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Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469
HMLA-469 "Vengeance"
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Photographs by Nancy Wingo
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The newest squadron on the MCAS Camp Pendleton flight line, HMLA-469 is the second of three new light attack squadrons resulting from President George Bush's January 2007 initiative to "grow the force". Their "SE" tail code stands for September Eleventh. I'm guessing "Vengeance" has something to do with 9/11 also. Light Attack squadrons fly the AH-1W "Cobra" and UH-1N "Huey".
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1st LT Daniel Rubio was our host. Here he talks about the squadron to John Fry, Bill Bridge, and Don Caton. This is Dan's first squadron. 1st LT Rubio is the first member of his family, who escaped from Castro's Cuba, to be born in the United States. "This country has been good to my family," said Dan. "That's one of the reasons I joined the Marine Corps."
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The HMLA-469 hangar was occupied by a single AH-1W Cobra
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Squadron XO LTCOL Alexander
Hetherington answered our questions.
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1st LT Rubio, Bill Bridge, LTCOL Hetherington, and Don Caton
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Even the sign on the front of the hangar is brand new
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