HMM - 268 Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 ( HMM - 268 ) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH - 46E Sea Knight transport helicopters . The squadron , known as the " Red Dragons " , is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 16 ( MAG - 16 ) 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 Light Helicopter Squadron 268 ( HML - 268 ) was activated on September 15 , 1972 at Marine Corps Air Station New River , North Carolina . HML - 268 was deactivated on September 30 , 1977 . Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 ( HMM - 268 ) was activated on March 1 , 1979 at Marine Corps Air Station Tustin , California . The squadron was designated for medium lift and equipped with CH - 46 helicopters . The squadron returned to MCAS Tustin on August 31 , 1980 . A high tempo of operations was maintained through the 10 , 000 - accident free flight hour milestone , which the squadron attained on September 18 , 1981 . Additionally , during this period , the Red Dragons were the recipients of the Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award for 1981 . Upon returning to the United States , the squadron was officially designated as the 3rd MAW ' s " Night Assault Squadron " . Within 90 days of designation , the " Night Raiders " of HMM - 268 implemented an aggressive Night Vision Goggle ( NVG ) program . During February 1984 the squadron surpassed the 10 , 000 - hour mishap - free flight hour mark . Between May 1989 and November 1990 the Red Dragons participated in numerous exercises including MAGTF 89 - 3 deployed aboard the USS " Ogden " , in support of the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup . During this period , HMM - 268 passed the 20 , 000 mishap - free flight hour milestone . The Gulf War . On December 1 , 1990 , while assigned as the Aviation Combat Element of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit ( 11th MEU ) , HMM - 268 responded to the Persian Gulf Crisis . Embarked on the USS " New Orleans " and deployed with MAG - 50 , 5th MEB ( SOC ) , the Red Dragons supported Operation Desert Shield . En route to the Persian Gulf , the Red Dragons completed , for the first time ever , the NVG shipboard carrier qualification syllabus . The Dragons also pioneered and flew the first Low Light Level NVG carrier qualifications . On February 14 , 1991 , the squadron celebrated its 5 year Class A mishap - free milestone . During Operation Desert Storm , HMM - 268 moved ashore and provided combat assault support to 5th MEB , including the " G - Day " tactical insertion of 3rd Battalion , 1st Marines along the Saudi Arabian / Kuwaiti border . The squadron flew over 450 hours in a seven - day period . After conclusion of the conflict , the squadron supported I MEF from Tanajib , Saudi Arabia . In April 1991 , the squadron re - embarked aboard the USS " New Orleans " , as the ACE for the 11th MEU ( SOC ) and continued its Southwest Asia deployment . The MEU supported National Command Authority objectives in the Persian Gulf , until returning to the United States in August 1991 . The 1990s . In September 1993 , the Red Dragons again deployed to the Western Pacific and were directed to Somalia to support Operation Restore Hope II , in Mogadishu . HMM - 268 supported numerous VIP visits , MEU ( SOC ) and United Nations humanitarian missions . The Squadron returned to California in March 1994 , and in July was designated the Marine Corps Aviation Association ' s Marine Helicopter Squadron of the year for 1994 . In February 1998 , as the ACE for the 11th MEU ( SOC ) , HMM - 268 ( REIN ) was tasked to deploy ahead of schedule in response to Iraq ' s disregard of United Nations decree . The squadron took part in Operation Southern Watch and Operation Safe Departure , in which over 170 American citizens were evacuated from war torn Eritrea . During this deployment , HMM - 268 received its fourth consecutive Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award . The squadron returned from this deployment on 6 August 1998 . The Red Dragons moved from Marine Corps Air Station El Toro to Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton in February 1999 , and departed on 14 March 2001 as MAG - 39 ' s first Air Combat Element ( ACE ) for the 11th MEU ( SOC ) . The squadron supported Humanitarian Operations in East Timor lifting several hundred tons of needed goods to the people of East Timor . Global War on Terror . In January 2003 , HMM - 268 began the long process of deployment to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . The Red Dragons distinguished themselves by their tireless support for combat and Casualty Evacuation CASEVAC operations throughout the area of operations , returning September 19 , 2003 . In August 2004 , HMM - 268 deployed again to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II . For seven months the Red Dragons provided CASEVAC support for I MEF units engaged in combat , returning home in March 2005 . The Red Dragons are the Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award winners for 2004 . The award signifies commitment to aviation safety , professionalism , solid leadership , and effective operations and readiness . The squadron redeployed to Iraq in early 2006 , and as of February 25 , are responsible for casualty evacuation and assault support in the area around Al Taqaddum Airfield where they are based . On June 28 , 2008 , HMM - 268 deployed to Naval Air Station Lemoore after California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger requested military assistance to fight raging wildfires . The helicopters provided medium lift rotary wing support to United States Northern Command and the National Fire Center . In November 2011 , HMM - 268 ( REIN ) embarked for its first shipboard deployment in over a decade aboard the USS Makin Island and USS New Orleans as the ACE for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit . While deployed , the Red Dragons participated in seven Theater Security Cooperation ( TSC ) exercises in Cambodia , Singapore , Malaysia , Kuwait , Saudi Arabia and Oman , as well as supported several national tasking missions . Upon return from the MEU deployment , HMM - 268 was designated to transition from the CH - 46E to the MV - 22B Osprey . This marked the beginning of a new chapter in the Red Dragons ’ history as the squadron continued to maintain readiness while preparing for transition .