Ugly Angels, USMC HMH-362 Limited Edition Stein
Stein Details
Capacity: 1 liter
Edition: Limited edition #385 of 400
Inscription: "Ugly Angels, USMC HMH-362 from Soc Trang to Al Anbar"
Signature: Ron Campbell
Design: Character stein based on the unit's shoulder patch
Manufacture: Made in Germany
Squadron Overview
The "Ugly Angels", Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362 (HMH-362) traces its history to April 30, 1952 when it was activated as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 362 (HMR-362), Marine Aircraft Group 16 (MAG-16), Air Fleet Marine Force, Pacific at Marine Corp Air Station, Santa Ana, California.
The "Ugly Angels" Nickname
The squadron earned the nickname "Archie's Angels" during its first deployment to Vietnam in support of Operation SHUFLY between April and July 1962, under the command of LTC Archie Clapp. This nickname evolved into "Ugly Angels", which became both the squadron's nickname and call sign.
1952 - Activation
April 30, 1952: Activated as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 362 (HMR-362) at Marine Corp Air Station, Santa Ana, California
1960s - Vietnam Era
April-July 1962: First Vietnam deployment in support of Operation SHUFLY under LTC Archie Clapp; squadron earns "Archie's Angels" nickname
September 1965: Second Vietnam deployment begins
1965-1969: Operations from Soc Trang, Ky Ha, Hue/Phu Bai, and Marble Mountains; also served as Landing Force Squadron on USS Valley Forge, USS Princeton, USS Okinawa, and USS Iwo Jima
August 21, 1969: Redesignated as HMH-362
During Vietnam operations, the unit lost 33 Marines
1991 - Gulf War
January-March 1991: Deployed to the Middle East in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm
1994 - Multiple Deployments
Bosnia: Operations Deny Flight, Provide Promise, and Sharp Guard
Arabian Gulf: Operation Southern Watch
Haiti: Operation Uphold Democracy
2007-2012 - War on Terror
2007: Deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (Al Anbar province)
April-August 2009: Deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom
March-September 2011: Deployed to Afghanistan
2012: Final Afghanistan deployment
November 30, 2012: HMH-362 deactivated
2018 - Reactivation
August 17, 2018: Reactivated and redesignated as Marine Medium Tiltrotar Squadron 362 (VMM-362); currently operates out of San Diego, CA
Historical Significance
This stein commemorates over six decades of Marine Corps aviation history, from the early days of helicopter operations in Vietnam through modern tiltrotor operations. The inscription "from Soc Trang to Al Anbar" specifically references the squadron's Vietnam War base at Soc Trang (1965-1969) and their Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment to Al Anbar province (2007), spanning 45 years of the unit's combat history.
Additional Information
An April 7, 2016 post on the National Museum of the Marine Corp Facebook Page features stein #159 of 400, which is named to SGT Alan Love, confirming the series was manufactured in Germany.
Sources
National Museum of the Marine Corp, Facebook Page, April 7, 2016 (stein #159 of 400)
Unit inscription and historical records