During the period August 1969 through February '70, HMM-364 was a unique squadron, the likes of which had not been seen since the "Black Sheep Squadron" and Greg Boynton of WW II fame.  Greg or "Pappy" as he was referred to because of his age, was a Major commanding a Corsair Squadron made up of Lieutenants.

HMM-364 was cut the same way.  When I assumed command, the two Captains were transferred to the Wing and Group and the one Major went home shortly thereafter.  Late in September another Major was transferred to the "Purple Foxes."  The problem here was he had been a "weekend warrior" in a Marine Corps Reserve Rifle Company and a Ration Company (-), had only been back on active duty for about six weeks, had less than 45 days training in a CH-46 after last flying a UH-34 more than 9 years prior, and besides that - he was a banker in the civilian world.  Anyone remember him?

Basically however the squadron was run by 49 Lieutenants, my XO who was a Major, the banker who was the Operations Officer and one Lieutenant Colonel.  The senior Lt. at this time was the Maintenance Officer.  I personally gave each of my pilots a complete and comprehensive NATOPS helicopter aircraft commander (HAC) check, and this check ride became known as DUNBAUGHOPS.  I knew, but more importantly each new HAC knew  he was well qualified to command the helicopter on any and all missions.  In addition to the outstanding flying experience by each and every one, all pilots in the "Purple Foxes" during this period can rightly be proud of their non-flying collateral duty accomplishments. The Lieutenants rose to fill squadron billets normally assigned to Marines of higher rank and more experience.

You were part of a squadron that set records, were looked at by others who wondered, "how come they could do it and other CH-46 squadrons with more senior personnel were not up to it."  We had better availability; had fewer runway aborts; and, less flying problems.  Yes, and because of the availability, both Boeing Vertol and other Navy Department observers were sent out to see if we, No Me, the Commanding Officer, was churning the books to make availability look good.  They wrote down side numbers, went to the runway and checked those side numbers off as missions lifted off, and shook their heads.

Our reports were correct.  We also had the VIP helicopter that was always shined and ready, until our friends in the heavy lift CH-53's dropped it in the water.  We could launch 18 out of 21 helicopters (down from 24 due to combat losses without replacements), make a vertical envelopment landing, get holes in the belly, and our ground crews could have 16 of the 18 ready for an afternoon strike.  And, we did this on many occasions.

On 16 October 1969 we transported Premier & Mrs. Diem and his cabinet to the the aircraft carrier USS Constellation for a 7th Fleet ceremony.  Then we took Admiral Hyland, CinCPACFLT, to the USS Oklahoma City, and landed sideways on the stern of the 7th Fleet Flagship, a cruiser going at flank speed.

The "Purple Foxes" were so notoriously good, that Cobra pilots wanted in on the action.  Remember Major Jack Pipa from the VMO squadron who volunteered to come to HMM-364 if he could be the Executive Officer?  "Why not", I said to LtCol. "Chick" Chalgren, Group S-1.  It might be interesting to note that Jack was the ordnance test pilot at NAAS China Lake for the newly acquired Cobra prior to his second Vietnam tour.

The "Purple Foxes" were known far and wide, and although at the time, maybe everyone didn't know the significance, and set many bench marks.  From the Outpost (OP) southwest of An Hoa near the Nong Song Coal Mines, I lifted off with 27 Marines on board.  After arriving at An Hoa, the senior officer on board remarked to me that he had never seen nor heard of a CH-46 lifting what it was designed to lift.  Too bad the CH-46 wasn't used within its operational envelope more often.  I told him I had carried a load of 41 souls from a 7th Marine Company operating area.  Of course, I didn't tell him they were all Vietnamese escorted by a couple of Nuns.  In January 1970 we started picking up larger external loads.  If all were going to one location we would attach three nets of supplies to our external hooks.  No use going to the same place three times when you can reduce exposure to one round trip.

The "Purple Foxes" became more famous on Christmas day 1969.  The enlisted men in the squadron wanted to take ice cold beer to the OP's as Christmas presents.  They dug deep into their pockets for the money to purchase the beer and told me they would insure that the squadron had enough aircraft to fulfill all fragmentary orders as well as the "beer run." Normally, this added task upon the assets of the squadron should have been presented to higher headquarters for approval.  However, the "can do" attitude of the squadron on behalf of the pilots and the maintenance personnel was common knowledge at both Wing and Group headquarters, and they both held HMM-364 in high esteem.  Because of this I did not request permission for this added "beer run" task.  If you don't ask, you never hear, "No!", was my reasoning.  I was also confident that everything would be "overlooked" as long as the single aircraft, flying without gunship support, completed its mission and returned safely to Marble Mountain.

The support personnel gave us the aircraft availability and the Christmas beer run was a GO.  The Sergeant Major, R. R. Ebert and GySgt. J. D. Hummel, the Admin. Chief, volunteered as gunners for the flight and the "banker" was my copilot.  However, when the trailer of ice cold beer was rolled aboard, GySgt. J. D. Hummel was wearing a Santa Clause suit and a long white beard.  Where he got it i'll never know, but that's what the men wanted, so off we went.  Santa Clause would sit on the partially lowered ramp secured with a gunners belt to a tie down ring in the floor so that when we spiraled down to the landing zone he was visible to the troops on the ground.  I recall one radio operator was keying his microphone when he exclaimed, "My God look, it's Santa Clause".  We would ascertain on final, whether the OP was manned with a single or double recon team, so Santa could have two cans, more or less, for each of those manning the OP.  We got through the day with Santa dispensing two trailer loads of his wares.  The weather wasn't that good on Christmas Day and luckily we didn't take any hostile fire, because we didn't have a chase CH-46 nor gun ship escorts until the regular fragged mission time.  I remember flying 9 hours that day which was a bit more than the "authorized" maximum crew hours.  I did receive a couple letters from the Grunts thanking the "Purple Foxes" and had conversations with others in the States about that day.  I might add that both the Wing and the Group did overlook the fact that that it was not an "approved" mission for the squadron.

Without going into a lot more, I can truthfully say I was associated with the finest 251 young Marines, both officer and enlisted, during my six months as Commanding Officer.  I sort of miss those days, but as I always say, "What was, never will be again."

Charles R. "Chuck" Dunbaugh
LtCol.                    USMC (Ret)
2701 Colonial Drive
Dickenson, Texas 77539-4406
fatherfox@earthlink.net