black and white "Evil Eyes", under the command of LtCol Otto Bianchi. Bianchi was a good friend of the Wing Commander, but that didn't keep Major General Louis Robertshaw, 1st MAW Commanding General, from reading Bianchi the "riot act" concerning the unauthorized paint scheme. Also in the room at the time of this conversation was the Commanding General of the Marine ground forces in the area, who politely interrupted by saying, "It sure is great to have the 'Evil Eyes' back here at Phu Bai!" Robertshaw relented and the "Evil Eyes" have remained to this day. On 8 September 1967 the squadron became the SLF Alpha helicopter squadron onboard . On 30 October the squadron joined Marine Aircraft Group 36 (MAG-36) at Quang Tri Combat Base. The squadron supported Marine units fighting around the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone throughout early 1968. In mid-April the MAG-36 units at Quang Tri, including the squadron, were detached into Provisional (Prov) MAG-39. On 19 May HMM-161 equipped with new CH-46Ds replaced the squadron at Quang Tri and it was transferred to MAG-16. On 31 August the squadron returned to the U.S.. 1990s During the 1990s, HMM-163 continued to excel while serving as the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) for five Special Operations Capable Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU(SOC)) on deployments to the Pacific and Central Command theaters. During this time, the squadron participated in operations across the Pacific and from the Horn of Africa to the Persian Gulf, including Operation Fiery Vigil in 1991, Operation Continue Hope, Operation Distant Runner, and Operation Quick Draw in 1994, Operation Desert Strike in 1996 and Operation Resolute Response in 1998. Global War on Terror In 2001, while deployed with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit(SOC), the Evil Eyes of HMM-163 again had the opportunity to serve America with distinction by participating in combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While forward deployed to the Central Command Theater of Operations, the Evil Eyes planned and executed the longest amphibious assault in American military history with the seizure of a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in southern Afghanistan. This was accomplished through the use of a 4-aircraft detachment of CH-53E helicopters, which are capable of in-flight refueling. They had been attached to the squadron 8 months earlier in preparation for deployment as the Air Combat Element of the 15th MEU (SOC). The squadron remained forward deployed for seven weeks operating from the austere