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31st MEU became the first Ds to deploy to Iraq for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF). Then, from 2006 to 2009, five rotations of CH-53D squadrons deployed to Al Assad, Iraq. “In the spring of 2006 I deployed with the first CH-53D squadron to Iraq,” said Clare. “For seven months the reliable “D” provided 24-hour assault support. Two of my fondest memories are of a night time division raid south of Al Assad and on September 11, 2006 delivering steaks, lobster and ice cream to all of the Marines at the remote Forward Operating Bases (FOB) in Iraq.” The last major upgrade to the aircraft was another engine improvement -- replacing the venerable General Electric T-64-413's "hot section" to upgrade to the -416 model, according to Bud Salmon, H-53 T-64 Assistant Program Manager for Logistics at PMA-261. "The aircraft were headed to Afghanistan," he explained. "We needed to give them all the power and performance we could. We also installed the Titanium Nitride-coated compressor blades to protect against erosion and corrosion." Enabling more than twice the payload under certain conditions at higher altitudes, the engine upgrade gave Delta crews greater power and safety margins in combat, according to Salmon. In April 2009, HMH-362 redeployed from Iraq to Afghanistan and took part in Operation KANJARI, a heliborne insert of approximately 4,000 Marines into the Helmand River Valley. In the next three years, six squadron rotations would occur at Camp Leatherneck.
Sundown on the horizon Sundown for the aircraft truly began with the deactivation of the Delta training squadron, HMT-301 (The “Wind Walkers”), June 3, 2005. During its 39 years of training CH-53 pilots, aircrew, and maintainers, the Wind Walkers flew more than 144,000 hours, trained more 2,800 aircrew and received the Chief of Naval Operations’ safety award seven times. Operational sundown commenced, fittingly, when HMH-463, the first squadron to fly the CH-53 in combat, transitioned to the MV-22B Osprey in September, 2011. When they had completed their last deployment
in Afghanistan, though, the members of HMH-463 had tallied an impressive record flying in 171 named operations in 182 days with the highest mission capable rate of any helicopter squadron in theater at 81 percent. They were also the first CH-53 squadron to fly the new GAU-21 .50 cal machine gun in all quadrants on the aircraft, and they were the only Delta squadron in either Iraq or Afghanistan to run three maintenance shifts. "Three pilots from last year's deployment are now MAWTS-1 instructors in Yuma, AZ." said Lt. Col Pete Gadd, the last CH-53D Commanding Officer at HMH-463. "It was a privilege to fly and fight in such a great community, and I was blessed to serve with so much talent.” He added, “The D was a rugged and reliable airframe, she took me home for 18 years. It’s appropriate she finished in combat." Meanwhile, the last two operational Delta squadrons, HMH-362 and HMH-363, continued supporting combat operations in Afghanistan. “In 2010, I rejoined the CH53D fleet with HMH-362 and deployed to Afghanistan,” said Clare. “The aircraft had undergone a few upgrades but was still the aircraft I had loved to fly. For seven months I enjoyed flying the oldest platform in the theater and bragging about how our 40-year old aircraft and young Marines were providing whatever the infantry needed. “There was no greater joy than landing at a FOB and cleaning out all of their ‘space A’ troops and cargo and having room and lift to spare,” he said. “Memorable flights included many day and night raids as well as the fact that the CH-53D was still in high demand. Shortly after this deployment I found myself back in Afghanistan with HMH363 and the squadron was now at the forefront of a surge in activity.” Despite the aircraft’s advanced age, and the fact that metal had already been cut on its replacement (the CH53K), the aircraft was still, in former squadron skipper Seiffert’s words, “Reaching beyond its requirement.” “Our general support mission
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was still valid but now we were more focused on direct support, named operations,” Clare explained. “During our seven months we completed more than 100 named operations crippling the Taliban’s operations. During this tour I was able to fly on HMH-463’s and HMH-363’s last combat CH-53D flights.” Despite the looming retirement of the platform, tasking and flight operations continued at a high pace -- even as some aircraft were being retired individually. HMH-362’s Ugly Angels reached 80,000 mishap free flight hours in July 2011 and promptly departed Kaneohe for two weeks of training in Yuma, Ariz., followed by a stint at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Training Center, Twenty-nine Palms, Calif. for Exercise ENHANCED MOJAVE VIPER, after which the squadron began retiring aircraft. Four aircraft flew to what’s commonly referred to as “The Bone Yard” -the Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz. Two aircraft flew to the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla., where one is now displayed in the National Naval Aviation Museum and the other became a training tool for aircraft rescue and fire fighting teams. After returning to Hawaii, HMH362 flew the last operational Delta in Hawaii to the Pacific Aviation Museum located on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Feb. 9, 2012. The aircraft might have sundowned in Hawaii, but the Deltas were still in the thick of combat in Afghanistan as detachments from the squadrons were still rotating in and out of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. In August 2011, the Red Lions of HMH-363 arrived in Helmand Province to operate from Camp Bastion in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) 11.2 from September 2011 until March 2012. While there, they supported the Marine Corps push into the northern sector of the province in support of Operation EASTERN STORM and completed more than 50 named operations involving day and night escorted inserts and extracts, combat and emergency resupply missions, airborne vehicle interdiction operations and rapid ground refueling missions out of hasty forward arming and refueling points. These Continue on page 53
Rotor Review # 120 Spring ‘13