack detached four aircraft to HMM-163 in support of the 13th MEU (SOC) while the main body of the squadron departed for Okinawa, Japan in May 1996. During the deployment a CH-53E Fleet wide grounding for faulty main rotor head swash plates kept the squadron hard at work rebuilding eight aircraft. Upon the completion of the UDP in November 1996, the squadron returned to MCAS Tustin.
  Following a successful Okinawa deployment, the Wolfpack continued to support Marine Corps forces throughout the continental United States (CONUS). In January and February 1997, the Wolfpack supported various units at the Mountain Warfare Training Center (MWTC) in Bridgeport, California. October was spent at 29 Palms, California, supporting the Combined Arms Exercise (CAX), and December concluded with the squadron focused on preparations for the next deployment to Okinawa.
  With another UDP under way, the squadron also supported three separate MEU (SOC)s with detachments stretched across the globe. In conjunction with the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) direction, the squadron relocated from MCAS Tustin to MCAS Miramar following their return from UDP.
caption: Squadron photo celebrating 60,000 flight hours
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