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Batman47 Board Founder/CNC User is Offline Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 394 Karma: 5 applaud / smite 425 points 0 warnings 0 tempbans	Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 11:58 pm    Post subject: Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron Fourteen (HM-14) · Quote Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron Fifteen (HM-14) HELMINERON FOURTEEN "Vanguard" Naval Air Station, Norfolk, VA. http://members.aol.com/helmineron/hm-14.htm Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron FOURTEEN [HM-14], flying the MH-53 Sea Dragon, is one of the largest and unique airborne mine countermeasure squadrons in the Navy. HM-14 is one of the two squadrons Navywide that has integrated a Reserve airborne countermeasures squadron with it's active duty counterpart. With a Reserve compliment of approximately 250 TAR active duty and Selected Air Reservists and 430 regular navy active duty personnel, the "Vanguard" of HM-14 are capable of rapidly deploying anywhere in the world and conduct operations within 72 hours. Both HM-14 and HM-15 are organized into detachments. Regular Navy officers and Sailors would be the first to deploy on the rapid deployment timeline. Six of the squadrons Sea Dragons would go with them. The second detachment, a combination of active and Reserve officers and Sailors, TARs and SELRES, must be prepared to deploy with them or as replacements. Remaining personnel would be utilized for shore-based training and fleet replacement crews. HM-14 was established on 12 May 1978, at Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia. In March 1995, HM-14 completed an unprecedented integration with their Naval Reserve sister squadron, HM-18. Given the CNO directive to integrate at the squadron level, HM-14 developed a model plan with HM-18 to combine material assets and nearly 700 Regular, TAR and Selected Reserve personnel becoming the first squadron in the Atlantic Fleet to integrate in such a manner. On 20 May 1995, HM-15 deployed to South Korea for Exercise RSO&I-95, exercising its 72-hour rapid response capability. Follow-on tasking to participate in minesweeping and Minehunting operations around the South Korean peninsula came in the form of Exercise FREEDOM BANNER 95, validating AMCM Expeditionary Mine Warfare Operations for the first time in twelve years. In the fall of 1995, the Blackhawks began to execute their plan for the squadron's relocation from NAS Alameda, CA to NAS Corpus Christi, TX, as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure decision to close NAS Alameda. On 30 June 1996, HM-15 officially changed its permanent duty station to NAS Corpus Christi, TX and became the first air element to relocate at the Mine Warfare Center of Excellence. From late summer of 1996 to spring 1997, the Blackhawks focused on increased training and readiness following their move from California. In addition to local area flight training, evens included short shipboard operations periods, MK-105 detachments to Panama City, FL, multiple Assist Visits and inspections from different senior commands a culminated in the successful completion of an MRCI in May 97. With HM-15's readiness back at high level, it immediately sent a detachment of four aircraft to the southern California oparea to participate in Exercise KERNEL BLITZ 97. The det. embarked on and operated from the USS Denver (LPD-9) throughout the exercise. Following KERNAL BLITZ, HM-15 embared the mine countermeasueres support ship, USS Inchon (MCS-12), with eight aircraft and over 400 personnel to engage in a joint training exercise (JFTX 97-3) off the coast of North Carolina. This exercise marked the first time that HM-15 had conducted an east coast exercise and reported under the operational command of Mine Countermeasures Squadron Two. This achievement, combined with the squadron's participation in four major MCM exercises, Fleet Replacement Pilot Training and Fleet Support implementation while amassing over 4000 mishap free flight hours set the standard in AMCM and Air Logistics excellence and culminated in the awarding of the 1995 Battle "E" and CNO Safety Awards. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/hm-14.htm http://members.aol.com/helmineron/hm-15.htm HM-14 : Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 14 Unit Pages http://unitpages.military.com/unitpages/unit.do?id=202906 Mine Countermeasures Assets Clear Way for Humanitarian Relief Story Number: NNS030331-04 Release Date: 3/31/2003 7:30:00 AM By Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Robert Houlihan, Navy News Service UMM QASR, Iraq (NNS) -- For weeks, U.S. and coalition Sailors and Marines from USS Ponce (LPD 15), Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 14 "Vanguards" and Commander Task Unit (CTU) 55.4.3 have been working long hours to clear the Khawar Abd Allah (KAA) river and the port of Umm Qasr, Iraq, of underwater mines. CTU-55.4.3, which consists of U.S. Naval Special Clearance Team-1, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Mobile Units 6 and 8, Fleet Diving Unit 3 from the United Kingdom, and a Clearance Dive Team from Australia, has been conducting deep/shallow water mine countermeasure operations to clear shipping lanes around Umm Qasr. The multifaceted group have used a variety of methods, including MH-53E helicopters towing magnetic minesweeping sleds, trained marine mammals, unmanned underwater vehicles and EOD divers. These assets found and neutralized six mines in the previous 36 hours alone. "This is just the beginning. We still have to make the entire port safe for operations," said Capt. Anthony O'Moore, CTU 55.4.3. "Only a 200-yard channel has been cleared. With two-and-a-half weeks of work the channel will be widened to 400 to 1,000 yard wide where allowable." Involved in the mine-sweeping efforts were mine coastal hunters USS Cardinal (MHC 60) and USS Raven (MHC 61); mine counter measure ships USS Dextrous (MCM 13) and USS Ardent (MCM 12); and amphibious dock-landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44). Their hard work was rewarded March 28 when British Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Landing Ship Logistic RFA Sir Galahad (L 3005) pulled safely into Umm Qasr laden with tons of humanitarian aid to feed the people of Iraq and paving the way for the steady stream of aid to come. "Sir Galahad's arrival is the culmination of the hard work of all the people doing their job," O'Moore said. "It is nice to see that our efforts can bring badly needed humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people." Sir Galahad's cargo included more than 200 tons of water and foodstuffs, including rice, lentils, cooking oil, sugar and powdered milk. U.S. Agency for International Development officials have stated that the United States alone has pledged over 610,000 tons of food in the coming months. For more Operation Iraqi Freedom news, visit the Navy NewsStand at http://www.news.navy.mil. http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=6603 _________________ U. S. Navy Veteran  August 1977 to July 1983 Yoeman Second Class, with student pilot's license
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