HMM - 262 Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 ( HMM - 262 ) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH - 46E Sea Knight transport helicopters . The squadron , known as the " Flying Tigers " , is based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma , Okinawa , Japan and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 36 ( MAG - 36 ) and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing ( 1st MAW ) . Mission . Provide assault support transport of combat troops , raids , supplies and equipment during expeditionary , joint or combined operations . Be prepared for short - notice , worldwide demployment in support of Marine Air - Ground Task Force operations . History . Early years . Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 was activated in September 1951 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point , North Carolina and designated " Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 262 " ( HMR - 262 ) . Although activated during the Korean War , the squadron remained on the U . S . east coast providing helicopter support for the Fleet Marine Force units of that area . In February 1952 , the Squadron was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 26 . During July 1954 , the Squadron was relocated to Marine Corps Air Station New River , North Carolina where it remained until 1966 . On February 1 , 1962 , the Squadron ’ s designation was changed to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 and , in April through June 1965 , HMM - 262 participated in Operation Powerpack in the Dominican Republic . Vietnam . HMM - 262 was deployed to the Republic of Vietnam in December 1966 and subsequently reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 36 , 1st Marine Aircraft Wing . The squadron supported operation during the Vietnam War and operated from Ky Ha , Marble Mountain Air Facility , Quang Tri , Phu Bai and the " USS Tripoli " while participating in numerous operations throughout the country . Post Vietnam . With the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam , HMM - 262 relocated to MCAS Kaneohe Bay , Hawaii during 1971 and was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 24 . While stationed at Kaneohe Bay , Hawaii , HMM - 262 provided helicopter support to the 1st Marine Amphibious Brigade , FMF . In December 1976 , HMM - 262 was designated as the first Hawaii - based helicopter squadron to deploy to the western Pacific as a composite squadron . The squadron deployed aboard the USS Tripoli on 17 November and remained the “ Cutting Edge ” of the 31st MAU for the next eight months . The Flying Tigers boarded the USS " Belleau Wood " in March 1990 to become the first Hawaii - based helicopter squadron to deploy aboard ship since 1985 . In August 1990 , HMM - 262 deployed to Okinawa , Japan on UDP ( Unit Deployment Plan ) and repositioned its flag in September 1990 to NAS Cubi Point , Republic of the Philippines , to become the ACE ( air combat element ) in support of Marine Air - Ground Task Force 4 - 90 ( MAGTF 4 - 90 ) . The Squadron participated in emergency flood / earthquake relief efforts and was extended overseas due to Operation Desert Shield / Storm and returned to Hawaii on June 4 , 1991 . In September 1992 , the Flying Tigers once again embarked aboard the " USS Belleau Wood " and participated in Hurricane Iniki relief efforts on the island of Kauai . On September 27 , 1992 , the Squadron transferred its home base to MCAS Futenma , MAG - 36 , 1st MAW , Okinawa . This effectively transitioned the Flying Tigers to become the first permanently assigned HMM squadron in the region since 1978 . Recently . In October 2001 , HMM - 262 ( REIN ) sent a detachment of personnel and aircraft aboard the " USS Harpers Ferry " to the new nation of East Timor for humanitarian assistance operations . As all Unit Deployment Program personnel were frozen in December 2001 , the Squadron concluded the year with a “ Be Prepared To ” order to remain the ACE for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit ( MEU ) and to prepare for potential contingency operations . After 18 months as the ACE of the 31st MEU , the Squadron was again reassigned to MAG - 36 and was named a Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award winner for calendar year 2002 . In December 2004 , HMM - 262 deployed to the Philippines as part of Joint Task Force - 535 in support of its Humanitarian Aid / Disaster Relief ( HA / DR ) mission . In only nine days of flying , the Squadron delivered over 204 , 800 pounds of food , water , and supplies to an isolated area that had been devastated by flooding and mudslides resulting from a succession of typhoons . From January through March 2005 , HMM - 262 deployed aboard the " USS Fort McHenry ( LSD - 43 ) " and the " USS Essex ( LHD - 2 ) " as part of Joint Task Force - 536 in support of Operation Unified Assistance , the HA / DR effort following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake / tsunami . Operating off the northwestern coast of Sumatra , Indonesia , HMM - 262 supported the effort by delivering aid and supplies to the victims of the massive tsunamis . During the period from January 14 to February 9 , the Squadron delivered over 493 , 755 pounds of food , water , and other supplies to an area that spanned over of coastline . At the conclusion of this effort the Squadron was selected to provide helicopter lift on 19 & 20 February 2005 for former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H . W . Bush during their tour of the tsunami - devastated areas of Thailand and Indonesia . In February 2006 , the squadron was again onboard the USS Essex as part of the 31st MEU when called to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the 2006 Southern Leyte mudslide . In January 2007 , HMM - 262 deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . This marked the first combat deployment of the squadron since the Vietnam War . The squadron was based at Al Taqaddum Air Base and their mission was to provide assault support for II Marine Expeditionary Force ( II MEF ) units in Al Anbar Province . From February to May 2007 the squadron flew 1 , 574 sorties totaling 2 , 532 flight hours . They also had one Marine killed in action