Hmm/vmm 561

[Slick]

[SIZE="4"]Received from Col. "Badman" Driscoll[/SIZE]

[SIZE="4"]I wanted to pass on to you for any and all out there who were once members of HMM-561. On 2 December at 1500 on board here at MCAS Miramar, San Diego California, HMM-561 will be re-activated and re-designated as VMM-561, Pale Horse. We will have an H-34 and MV-22 on static display behind the parade and formation of Marines. The CO is LtCol Warren "Angus" Curry. For all the old HMM-561 Marines out there, they are more than welcome to attend this great ceremony as we stand up our newest MV-22 squadron.[/SIZE]

[Jerome HALL]

I want to see what the PALE Horse looks like ! Slick can you get the Col. to send us a picture to Pop-a-smoke.

[John Ace Hunt]

I just hope they run out of 22's before my Squadron has to change over. Once all the 46's are out of service, they are susposed to start selling them to other countries. I'll change my mind when I see one Auto-rotate. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

[hma1369]

VMM-561 "Pale Horse" patch

[hma1369]

I just hope they run out of 22's before my Squadron has to change over. Once all the 46's are out of service, they are susposed to start selling them to other countries. I'll change my mind when I see one Auto-rotate. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

Per the 2011 Aviation Plan HMM-265 is scheduled to rotate to the West Coast in FY2013 to start MV-22 transition. 262 transitions in FY2014. They will be replaced by VMM-561 and VMM-562.

[John Ace Hunt]

hma-1369, I have a feeling they will soon find the major problems that have not been found yet with the 22, well before they take the 46's away from my Squadron. When the readiness goes down to barely nothing, you can move a lot of troops, right? I believe its the worse mistake in Marine Air that they have made. Like I've said, when it will Auto-Rotate, I'll change my mind. Hope the new Commandant will see that. I believe production has stopped, but may be wrong after some haggling they did. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

[John Ace Hunt]

I'm just very glad 265 has still held on to the 46. It was scheduled for '12, but '13 is much better. The 22 will never do what the 46 has, are, or will be doing in the future. Period. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

[lurch]

that's a really nice looking patch . I think I know what your #s mean ! sf kc

[Allyn Hinton]

I have the VMM-561 patches in stock.

[John Ace Hunt]

I agree Lurch. It is a good patch. It would be nice if the patches would show the type of Bird the Squadron has at that time. I guess thats to hard. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

[Allyn Hinton]

LtCol. Curry got in touch with me before he left New River over a year ago. I sent him one of the HMM-561, H&MS-56, and MAG-56 patches. He wanted them to work up the design for the VMM-561 patch. Early this year he sent me the picture of what the squadron patch was to be, and ordered a couple hundred from me. I had them for sale at Reno, and one of the active duty pilots told me he had orders to 561. He bought a couple, and told me the CO would really be surprised when he showed up with a squadron patch already on his flight suit.

[Jerome HALL]

LtCol. Curry got in touch with me before he left New River over a year ago. I sent him one of the HMM-561, H&MS-56, and MAG-56 patches. He wanted them to work up the design for the VMM-561 patch. Early this year he sent me the picture of what the squadron patch was to be, and ordered a couple hundred from me. I had them for sale at Reno, and one of the active duty pilots told me he had orders to 561. He bought a couple, and told me the CO would really be surprised when he showed up with a squadron patch already on his flight suit.

Real nice ALLyn and I'm sure the lt.col was surprize. HAve you gotten any orders since the reunion?

[Jerome HALL]

VMM-561 "Pale Horse" patch

Thanks for the quick return! Looks real nice TOM......... thanks again and Semper FI

[John Ace Hunt]

Alan, have the patches gone up? Semper Fi, and READY-APP.

[Allyn Hinton]

I've sold a few 561 patches since Reno. Price of all patches has been the same for the past 12 years. At Pop A Smoke Reunions I sell them for less: five for $ 20.00. All patches I have can be seen on Pop A Smoke: FREEDOM HILL PX, SQUADRON PATCHES.

[John Ace Hunt]

Thank you Alan. Its not that its to hard to show a Bird, its just that its what the designer wants. I believe if the LtCol. had drawn a 22 on the patch, it would have been on it. I had thought I had mis-placed the VMF(AW)235'Death Angels' patch I had you get me, but I have found it. I'll soon check them out on site, and hopefully get to order a few I don't have. S/F.

[hma1369]

VMM-561 activates ‘Osprey’ squadron at Miramar

12/6/2010 By Cpl. Steven H. Posy , Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. — Marine Medium Tiltrotor squadron 561 became the first MV-22 “Osprey” squadron on the West Coast to begin from scratch during a squadron activation ceremony held here Dec. 2, 2010.
A crowd of Marines and spectators gathered at the ceremony as Lt. Col. Warren J. Curry, the VMM-561 commanding officer, took control of the new squadron.

“These Marines are making history today and are a part something special,” said Maj. Gen. Thomas L. Conant, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing commanding general. “They are part of a great legacy.”

The ceremony commenced with a performance by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Marching Band, followed by words from Curry.

“We started from scratch, and 18 months later we stand up ready to deploy,” said Curry. “Today starts the day to become a cohesive and disciplined unit ready to serve our corps.”

VMM-561 represented the legacy of the squadron by parking a vintage UH-34 “Sea Horse” helicopter, along with an Osprey, behind a formation of Marines on the flight line.

Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 561 flew the UH-34 during the Vietnam era.

Now the MV-22, with its tilt-rotor platform, currently serves the Marine Corps in combat operations in Afghanistan.The Osprey represents a new era of aviation and the future of the medium-lift airframe.

From flying Marines in the early 60s to conducting operations in Operations Iraqi and Enduring freedom, VMM-561 carries its history into the 21st century.

[Joe Reed]

Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 561 flew the UH-34 during the Vietnam era.

Don't know who else might remember, but some of the units last missions before the squadron retired it's s in 1969 were drug interdiction along the Mexican border, while flying out of MCAS Yuma, Az. My friend Darrell Tygart (RIP Darrell) flew CC on what might have been the last mission of "old" 561 when they ferried the birds to Davis-Monthan in Tucson for retirement/storage after chasing druggies out of Yuma. Tis was the very last active duty work for the UH-34D and it was HMM-561. The rest of the squadrons were all CH-46/CH-53 by then.

[John Ace Hunt]

Joe thats a very good Idea. Bring the 34's and 46's out of the boneyard, and start them in the Drug War on the border now. They did it then, they can do it now. Glad you reminded people what they did before they were retired. Semper Fi, and READY-APP.