HMM - 364 Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 ( HMM - 364 ) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH - 46E Sea Knight transport helicopters . The squadron , known as the " Purple Foxes " , is based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton , California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 39 ( MAG - 39 ) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing ( 3rd MAW ) . Mission . Provide utility combat helicopter support to the landing force in the ship to shore movement and in subsequent operations ashore . History . Early years . Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 was originally commissioned as Marine Light Helicopter Squadron 364 ( HML - 364 ) on September 1 , 1961 at Marine Corps Air Facility Santa Ana , California . In November 1961 , it received its first Sikorsky H - 34 helicopter and in February 1962 , the designation of the squadron was changed to its present title . In the spring of 1962 , the squadron participated in Mid - Pacific operations to assist in recovering instruments that had been used in the atomic test program . Vietnam War . In November 1963 , the squadron deployed to Okinawa and subsequently to Da Nang , Republic of Vietnam . The squadron served in Vietnam until July 1964 . Eight months later the squadron was back in South Vietnam , this time conducting operations , including operations with the Special Landing Force of the Seventh Fleet . HMM - 364 remained in Vietnam until September 1966 . The squadron was then placed in cadre status at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro , California and consisted of three officers and 12 enlisted Marines . In March 1967 , the squadron was reorganized and began receiving the new Boeing CH - 46 Sea Knight helicopters . In October of that year , HMM - 364 re - deployed to the Republic of Vietnam , initially at Phu Bai and eventually at Marble Mountain . During this tour HMM - 364 participated in operations Osceola , Kentucky , Mamaluke Thrust , and Hue City and finally in the evacuation of the embassy in Saigon . For almost half of its short 10 - year existence , HMM - 364 served in the Republic of Vietnam . During its three tours there , the squadron ' s pilots and crewmen flew almost 70 , 000 hours in combat and combat support missions and the squadron was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for meritorious conduct in the performance of duty . During this time period the squadron adopted the " Purple Fox " name from a cartoon purple fox mascot called Swifty . On March 22 , 1971 , the squadron folded its colors and was decommissioned . The 1990s . On September 28 , 1984 , HMM - 364 was reactivated at Marine Aircraft Group 24 , 1st Marine Brigade , Fleet Marine Force , Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay , Hawaii . On October 12 , 1984 , Commandant of the Marine Corps , Gen . P . X . Kelley , publicly reactivated the squadron by presenting the unit colors to the Commanding Officer . In February 1990 , the Purple Foxes deployed to Okinawa , Japan . From August 1990 to March 1991 , HMM - 364 was placed in reserve during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm becoming the sole supporting squadron for 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade . In June 1991 , the Purple Foxes once again deployed to Okinawa . During the deployment , the squadron supported Marine Air Ground Task Force 4 - 90 in the Republic of the Philippines before , during and after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo and resulting devastation . Continuing into 1992 , the Purple Foxes would find themselves on the island Kauai , for Operation Garden Isle , performing humanitarian relief due to the devastation left by Hurricane Iniki . In February 1996 , the Purple Foxes provided executive transport for President Clinton and other dignitaries while they toured flood damaged Portland , Oregon . This marked the first time in history that a U . S . President had flown in a Fleet Marine Force helicopter . On December 5 , 1998 , the squadron embarked aboard the USS Boxer ( LHD - 4 ) participating in Operation Southern Watch and various split - ARG operations off the Horn of Africa . In June 1999 the Purple Foxes returned off deployment and moved into their new home at Marine Aircraft Group 39 aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton , California . The Purple Foxes began training to their new core competency of being part of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing ' s " Fly In " Echelon for contingency operations . Global War on Terror . In 2003 , HMM - 364 was tasked with preparing for a possible deployment to Kuwait in support of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and Operation Iraqi Freedom . By the end of February , the squadron was off loaded , and all twelve CH - 46E helicopters flown to Ali Al Salem Air Base . In conjunction with MAG - 39 and its augments , HMM - 364 began mission planning and rehearsals for combat operations against Iraq . Operation Iraqi Freedom commenced on the evening of March 20 , 2003 , following preliminary strikes by coalition forces and Ground to Ground Missile attacks by Iraqi forces on Ali Al Salem Air Base . HMM - 364 was involved from the first night , supporting attacks by the 1st Marine Division ' s Regimental Combat Team 7 , as well as the Royal Marines ' s 42 Commando . Squadron aircrews conducted Casualty Evacuation ( CASEVAC ) missions in direct support of RCT - 7 Headquarters for the duration of the war , traveling with the 1st Marine Division from Basra to downtown Baghdad . HMM - 364 aircraft also flew Logistical Support throughout the theater , flying over 640 hours in combat and direct combat support per month for both March and April . With the end of combat operations in Iraq on April 17 , HMM - 364 continued to fly CASEVAC and Logistical Support for the Marine Corps humanitarian aid work underway on the behalf of the Iraqi people . HMM - 364 returned to MCB Camp Pendleton in October 2003 . During this deployment , one of the squadron ' s aircraft was lost during a resupply mission crashing into a canal . All four aircrew were lost and one Marine not affiliated with the squadron drowned in an attempted rescue . The squadron deployed again to Iraq in the early months of 2005 . Their third deployment to Iraq came in the summer of 2006 and they returned home in early 2007 . During this deployment one of the squadron ' s aircraft was shot down during a CASEVAC mission resulting in the death of four squadron members , a Marine from another unit and two navy corpsmen . The squadron ' s fourth deployment to Iraq occurred from early spring of 2008 until the fall of the same year . The squadron ' s fifth and final deployment to Iraq came in late 2009 . They returned safety in early 2010 having successfully completed their mission . Commanders . 2013 LtCol . John M . Field < br > 2012 LtCol . Ned M . Biehl < br > 2010 LtCol . Edward L . Jeep < br > 2009 LtCol Robert V . Boucher < br > 2007 LtCol Mark Schrecker < br > 2005 LtCol Sean Killeen < br > 2004 LtCol Michael R . Hudson < br > 2002 LtCol Ronald B . Radich < br > 2001 LtCol Michael W . Scott < br > 1999 LtCol Lon M . Yeary < br > 1998 LtCol Thomas F . Qualls , Jr . < br > 1996 LtCol George A . Yingling , Jr . < br > 1995 LtCol George H . Keating < br > 1993 LtCol Paul P . McNamara < br > 1992 LtCol Ray Beaulieu < br > 1990 LtCol E . E . Cade III < br > 1989 LtCol Gary L . Loomis < br > 1987 LtCol Clarence T . Dunstan < br > 1985 LtCol Jerry A . Merrit < br > 1984 LtCol Thomas W . Holden < br > 1970 LtCol . H . N . Steadman < br > 1970 LtCol . P . C . Scaglione < br > 1969 LtCol . C . R . Dunbaugh < br > 1969 LtCol . Eugene R . Brady < br > 1968 LtCol M . V . Statzer < br > 1968 LtCol . J . R . Dobbratz < br > 1967 LtCol L . Gulling < br > 1966 Capt . R . K . Thompson < br > 1966 LtCol R . L . Cover < br > 1966 LtCol D . A . Sommerville < br > 1965 LtCol W . R . Lucas < br > 1965 Maj . M . J . Needham < br > 1964 LtCol W . C . Watson < br > 1963 LtCol . John H . Lavoy < br > 1962 Maj . Manning T . Jannell < br > 1961 Capt . F . E . Allgood Notable members . Eugene R . Brady < br > Raymond M . Clausen , Jr . < br > Roger E . Combs Joseph P . Donovan ( two Navy Crosses )