Camaraderie, mutual respect, ties that bind, lifelong friendships, chemistry, or sheer loyalty - call it what you may.  Throw in the brashness and bravado of youth and the desire to get involved.  Mix in skill and cunning with a "can do" attitude.  Apply the total team concept.  Experience the adrenaline rush of combat and mission accomplishment.  Allow for some aged wisdom of senior leadership.  Then top it off with a good dose of blood, sweat and tears.  Some may refer to the above as the traits of a brotherhood, a unique fraternity, or some exceptional group of idealistic Americans - but to those who have been, or are now, part of this life-long experience, you are best describing the men and women of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 (HMM-364), better known as "The Purple Foxes."  Who we are as Purple Foxes is defined by the decades old constancy of HMM-364 operations and missions.  This is our story.

It is a story that began over 40 years ago and continues to this day.  It is a story of bravery, respect, and friendship forged in battle and fostered in peacetime.  It is a story of dedication of Marines' respect and love for one another.  It is a story of combat, beginning in Vietnam and resulting in 61 squadron members making the ultimate sacrifice and over 100 more wounded in action.  It is a story of heroism.  A short list of those known decorations for valor includes 6 Navy Crosses, 30 Silver Stars, 107 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 7 Bronze Stars, and many hundreds of Strike/Flight Air Medals.  (Listing of known decorations for valor)

We Purple Foxes have derived our spirit from those who have demonstrated leadership by example.  We old Purple Foxes recognized it "then," while the Purple Foxes of today recognize it "now."  From the earliest beginning of HMM-364 under the able command of Maj. Manning T. Jannell in April 1962 to the inspiring leadership of LtCol. Ronald B. Radich in 2004, the squadron has invoked the mantra of "lead by example."  During the early years the squadron was led by Marines who won their spurs in World War II (WWII) and Korea.  Commanding officers (COs) like LtCols. John H. LaVoy, Louis A. Gulling, Joseph R. Dobbratz, M.V. "Bud" Statzer, Eugene R. Brady, and Charles R. Dunbaugh were men who demanded excellence in themselves and their Marines.

When LtCol. LaVoy became CO of the Purple Foxes, he had flown the SBD (scout bomber dive) 20 years earlier in WWII, and he had flown combat missions in Korea a decade earlier.  His approach to leadership was one of example.  A seasoned warrior, he was admired and respected by the Marines of HMM-364.  They would follow him anywhere, and they did - to Vietnam in 1964.

On 27 April 1964, HMM-364 launched 18 UH-34s fondly referred to as "Dogs", augmented by 3 Vietnamese UH-34s, 5 U.S. Army UH-1B Huey gunships, and 2 Vietnamese A1-E Skyraiders, to insert approximately 640 Army of the Republic of Vietnam troops to destroy a heavily defended enemy enclave at Do Xa, Republic of Vietnam.  The three waves of heliborne troops encountered devastating heavy caliber machine gun and other automatic weapons fire.  Two UH-34s were shot down in the landing zone (LZ).  Their crews were rescued by Maj. John Braddon.  The pilot of a Vietnamese A1-E was also rescued by Maj. Braddon after being shot down providing close air support for the operation.  The first Distinguished Flying Crosses awarded to Marine helicopter pilots in the Vietnam War were awarded for this mission.  Additionally, Maj. Braddon was awarded the Silver Star.

Three days later SSgt. John C. Thompson was loadmaster for a flight of 18 helicopters ordered to extract members of an outpost totally surrounded by insurgent Communist guerrillas.  On the first aircraft, Thompson debarked in the LZ to guide the approaching aircraft to a safe landing.  Facing a heavy volume of fire, he remained in his exposed position to ensure the landing of the aircraft and the embarkation of the maximum number of wounded personnel.  When the final aircraft arrived, six persons - including Thompson - remained, and the lift capacity dictated a maximum of five passengers.  SSgt. Thompson  chose to remain alone in the face of certain death in order to keep the load at a safe weight for takeoff.  The pilot ordered him aboard.  As he was pulled onto the lifting UH-34, the passengers and crew fired over him at the attacking enemy.  Thus Thompson became HMM-364's first recipient of the Navy Cross.  The successful Do Xa mission, an example of rising to the task at hand under extreme combat conditions, exhilarated the Marines of HMM-364 and gave them the impetus of passing on the heritage and hallmarks of the squadron to all who followed in their steps - leadership by example.

