Marine Aircraft Group 16 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of four V-22 Osprey squadrons, four CH-53 Super Stallion squadrons, one Personnel Support Detachment, and an aviation logistics squadron. The group falls under the command of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and the I Marine Expeditionary Force. Mission Provide air support to Marine Air-Ground Task Force commanders. Subordinate units CH-53E Super Stallion Squadrons HMH-361 "Flying Tigers" HMH-462 "Heavy Haulers" HMH-465 "Warhorse" HMH-466 "Wolfpack" MV-22 Osprey Squadrons VMM-161 "Greyhawks" VMM-163 "Evil Eyes" (Formerly "Ridge Runners") VMM-165 "White Knights" VMM-362 "Ugly Angels" Maintenance Squadron MALS-16 "Forerunners" History Marine Helicopter Transport Group 16 (MAG(HR)-16) was commissioned on 1 March 1952 at Marine Corps Air Facility Santa Ana, California. MAG-16 was the first helicopter group established in the Marine Corps. Prior to its activation helicopter squadrons were considered special units and reported directly to the Air Wing commanding general with no intermediate command. Colonel Harold J. Mitchener was MAG-16's first commanding officer. Seven units made up the newly formed MAG: Headquarters Squadron (HQSQ) 16, Marine Airbase Squadron (MABS) 16, Marine Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (MAMS) 16, Marine Helicopter Transport Squadrons (HMR) 162, 163, 362 and 363. The group was then based Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on Okinawa. Vietnam War On 15 April 1962 group squadron HMM-362 became the first Marine aircraft unit to serve in South Vietnam when its Sikorsky UH-34s went ashore from the landing at Sóc Trăng Airfield in the Mekong Delta to become the first Operation Shufly squadron. MAG-16 squadrons rotated into and out of South Vietnam on approximately four month intervals, with HMM-163 replacing HMM-362 at Sóc Trăng on 1 August. On 8 March 1965 with the landing of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (9th MEB) at Da Nang the group was assigned to support it. The Marine helicopters continued to operate much the same as they did when under Shufly. Most of their missions were flown in support of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces throughout I Corps. Initially, after the landing of the 9th MEB, most of these flights were made by HMM-163. The newly arrived HMM-162 became operational on 12 March, but at first was confined to support of the 9th MEB. By the end of March, both squadrons were supporting the Marines and the ARVN. In late April VMCJ-1 arrived