HMLA - 367 Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 ( HMLA - 367 ) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of AH - 1W SuperCobra attack helicopter s and UH - 1Y Venom utility helicopter s . The squadron is based at Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay , Hawaii and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 24 ( MAG - 24 ) and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing ( 1st MAW ) . Mission . Support the Marine Air - Ground Task Force commander by providing offensive air support , utility support , armed escort and airborne supporting arms coordination , day or night under all weather conditions during expeditionary , joint or combined operations . History . Origins during WWII . HMLA - 367 has a long and distinguished record in the United States Marine Corps . Its historical lineage can be traced back to December 1 , 1943 when it was activated at Marine Corps Base Quantico , Virginia as Marine Observation Squadron 351 ( VMO - 351 ) which was assigned to the Artillery Spotting Division . In January 1944 , the squadron was re - designated as and deployed to Marine Aircraft Group 11 on the island of Espiritu Santo whereupon it took part in the campaigns on Peleliu and Okinawa . The squadron participated in the occupation of North China from October 1945 through June 1947 and was relocated in 1949 to MCAS Cherry Point , North Carolina and assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing . The Squadron , having served honorably throughout the Pacific Theater , was deactivated on August 20 , 1949 . Vietnam War . As the United States increased its presence in the Republic of Vietnam , the Marine Corps reactivated VMO - 3 at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton on August 1 , 1966 and assigned it to Marine Wing Support Group 37 . The squadron arrived in Vietnam in December 1966 and were now flying the UH - 1E . VMO - 3 became fully operational at Huế / Phu Bai on 16 January 1967 . In 1966 and for the first half of 1967 , the squadron ' s radio call sign was " Oakgate , " which sometimes got confused for the term OK . Major Bill Murphy is credited with first using the call " Scarface " while on TAD , and lobbied to have the substantially more macho Scarface designation adopted as VMO - 3 ' s signature when all Marine squadrons in - country changed call signs during the summer of 1967 . On November 14 , 1967 ) Major General Bruno Hochmuth , then commanding general of the 3rd Marine Division was killed when a UH - 1E Huey from VMO - 3 exploded and crashed 5 miles northwest of Huế . Four others also died in this crash . The squadron assumed a new identity in March 1968 when VMO - 3 was re - designated HML - 367 and immediately began operations in direct support of ground combat units . Based at Hue and Phu Bai , the squadron flew the Bell UH1E Huey throughout I Corps in support of the 1st and 3rd Marine Division s , the United States Army , and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam . In addition to the countless other missions flown they most notably supported Operations Medina , Fortress Ridge , Prairie Fire , Project Delta , Sparrow Hawk , Dewey Canyon , Apache Snow , Swift Saber and Lam Son 719 . In addition to participating in the above operations , the Scarface crews also flew near daily missions in support of MACV - SOG on what were then top secret reconnaissance missions deep into Laos . Squadron assets quickly grew from eighteen aircraft ( UH - 1E ) to twenty five . In 1969 , HML - 367 exceeded 2000 flight hours for the month of June . October 1969 saw the departure of Marine Air Group 36 from the Republic of Vietnam . Due to the continued necessity for armed helicopter support , HML - 367 remained in Vietnam and was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16 ( Forward ) at Phu Bai . In December 1969 , HML - 367 began flying the AH - 1G Cobra , thus becoming the first operational " Cobra " Squadron in the Marine Corps . Soon after , all the squadron ' s Hueys were transferred to another squadron ( HML - 167 ) and replaced with the Bell AH - 1G Cobra . On April 24 , 1970 , in another show of maintenance magic , the Squadron had all of their twenty five aircraft in an " Up " status . This was the first time a Helicopter Squadron had attained 100 % aircraft availability in Vietnam . To celebrate the event , a 25 - plane " fly - over " of Marble Mountain was conducted with Plane Captains called on to fill the front seats of all 25 Cobras . Total flight time for Fiscal Year 1970 was 22 , 378 hours . HML - 367 completed its combat tour in Vietnam in June 1971 , and relocated to MCAS Futenma , Okinawa , rejoining MAG - 36 . Once established , the Squadron began peacetime operations using the UH - 1E . 1970s . In April 1975 , HML - 367 ( REIN ) , with nine UH - 1E ' s and twelve CH - 46 ' s deployed aboard the USS " Midway " , the USS " Hancock " , and to NAS Cubi Point in support of Operations Eagle Pull , Talon Vise and Frequent Wind . The Squadron participated in the evacuation of Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees from the mainland during both April and May . In June 1975 , HML - 367 returned to Okinawa and resumed normal operations . In 1976 , the squadron took receipt of the new UH - 1N and , in 1977 , AH - 1J ' s Cobra gunships . After more than eight years on the island of Okinawa , HML - 367 was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 39 ( MAG - 39 ) , MAW , at Camp Pendleton . 1980s and 1990s . In November 1979 , after more than eight years on Okinawa , HML - 367 was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 39 at MCB Camp Pendleton . The majority of squadron personnel stayed behind , having been transferred to other units of the 1st Marine Air Wing . New personnel were selected from the parent command , and by August 1981 , unit strength was up to 165 men and 16 aircraft . Another milestone was the conversion of the squadron to its present status as a composite squadron . The squadron typically spent six of each eighteen months in Okinawa rotating with two other squadrons . While at Camp Pendleton , they supported major exercises and deployed for training frequently to Twenty - nine Palms , Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and Nellis Air Force Base . While in Okinawa , the squadron visited such places as Cubi Point in the Philippines , Naval Air Facility Atsugi , Japan , and Camp Butler , Korea , for training and to support major exercises . HMLA - 367 also frequently supported higher headquarters by transporting VIP ' s , and assists both the military and civilian communities with its med - evac capability . Global War on Terror . With the ongoing War on Terrorism , the squadron has shared seven - month rotations with two other squadrons ( HMLA - 169 and HMLA - 369 ) to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and in 2009 deployed to Camp Bastion in Afghanistan to support operations in Helmand Province . The seven - month deployment was the first combat deployment of the UH - 1Y . 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 . HMLA - 367 has been presented with the following awards :