The squadron rotated back to the States at the end of 1964.  On 11 August 1965, after a mere 8 months back home, the squadron shipped out again for Vietnam with a number of their battle-hardned Marines from the previous deployment.  During the transit across the Pacific, a wily Purple Fox was created by 1stLt. A. L. Elmore, to describe the Marines of HMM-364.  Sgt. Ronald A. Knight had permission from the CO to stencil the "Purple Fox" on the tails of the aircraft.  Knight stated, "I exceeded my authorization adding the 'Give a Shit' slogan to the stencil.  We all knew what this meant - that HMM-364 really did care about the Marines they supported."  Sgt. George H. Dodds added, "We didn't really do much that anyone else in Marine helicopters didn't do, but we did it with a lot more style and class."

In another incident of leadership by example, Sgt. Norman B. Sumner jumped out of an aircraft and ran to the aid of a wounded advisor under direct enemy fire, then climbed a steep bank only to find his path blocked by a barbed wire fence.  Tearing down this obstacle with his bare hands, Sumner ran across an exposed area for 25 yards finding his route obstructed by an 8 foot bamboo fence.  Tearing a hole in the fence, he reached the wounded advisor, lifted him to his shoulder, returned across the same exposed and heavily defended area, and successfully loaded the advisor aboard the waiting helicopter earning a Silver Star.  In another incident, SSgt. Ronald A. Lay left his aircraft and traversed a minefield twice to assist two wounded Marines back to his aircraft earning a Bronze Star.

By early November 1967, the squadron had reconstituted with 38 brand new aircraft, the CH-46 "Phrog" (look at the helicopter - looks just like a frog!), under command of LtCol. Louis A. Gulling.  On 30 January 1968, the North Vietnamese Army launched the Tet Offensive.  HMM-364 rewrote the chapter on helicopter tactics during the next few months.  Then, Capt. William H. "Bill" Dabney, CO of I, 3d Battalion, 26th Marines, isolated on Hill 881S near the combat outpost of Khe Sanh, was supported solely by helicopters for a total of 113 days.  Col. Dabney, now retired, recalls, "During the Siege of Khe Sanh (Jan - Apr 1968) the Purple Foxes shared responsibility for supply and medical evacuation for the hill outposts north and west of the base.  Approaches and landing zones for Hill 881S, the most distant outpost, were under constant enemy fire - often shrouded in clouds.  Although the medical evacuation missions, unplanned and therefore unsupported by other aircraft, were the most dangerous, the aeronautical skills of the pilots were most impressively displayed during the 'Supergaggle,' as the resupply missions were called.  Ten helicopters supported by a squadron of A-4 attack aircraft . . . delivered external loads to the hill in less than three minutes through . . . smokescreens.  The Marines defending the hill were awed by the perfection of the formations and precision of deliveries routinely achieved under fire.  Their admiration and gratitude for the intrepidity and dependability of the aircrews continues to this day.  They were utterly confident that what they needed would be delivered and that, if wounded, they would be quickly evacuated.  Only extreme weather could prevent or delay it; the enemy, try as he did, could not affect the Purple Foxes' resolve.  The ultimate manifestation of the Air/Ground Team in battle: they were magnificent."

From the Hue City and Ashau Valley campaigns in early 1968 to OPERATION MEADE RIVER in late 1968, the Marines of HMM-364 served with heroism and distinction.  The Purple Fox squadron maintenance section had a daily goal of maximizing the number of "up" status helicopters for launch.  None served with more dedication than the maintenance crews, those wrench-turners, whose leadership by example was critical to operational excellence.  Cpl. James Edward "Johnny" Johnson is a perfect example.  Assigned overnight repair on 25 May 1968, Johnson resolved to his crew chief, Sgt. Ken Altazan, that he would be ready for the dawn launch.  Johnson was 14 feet above the hangar deck, standing out on the access panel outside the aft pylon, working on the aft transmission when he demanded, "Al, you go get some sleep; I will get it done!"  Johnson would get this helicopter up or "he would die trying."  During a rocket attack that very night, a 122mm rocket hit the aft transmission - Johnson died trying.

Sgt. Altazan, recipient of the Silver Star, and wounded on his last Purple Fox mission, cannot forget a corporal who gave all without glory, without formal recognition, and without an award, but with a treasure more precious than gold - the undying admiration of his fellow Marines - the aura of the Purple Fox.

A veteran of the Korean War, LtCol. Eugene Brady arrived in Vietnam late in 1968 joining the planning of MEADE RIVER.  A jet pilot, he made it very clear that he wanted to command a helicopter squadron.  To this end he scrounged around for CH-46 time wherever he could and was wounded on one of those flights.  He was medically evacuated to Japan where then - Commandant, Gen. Leonard F. Chapman, Jr. presented Brady his Purple Heart.  Returning to duty as the operations officer for Marine Aircraft Group 16, then commanded by Col. Warren McQuarrie, who had been a captain with him in Korea, LtCol. Brady was met with, "Gene, your vacation is over.  I've assigned you to command HMM-364, the Purple Foxes."

