Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 364 (VMM-364) is a United States Marine Corps medium-lift tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22B Ospreys. The squadron, known as the "Purple Foxes", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW). Mission Provide utility combat helicopter support to the landing force in the ship to shore movement and in subsequent operations ashore. History Early years Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 was originally commissioned as Marine Helicopter Squadron 364 (HMR-364) on 1 September 1961 at Marine Corps Air Facility Santa Ana, California as part of Marine Aircraft Group 36 (MAG-36). In November 1961, it received its first Sikorsky UH-34 helicopter and in February 1962, the designation of the squadron was changed to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 (HMM-364). The squadron supported the Operation Dominic nuclear tests in the mid-Pacific operating from from 17 April to 10 August 1962 and from from 30 August to 14 November. The squadron conducted over water search and recovery of instrument capsules, personnel evacuations and ship to shore supply runs. Vietnam War In November 1963, the squadron deployed to Okinawa. On 1 February 1964 it relieved HMM-361 as the Operation Shufly squadron at Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam. On its arrival the squadron began training Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) crews to operate the UH-34 in preparation for forming their own squadrons. On 14 April a squadron UH-34D was shot down on a medevac mission west of Danang near the Laos border, the crew was rescued and the helicopter was destroyed. On 18 April the squadron supported Operation Lam Son 115 an Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) attack in the A Sầu Valley. From 27 April to 25 May the squadron supported Operation Quyet Thang 202 an ARVN attack on the Vietcong (VC) stronghold at Đỗ Xá (). On 28 April a squadron UH-34 got caught in the rotor wash of another helicopter and crashed into a canal at Quảng Ngãi, the crew escaped but the helicopter was a total loss. On 30 April a squadron UH-34 was shot down while evacuating an ARVN patrol west of Danang with no losses. On 13 June a squadron UH-34 on a resupply mission from Khe Sanh to Tiger Tooth Mountain (Dong Voi Mẹp) () was caught in downdrafts and crashed,