HMLA - 269 Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 269 ( HMLA - 269 ) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of AH - 1W SuperCobra attack helicopters and UH - 1N Huey utility helicopters . Also known as " The Gunrunners " , the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station New River , North Carolina and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 29 ( MAG - 29 ) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing ( 2nd MAW ) . Mission . The mission of HMLA - 269 is to 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 . Early years . HMA - 269 was formed at Marine Corps Air Station New River , North Carolina on February 22 , 1971 and activated on July 1 , 1971 as the Marine Corps first designated attack helicopter squadron . Equipped with the AH - 1J " Sea Cobra , " HMA - 269 ' s mission was to provide close - in fire support during aerial and ground escort operations during ship to shore movement and subsequent operations ashore . In December 1977 , HMA - 269 took delivery of the first AH - 1T ( TOW ) Cobra . The squadron opened a new era of attack helicopter aviation in early 1979 by being the first Marine Corps squadron to fire the TOW anti - tank missile from an airborne platform . In the early 1980s , with the addition of the UH - 1N to the squadron , HMA - 269 became HMLA - 269 and expanded its primary mission to include utility helicopter support . Though heavily committed , HMLA - 269 maintained its impressive list of firsts ; first flight - test of biochemical protective suits in the AH - 1T ( TOW ) , first flight test of " fast rope insertion " equipment , first to refine the TOW missile engagement gun and missile radars . Additionally , the squadron participated in the first actual movement of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing assets in an air contingency drill . In 1986 , The Gunrunners achieved yet another first when they fired a Sidewinder air - to - air missile at a target drone over the Island of Vieques , Commonwealth of Puerto Rico . These achievements earned the squadron a Meritorious Unit Commendation and selection as the Marine Corps Helicopter Squadron of the Year for 1986 . It was common practice during this period to split the squadron into detachments . At one time during 1988 while commanded by LtCol . Christopher B . Stoops , the squadron deployed for the Persian Gulf while simultaneously operating three other detachments in NC and the Caribbean Sea . The Gulf War & the 1990s . In 1990 , the Gunrunners deployed to Southwest Asia with twelve AH - 1Ws , three AH - 1Ts , and six UH - 1Ns . These assets participated in a major 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade exercises during Operation Desert Shield . During Operation Desert Storm , the squadron conducted critical on - call close - in fire support , escort for minesweeping aircraft , Surface Combat Air Patrol , and air intercept operations . Meanwhile , Gunrunner Hueys played a vital role in the raid on Faylaka Island , firing in excess of seventy - five 2 . 75 " rockets at fortified Iraqi positions under NVG low light level conditions . Following the Gulf War , the Gunrunners continued to support requirements of LF6F deployments , in such areas as Yugoslavia , Somalia , and the Middle East . The squadron also supported numerous 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Forces Atlantic exercises , both in the continental United States ( CONUS ) and abroad , including exercises in Norway and Puerto Rico . In 1994 the Gunrunners were tasked with providing a detachment on short notice to HMM - 264 for Special Purpose MAGTF - CARIB in support of Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti . One year later , on June 6 , 1995 , two Gunrunner cobras , assigned to HMM - 263 and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit escorted two CH - 53Es from the USS Kearsarge to successfully rescue Air Force Captain Scott O ' Grady . During this deployment , HMLA - 269 also became the first squadron to deploy the new Night Targeting System on all of its cobras ; effectively adding increased combat compatibility to the forward deployed forces . Being named the HMLA Squadron of the Year rewarded the squadron ’ s hard efforts that year . The squadron also supported detachments with LF6F deployments that supported Operation Assured Response in Liberia . In 1997 the HMLA detachment to HMM - 365 supported Operation Silver Wake in Albania and Operation Guardian Retrieval in the Democratic Republic of Congo . In recognition of its hard - earned reputation for setting the standard in attack helicopter aviation , the Gunrunners were designated the Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron of the Year in 1998 by the Marine Corps Aviation Association . Global War on Terror . In the wake of the September 11 , 2001 attacks , The Gunrunners attached to HMM - 365 ( Rein ) with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit ( SOC ) flew combat missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from Forward Operating Bases Rhino and Kandahar , in Afghanistan . In 2002 The Gunrunners attached to HMM - 263 ( REIN ) with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit ( SOC ) flew in Kosovo , the Horn of Africa , Operation Enduring Freedom . In January 2003 , The Gunrunners deployed as a squadron in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . HMLA - 269 flew nearly 3 , 000 combat hours in 55 days and maintained 24 - hour operations with no personnel losses due to enemy action or mishaps . January 2005 saw The Gunrunners again deploy to Iraq in support of OIF 04 - 06 . During this deployment , The Gunrunners flew more than 5951 hours and 3994 sorties . The squadron celebrated its 35th anniversary on July 1 , 2006 with a ceremony at Al Asad airbase in western Iraq . The squadron has completed six deployments to Iraq since 2003 and designated Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron of Year in 2010 .