A 1-liter limited edition stein, #385 of 400, marked “Ugly Angels, USMC HMH-362 from Soc Trang to Al Anbar”, signed by Ron Campbell. This character stein is based on the unit’s shoulder patch.
The “Ugly Angels”, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362 (HMH-362), trace their history to April 30, 1952, when they were activated as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 362 (HMR-362), Marine Aircraft Group 16 (MAG-16), Air Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, at Marine Corps Air Station, Santa Ana, California.
Over the next ten years, the unit was deployed to Japan and later to Vietnam, where it was ultimately re-designated as Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 362 (HMM-362). During the squadron’s first deployment to Vietnam, in support of Operation SHUFLY between April and July 1962 under the command of Lt. Col. Archie Clapp, the squadron earned the nickname “Archie’s Angels”, which later evolved into the enduring nickname and call sign “Ugly Angels.”
The unit’s second deployment to Vietnam occurred in September 1965. Over the next four years, they operated out of Soc Trang, Ky Ha, Hue/Phu Bai, and Marble Mountain, as well as serving as the Landing Force Squadron aboard the USS Valley Forge, USS Princeton, USS Okinawa, and USS Iwo Jima. During this period, the unit lost 33 Marines.
On August 21, 1969, upon completion of their Vietnam deployment, the unit was redesignated HMH-362.
From January to March 1991, the “Ugly Angels” deployed to the Middle East in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
In 1994, they were deployed to Bosnia in support of Operations Deny Flight, Provide Promise, and Sharp Guard, and later that same year to the Arabian Gulf for Operation Southern Watch, as well as to Haiti for Operation Uphold Democracy. Their next combat deployment occurred in 2007 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, followed by a deployment from April to August 2009 to Kandahar, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The “Ugly Angels” deployed to Afghanistan again from March to September 2011, and for a final time in 2012.
On November 30, 2012, HMH-362 was deactivated. On August 17, 2018, the unit was reactivated and redesignated as Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 362 (VMM-362). The unit remains on active duty, operating out of San Diego, California.
A post dated April 7, 2016, on the National Museum of the Marine Corps Facebook page notes stein #159 of 400, named to Sgt. Alan Love, and indicates that the steins were manufactured in Germany.
