Saipan (LHA 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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MARINE T MEDIUM HELICCJPTER SQUADRON - 264 The Black KnighTs were acTivaTed on 30 June 4959 aT MCAS New River, Jacksonville? N.C.: originally designaTed as HMTCLJ-264. On 4 Feb 49,62 The Black KnighT squadroiigi was redesignaTed as Marine Medium HelicopTer Sauadronf264 CHMM4264j, iTs preseniy designaTion. HMM-264 has flown various helos, including The firsT UH 34. From OCT unilii Dec of 4962 HMM-264 parTicipaTed in The Cuban Missle Crisis reacTion, and WGSJT awarded The Armed Forces ExpediTionary Medal for This acTion.Durin'gVApr,To Jun 4965f HMM-264 earned The Navy UniT CommendaTion for acTionsin The Dominican Republic. During 4968 The CH 34 was replaced by The 'modern workhorse of.HMM-264, The Cllr 46. Cn 7 Aug 4976, HMM-264, in conjuncTion wiTh The USS 'Iwo Jima received The Admiroll FlaTely Award for safeTy. HMM-264has deployed To The MediTerranean Sea on several occassions 'prior To LF6F . MARC 3-84. MosT recenTly 3 consecuTive Trips aboard The USS Guam as an elemenli of The 34Th and 32d MAUs, and once aboard The USS Guadalcanal wiTh The 32d lVlAU.j l On 27 Nov 4979, HMM-264 received iTs firsT HE model CH 46, The currenT Black Knighli flying machine. HMM-264 was The firsT Marine HelicopTer Squadron To deploy wiTh Thei CH 46E. ln Jun 4980 HMM-264 deployed wiTh The 32d MAU aboard The USS Guadalccrldlg To The MediTerranean Sea, This deploymenT saw HMM-264 parTicipaTe in The firsT ioinli exercise wiTh Tunisian Commandos. While embarked HMM-264 TransiTed The SUEZ CGDOTT and made iTs second porT visiT in The sauadron's hisTory To Mombasa, Kenya. i On 42 Feb ioei Licei s. A. EiiEiQTsoN assumed command of ine Bleek KniQl'1'lS0f, HMM-264. Since Feb 84 HMM-264 has parTicipaTed in a 2d MAW AVELEX: Ci9D'0Yed'. for VTTOUVWTGTVW TVOWVWQ TO Cflmp Mosby: CQ'd aboard The LKA-443: CQ'd aboard The. USS GUGGGICGHGIS SUDDorTed Solid Shield: TERF and NighT Vision GOQQIG Tf0lfl?d'g embarked aboard The USS SAIPAN in supporT of BLT 216 CRE, and conducTed a live, FIREEX- All in DFGDGFOHOD for The sauadron's firsT deploymenT aboard an LHA, The uSSl sAiPAN. A The Marines of Hiviivi-2 Cla 4 I 64 have The spiriT and abiliTies To geT any job done. The BIO ,I KnighTs of HM-264 will always lead The charge and meet The challange. Z

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X I I- 5 .', . 53 . LtCol Sidney A. EILERTSON wos born in St. Heleno, Oregon. He ottended Oregon Stote ond Eost Corolino Universities groduoting with o BA in History ond Politicol Science. LtCol EILERTSON received his Swings of gold ond designotion os o Novol Aviotor in Nov 641. LtCol EILERTSON first served with Hlvllvl-363 ond deployed in 4965 to the Republic of Vietnom. He wos next ossigned to VMGR-252, ot Cherry Point for KC-430 tronsition. From Oct 68 to Oct 69 LtCol EILERTSON returned for o second tour of duty in Vietnom, this time with VMGR-452 os o KC-430 pilot. From Dec 74 T0 Dec 72 LtCol EILERTSON developed ond octed os officer-in-chorge of the 2d MAW LeodershipfHumon Progrom. From Jon 4973 to Jon 741 he ogoin served with VMGR-452, this time flying missions in Combodio, Thoilond ond other southeost Asion oreos. Returning to Cherry Point LtCol EILERTSON served os the S-4 Lg - LIEUTENANT COLONEL SIDNEY A. EILERTSON COMMANDING OFFICER HMM-264 officer of MWSC--27. He wos selected for the skytroin progrom ond wos the first lvlorine pilot to fly the lvlorine Corps C-9. He delivered the oircroft to MCAS Cherry Point from Long Beoch, Co. on 2 Sep 4975. LtCol EILERTSON ottended Airborne School ot Fort Benning, C-o., ond the USAF Combot Operotions Speciolist Course ot Hurlbert Field, Fl. He wos ossigned to 2d Anglico, Force Troops, ond Brigode Air Lioison Officer, operoting with NATO ollies ond the 82d oirborne. He wos olso executive officer of 2d ANGLICO from Apr 78 to Jun 79. From Nov 79 until Feb 84, to include the LFoF MARC 2-80 deployment, LtCol EILERTSON served os HMM-2oA's executive officer. His personol decorotions include the Single Mission Air lvledol, Air Medol with numerol 22, Novy Commendotion lvledol, ond the Combot Action Ribbon. He ond his wife, Corolyn, reside ot Comp Lejeune with their children: Stephen, Yvonne ond Philip. A ,, , .,,,,,,, .,,,, ,. ,,., ,, , W V -v Q