Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 (HMH-361) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopters. The squadron, known as the "Flying Tigers", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 16 (MAG-16) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW). History Early years HMH-361 was initially commissioned as Marine Transport Squadron 361 on 25 February 1952 at what was then Marine Corps Air Station Santa Ana, California. The squadron was attached to the only helicopter group in the Marine Corps, Marine Air Group (HR) - 16. At that time, the squadron consisted of only three OY-2 and one HRS-2 helicopters located at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. The original mission of the squadron was to train for and improve upon amphibious ship-to-shore tactics. An additional mission was training replacement pilots for duty in the Korean War. Shortly thereafter the squadron undertook its first major operation, to provide support for the atomic test exercise at Desert Rock, Nevada which is still the largest helicopter operation in history. Upon their return, HMR-361 was transferred to the newly established MAG (HR)-36 at MCAF Santa Ana in 1953. On 31 December 1956, the squadron was redesignated HMR(l)-361 and was now flying the HRS-3 helicopter. The squadron participated in two more atomic bomb testing exercises, beginning in June 1957 and February 1958. In September 1958, the squadron began flying the H-34 helicopter and in 1960 performed the first West Coast parachute drop for Marine Pathfinders from the H-34. On February 1, 1962, the squadron was redesignated HMM-361 according to a Marine Corps wide redesignation for all H-34 squadrons. HMM-361 deployed for the Cuban Missile Crisis on 27 October 1962, in support of the 5th Marine Expeditionary Force onboard the . Vietnam War In June 1963, the squadron was deployed to Okinawa. The one-year deployment was cut short, however, when the squadron was transferred to Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam to become the latest Operation Shufly helicopter squadron on 2 October. It was there that the squadron earned the nickname "Ross's Rice Runners", after their commanding officer, Lt Col Tom Ross. On 8 October two squadron UH—34Ds crashed almost simultaneously while on a search and rescue mission southwest of Da Nang. Both helicopters burned, killing 10 men; the pilots, copilots, the squadron's flight surgeon, and five crewmen. It