On 2 February 1969, LtCol. Brady assumed command of HMM-364.  Known as Papa-Fox, he became the epitome of the Purple Fox spirit.  He knew every member of the squadron and took personally the loss of every casualty.  The enlisted Marines revered him and were known to invite him to drink with them at their club.  The pilots worshiped the ground he waked on because they knew he would fly any mission they would, that he would defend their actions, and that he would be the first in line to fly a rescue of a downed crew or provide emergency assistance for a ground unit in trouble.  Gene Brady exuded the spirit of the Purple Foxes.  He was electric, and he passed it on to everyone else reinforcing the squadron's proud legacy.

On 15 May 1969, then 1stLt. Jerry Skibinski recalls, "The leadership, courage, and airmanship exhibited under fire by Papa-Fox saved the lives of at least eight seriously wounded Marines in what was known as the Arizona Territory just southwest of Da Nang."  The CO of Company G, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, then 1stLt. Andy Finlayson recalls, "I informed LtCol. Brady that we were still under fire and the probability of his helicopter being hit was high.  I also told him that my wounded would not last till morning, and that I had too few men left able to launch a night assault to widen our perimeter.  Even though it was quite dark, and fog and smoke drifted over the LZ, LtCol. Brady said he was coming in anyhow and would get my wounded out.  As he approached, tracers arched up at him, but he kept right on coming.  As he landed, 2 B-40 rockets landed within 30 feet of his helicopter, but LtCol. Brady stayed until our wounded were aboard.  It was the air/ground team concept and superb airmanship of all pilots involved in this action that prevented far greater casualties, even possibly our annihilation.  My Marines had two magazines and no hand grenades left at the time of the medical evacuation.  Although all the pilots involved did a magnificent job, I must single out LtCol. Brady for his heroism and presence of mind in the face of such odds."  It was for this mission that Papa-Fox was awarded our Nation's second highest decoration for heroism - the Navy Cross.  Throughout LtCol. Brady's tenure of command the Purple Foxes continued to acquit themselves in the air and on the battlefield through continued heroism and leadership by example.

Recalling these missions invokes the memory of our Navy corpsmen and flight surgeons - Purple Foxes all!  By our count, on every mission we were a team of pilot, copilot, crew chief, two or three gunners, and a corpsman on medical evacuation missions, for whom our maintenance crew, constantly without rest, ensured helicopter availability.  A Marine air/ground team, we all accomplished the mission, linked by oath and blood to those on the ground, evoking misty eyes as we recall the memory of 61 Marines and corpsmen - all crew members of HMM-364, our Purple Fox brothers who gave their all - their names now forever etched in black granite at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC.

The Purple Foxes of the Vietnam era endured much and have bonded forever.  To put it in context, in less than 10 years the squadron had 16 COs, lost 61 of their comrades forever, and saw their members earn countless medals for bravery under fire to include 6 Navy Crosses.  On  25 February 1971, all HMM-364 aircraft were towed to the Da Nang deep water pier  and loaded for  their shipment from Vietnam bringing to an end  the vital  role  the  Purple Foxes  played  in  the  Vietnam  conflict.   Over  45,000 combat hours  were flown in Vietnam by HMM-364 carrying  some 16,000  medevacs, over 10,000 tons of cargo and nearly a quarter of a million passengers.  By any standard of measure these Purple Foxes did their duty and have reason to be proud of their accomplishments.

The Vietnam era Marines who bear the title of Purple Fox continue to this day to support each other as well as their active duty counterparts, under the leadership of LtCol. Ronald B. Radich, who have recently performed so magnificently in Operation IRAQI  FREEDOM.  With them we join in saying, "Once a Purple Fox, always a Purple Fox!"

Editor's Note:  A number of Vietnam era Marines contributed to this article to include LtCol. Richard L. Bianchino, USMC(Ret); Jerry Skibinski, former 1stLt. USMCR; Col. Andrew Finlayson, USMC(Ret); Kenneth A. Altazon, former Sgt. USMC; Col. Eugene R. Brady, USMC(Ret); Col. Charles J. Schoener, USMC(Ret); Maj. Courtney B. Payne, USMC(Ret); and Col. William H. Dabney, USMC(Ret).

Maj. Franklin A. Gulledge, Jr., USMC(Ret) is the creator of the web site ?www.hmm-364.org> documenting the rich history of the Purple Foxes.

Mr. Donovan was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps as a Reserve major in 1986.  He is now the Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel, Department of Law, City of Chicago.

Col. McSorley retired in 1997 and is a Senior Account Consultant with Frost and Sullivan in San Antonio, TX.