Official VMM-363 Red Lions PVC Black Patch

VMM-363 Red Lions PVC Patch

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 (VMM-363), 1st Marine Aircraft Wing

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 (VMM-363), known as the "Lucky Red Lions," traces its distinguished lineage to 2 June 1952, when Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 363 (HMR-363) was activated at Marine Corps Air Station Santa Ana, California, in response to the demands of the Korean War. The squadron initially flew the Sikorsky HRS-1 and participated in Operation Desert Rock, the first atomic test to incorporate ground troops, establishing the Red Lions as pioneers from their earliest days of service.

Redesignated HMM-363 on 1 February 1962, the squadron transitioned to the UH-34D Seahorse and deployed to Vietnam on 11 August 1965 aboard USS Princeton, arriving at Qui Nhon on 1 September as part of MAG-36. The squadron's first combat mission included a combined troop insertion with HMM-161 moving the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines into a landing zone south of Da Nang. During Operation Flying Tiger, close cooperation with Republic of Korea Marines produced what was considered the most successful Korean offensive of the war, and Korean Marines presented the squadron with the red lion insignia that became its enduring nickname. The Red Lions supported major operations including Operations Swift, Kingfisher, and Deckhouse through intense combat during the 1968 Tet Offensive.

Redesignated HMH-363, the squadron transitioned to the CH-53A Sea Stallion and in October 1972 became the first unit to receive the powerful CH-53D. The Red Lions provided humanitarian relief in the Philippines following a devastating 1990 earthquake, flying over 500 flight hours in three and a half weeks and earning the Humanitarian Service Medal. During Desert Shield/Desert Storm, HMH-363 supported the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron deployed to Iraq from 2006-2007 and again in 2008, logging 848.8 flight hours in a single month at Al Asad during Operation Iraqi Freedom. HMH-363 was deactivated on 10 May 2012 and redesignated VMM-363, transitioning to the MV-22B Osprey. Today, the Lucky Red Lions serve under MAG-24 at MCB Hawaii, continuing their legacy of operational excellence across the Indo-Pacific region.

Perfect For: VMM-363 squadron members and veterans, HMH-363 and HMM-363 alumni, MAG-24 personnel, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing service members, Marine Corps tiltrotor aviation enthusiasts, and Vietnam War-era helicopter veterans.

A proud symbol of over seven decades of Marine Corps rotary-wing and tiltrotor excellence, from the atomic tests of the 1950s through Vietnam combat operations to modern Osprey missions across the Pacific.