Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (VMM-265) is a United States Marine Corps transport squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Dragons", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 36 (MAG-36) and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW). Mission The purpose of the squadron is to provide the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Commander with assault support transport of combat troops, supplies, and equipment, and to do so in the daytime or the nighttime under all weather conditions, during expeditionary, joint, or combined operations. History Early years HMM-265 was commissioned on 1 October 1962 at Marine Corps Air Facility Jacksonville, North Carolina. Originally flying the UH-34, the squadron deployed to Memphis, Tennessee shortly after commissioning in support of the Mississippi Crisis, a critical moment in the American civil rights movement. Following that, HMM-265 began a series of deployments testing new helicopter tactics such as the night raid. On 30 June 1964 the squadron began accepting the first CH-46A Sea Knights in Fleet Marine Force service. To commemorate their new aircraft, HMM-265 unveiled a new insignia on 1 October 1964. This design, created by PFC Charles D. Lyles, was the official unit patch until 2007, when a new design was adopted, based on the Japanese Shinjitai for dragon. In June 1965 the squadron deployed to the Caribbean aboard the . On 4 February 1966, HMM-265 became the first Marine Squadron to log 10,000 accident free hours in the CH-46A. The squadron had to address various technical teething problems including excessive rotor vibration and sand damage to the engines. In addition as a result of combat experience in South Vietnam the helicopters had to be modified to mount machine guns on either side of the helicopter. Vietnam War On 21 April 1966, the squadron boarded in Norfolk, Virginia. On 22 May the squadron came ashore at Marble Mountain Air Facility (MMAF) located southeast of Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam. The squadron had 22 CH-46As and was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16 (MAG-16), 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. Despite the earlier modifications the CH-46A experienced problems with sand damaging the engine compressors with the result that engines had to be replaced every 200-300 sorties, however by the end of August filters had been installed which remedied the issue. In early July the squadron supported Operation