Posted on 03/10/2006 4:58:19 PM PST by SandRat
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. (March 6, 2006) -- It was an emotionally charged evening when more than 150 Marines and sailors from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 161, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, touched down on the flight line here and were greeted by their friends and families.
HMM-161 returned from a seven-month long deployment to the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. The squadron arrived at Al Asad, Iraq, Aug. 5 and immediately went to work putting their aircraft together. In three weeks all of their aircraft were ready for operations.
HMM-161 started flying missions in September 2005, said Cpl. Carson D. Clover, airframe mechanic, HMM-161.
“The aircrews are the ones out there saving lives, we’re the ones turning wrenches to make it happen,” said Clover, a 21-year-old Ashland, Ore., native.
While deployed the “Greyhawks” performed casualty evacuations, troop insertions, troop extractions, raids and general support missions, said Cpl. Isaac M. Avendano crew chief, HMM-161.
“Our main mission was saving lives,” said Avendano, a 24-year-old native of Ventura, Calif.
Not only did HMM-161 help save the lives of Marines, but they also evacuated soldiers, Iraqi military and police, civilians and wounded insurgents, said Avendano.
“We take pride in the fact that we never missed a casualty evacuation or dropped a single mission,” said Avendano.
HMM-161 ran missions around the clock.
However, not every mission was combat related. Some of the general support missions consisted of transporting mail for the Marines in country, transporting Marines to Baghdad for sick call, transporting VIPs, and transporting voting ballets as well as the Iraqis who ran the polling sites, said Avendano.
While in Iraq, HMM-161 also achieved 55,000 mishap-free flight hours, according to Capt. Matt Salas, pilot, HMM-161.
Now that his fellow Marines are home, most want to spend time with their families and get back into the swing of things, said Salas a 27-year-old Hacienda Heights, Calif., native.
For the Marines of HMM-161 the mere sight of their families and friends waiting for them was a welcome one from the fast-paced deployment.
“It feels good to rest from the 24-hour operations tempo,” said Cpl. Steven B. Young assistant operations chief, HMM-161.
Well Done, Welcome Home!
Wonder whose bed she's been keeping warm while he's been deployed.
BTTT
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