HMH - 772 Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772 ( HMH - 772 ) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH - 53E Super Stallion transport helicopters . The squadron , known as " Hustler " or " the Hustlers " , is based at McGuire AFB , New Jersey and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 49 ( MAG - 49 ) and the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing ( 4th MAW ) . Mission . Provide the active component a combat ready force to augment and reinforce regular forces in Major Regional Contingency ( MRC ) and to provide relief to these forces during times of high tempo operations . Training must be such that this integration is seamless . Additionally , HMH - 772 will reach out to the community in which it serves to tell the Marine Corps story , establish a civilian support base , and when so tasked , to provide assistance to the community during emergencies or disaster relief . History . Early years . Helicopter Transport Squadron 772 ( HMR - 772 ) was activated on April 15 , 1958 at the Marine Air Reserve Training Command , Willow Grove , Pennsylvania as part of the United States Marine Corps Reserve . The squadron was redesignated April 1 , 1962 as Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 772 ( HMM - 772 ) and reassigned in February 1965 to Marine Aircraft Group 43 under the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing . Vietnam War & the 1980s . In 1970 the squadron moved from NAS Willow Grove , PA to NAS Lakehurst , New Jersey . The following year , 1971 , HMH - 772 transitioned to the more capable CH - 53A Sea Stallion helicopter . Redesignated Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772 , the squadron returned to NAS Willow Grove in 1972 and joined MAG - 49 . In January 1986 , the squadron was asked to support the SAR effort following the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster . The Gulf War & the 1990s . In 1991 the Squadron was mobilized in support of Operation Desert Storm . The squadron aircrew flew fourteen ( 14 ) CH - 53A aircraft across the country to join the 3rd MAW and awaited further orders to Okinawa , Japan . While in Okinawa with the 1st MAW the Squadron transitioned to the CH - 53D aircraft . From Okinawa the squadron embarked aboard the and provided support for Operation Fiery Vigil , which was the evacuation of personnel from the Republic of the Philippines after the volcano Mount Pinatubo erupted . During this time the squadron also provided support for Operation Sea Angle the humanitarian relief operations in Bangladesh . For these actions HMH - 772 was awarded another Meritorious Unit Commendation . The Squadron returned to CONUS in November 1991 , was deactivated and was reassigned back to the 4th MAW . The Global War on Terror . After 9 / 11 HMH - 772 was mobilized once again and activated on January 27 , 2002 in support of Operation Noble Eagle and Operation Enduring Freedom . Within two weeks of the activation the squadron relocated to MCAS New River , NC and was assigned to MAG - 29 within the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing . The squadron was given tasking to integrate with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit ( MEU ) Air Combat Element ( ACE ) HMM - 263 . At the completion of the workup cycle HMH - 772 had the distinction of being the first reserve squadron to receive the Special Operations Capable ( SOC ) designation . While deployed the HMH - 772 ( Det ) provided heavy lift support for Operational Rehearsal Dynamic Response 2002 in Kosovo . After Kosovo the detachment then moved onto Djibouti and for the next 5 months provided support for the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa ( CJTF - HOA ) . After Djibouti the detachment rejoined the 24th MEU and provided support for Task Force Tarawa and the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force during Operation Iraqi Freedom . The detachment was deployed overseas for 9 months and returned in May 2003 . Operation Enduring Freedom . On March 25 , 2009 HMH - 772 ( - ) was mobilized to deploy to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom . As part of the workup , HMH - 772 broke down five CH - 53E Super Stallions for Air Force C - 5 and C - 17 transport to Afghanistan . On April 30 , 2009 , approximately 100 Marines departed NAS JRB Willow Grove . These Marines joined with HMH - 361 ( DET ) at Kandahar Air Base . The remaining Marine arrived with the five CH - 53Es throughout the month of May . In June 2009 , HMH - 772 ( - ) ( REIN ) part of MAG - 40 moved to Camp Leatherneck in the Helmand Province to begin supporting operations in the region . The “ Hustlers ” took part in Operation Strike of the Sword ( Operation Khanjar ) , the largest movement of Marines Since the Vietnam War . HMH - 772 ( - ) ( REIN ) was the first unit to airlift the Marine Corps M777A2 Howitzer in combat . The howitzers were lifted from Fire Base Fiddler ' s Green and taken to FOB Golestan . After spending 8 months deployed , the “ Hustlers ” of HMH - 772 ( - ) returned to NAS JRB Willow Grove , PA in December 2009 . They later de - mobilized on March 24 , 2010 and continue to provide support to the Fleet Marine Force .