VMO - 6 Marine Observation Squadron 6 ( VMO - 6 ) was an observation squadron of the United States Marine Corps which saw extensive action during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II and the Korean War and Vietnam War . The squadron would become the first Marine Corps helicopter squadron to participate in combat operations when they participated in the Battle of Pusan Perimeter in August 1950 . They were deactivated on January 1 , 1977 . History . Early years . Flight E , 3d Air Squadron was activated December 1 , 1920 at Marine Corps Air Station Quantico , Virginia . The name of the squadron changed to Division 1 , VF - 1M on August 24 , 1922 and again to Division 1 , VO - 3M on September 1 , 1925 . In 1927 they were re - designated Marine Observation Squadron 6 ( VO - 6M ) . In 1928 , while flying the Curtiss F8C - 1 Falcon they deployed aboard the USS Saratoga from which they fought the Sandinistas in Nicaragua . During this time the Squadron also flew the Atlantic TA - 1 and TA - 2 . In 1928 they returned to MCB Quantico where they took up the role of doing flight demonstrations for new officers at The Basic School . During the 1930s VO - 6M flew the Vought Vought 02U - 1 and the Curtiss F8C - 5 Helldiver . Calling themselves the " Helldivers " , in 1932 they were representing the Marine Corps at major events such as the Canadian Air Pageant and the US National Air Races in Cleveland , Ohio . During this time the Marines took on the mission of defending advanced naval bases and the Commandant of the Marine Corps recommended a light bombing squadron be activated in 1934 . This required the deactivation of an observation squadron so VMO - 6 was deactivated on June 30 , 1933 . World War II . The squadron was reactivated on November 20 , 1944 at MCB Quantico flying the OY - 1 aircraft . They were then transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton , California where they began training for future combat operations with the 6th Marine Division . In January 1945 , the squadron departed for Guadalcanal as part of the 15th Marines , the artillery regiment of the 6th Marine Division . On April 1 , 1945 , VMO - 6 came ashore during the Battle of Okinawa and commenced operations from Yomitan Airstrip . VMO - 6 flew its OY - 1 aircraft on a variety of missions , including artillery spotting , message pickups , photo reconnaissance and medical evacuations in litter equipped OY - ones . In July 1945 , the squadron departed for Agaña , Guam where it remained until the end of the war . In October 1945 , VMO - 6 was deployed to Tientsin , China to participate in the occupation and because of the increase in communist activity . The squadron served in a variety of liaison roles and flew very dangerous missions often under intense ground fire from the communist forces . They finally left China on January 3 , 1947 and returned to MCB Pendleton . Korean War . In August 1950 , HO3S - 1 helicopters and pilots from HMX - 1 at MCAF Quantico , Virginia joined the squadron " s eight OY - 2 Sentinels and VMO - 6 departed the United States in July 1950 as part of Marine Aircraft Group 33 . They arrived in Jinhae , Korea on August 2 and immediately began to fly during the Battle of Pusan Perimeter becoming the first helicopter squadron in the Marine Corps to participate in combat operations The OY - 1 ' s were flown as convoy escorts for the 1st Marine Brigade in addition to observation and reconnaissance missions . They proved so successful that it became regular procedure to have an OY over the brigade at all times during daylight hours . In August 1950 the squadron , carried its first medevac and these missions became routine for VMO - 6 pilots and crewmen . On November 27 , 1950 , Chinese encircled the 1st Marine Division at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir . For the first four days of the battle , until an expeditionary airfield was completed at Hagaru - ri on December 1 , helicopters from VMO - 6 were the only aircraft able to evacuate the wounded taking 152 injured south to Hungnam . The next ten days would see them evacuate a further 538 aided by modified TBM Avenger s that belonged to the Division . During the Korean War , the squadron flew 7 , 067 wounded Marines to safety . After the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement the squadron returned to MCB Camp Pendleton in June 1955 . In 1951 , the squadron replaced the HO3S - 1 with the HTL - 4 . Vietnam War . In 1964 a new aircraft the squadron received it first UH - 1E Iroquois . In August 1965 VMO - 6 departed as part of Marine Aircraft Group 36 on board the for Vietnam . On September 1 , 1965 the squadron began operating from Chu Lai . After training by the Army , the Hueys were converted to primarily a gunship role and the majority of the H - 1 ' s missions were providing close air support to infantry and recon units . They participated in the following operations while operating from there : Quang Ngai , Double Eagle , Blue Marlin , Duc Pho . While providing support to Marines at the Battle of Hill 488 on the night of 15 June 1966 , the squadron ' s new commanding officer , Major William J . Goodsell , was killed when his UH - 1E was shot down . In October 1967 the squadron moved to just south of Huế to Phu Bai . A month later another move took them to Quảng Trị Air Base . July 1968 saw the squadron get its first fixed wing aircraft since World War II when they took possession of a few Cessna O1C Birddogs that were used for directing air strikes . These were followed in October 1968 when the first contingent of six OV - 10A Broncos joined VMO - 6 at Marble Mountain Air Facility . They began operating within 18 hours of joining the squadron at Quảng Trị . The squadron flew in support of Marines at Khe Sanh , Con Thien , Lao Bảo , Dong Ha , Gio Linh , The Rockpile , Vandegrift Combat Base , the Ben Hai and LZ Argon . They flew in support of the following operations : Maine Craig , Apache Snow , Scotland II , Montana Mauler , Napoleon - Saline , Lancaster II , Rice , Kentucky , Dawson River , Purple Martin , Idaho Canyon and many more . Their biggest action came during Operation Dewey Canyon from January 22 - March 18 , 1969 where the Marine sought to engage Communist forces near the Laotian border . All three of the squadrons aircraft were involved with the Hueys providing gun support for 3rd Force Recon , escorting insertion , extraction , supply and MEDEVAC missions and the two fixed wing squadrons doing aerial reconnaissance , artillery spotting and forward air control ling from the air . Final years . In October 1969 VMO - 6 departed South Vietnam for its new home at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma , Okinawa . From there they participated in exercises from such places as Cubi Point in the Philippines , Atsugi , Japan ; Taegu , Korea ; and the Republic of China . The squadron was deactivated on January 1 , 1977 . Unit awards . A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited . Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation . VMO - 6 was presented with the following awards :