HMM-361 deployed for the Cuban Missile Crisis on 27 October 1962, in support of the 5th Marine Expeditionary Force onboard the USS Iwo Jima.

[6]: 70  On 3 September 17 of its helicopters were destroyed by People's Army of Vietnam artillery fire while they were parked at Đông Hà Combat Base.

In August 1969 the squadron returned to South Vietnam joining Marine Aircraft Group 36 at Phu Bai Combat Base.

[8]: 344 On 28 January 1970 the squadron departed South Vietnam boarding ships for Marine Corps Air Station Santa Ana in California.

Finishing this training in May 1985, HMH-361 attained the highest Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation System (MCCRES) grade to date for a rotary wing squadron.

Once again, tragedy stuck the squadron shortly after arrival on Okinawa when one of its CH-53Ds on a daytime training flight struck a logging cable, flew into the ground and exploded killing all four aircrew in July 1985.

[14] The Flying Tigers received “Bravo Zulu” (well done) from USS Midway CTF 70, NAF Atsugi, and CG 1st MAW for the successful off load of 845 passengers and 265 cargo pallets in less than two days.

Detachments were sent to the 13th and 31st MEU', the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground task force in support of Operation United Shield while the main body remained on Okinawa.

After returning from Okinawa and reintegrating its MEU detachments in May 1997, the squadron assumed the Alert Contingency Marine air-ground task force (ACM) status.

The squadron also supported HMX-1 and the President of the United States, transporting three CH-53E's to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, aboard Air Force C-5 Galaxy aircraft.

[16] During the squadron’s 1999 UDP four members of the Flying Tigers were killed when their CH-53E Super Stallion went down at sea during a night-vision goggle training flight off Okinawa.

This was due to the grounding of the Marine Corps’ entire fleet of CH-53Es because of a main rotor bearing defect discovered after a Navy MH-53E mishap which destroyed the helicopter and killed four of six aircrew aboard.

[18] The Flying Tigers’ where early adopters of the new technology and had volunteered to install the new Main Rotor Bearing monitoring system as soon as the kits were available at MCAS Miramar.

While in WESTPAC, the Flying Tigers operated as the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) for Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF)-17 during Korean Incremental Training Program (KITP) 01-2 in Pohang, South Korea.

Returning from KITP the squadron was asked about the feasibility of long-range regional rotor wing deployment operations supported by KC-130 aerial refueling.

The Flying Tigers worked with the “Sumos” of VMGR-152 to develop the Southeast Asian Air-Bridge (SAAB) concept to self-deploy CH-53E from Okinawa to Thailand.

[22] After a successful BALIKATAN exercise, the Flying Tigers flew south through Malaysia and Singapore to Hat Yai, Thailand before returning to Okinawa.

During Fish Hook 2001, the squadron also supported Landing Force Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (LF CARAT) 2001 in Singkep Indonesia.

The unit returned home to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, in late May 2008 (advanced party) and early June 2008 (main body).

The unit returned home to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California in late July 2009 (advanced party) and early September 2009 (main body).

In August 2012 HMH-361 again deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where they took part in fending off a Taliban attack on the British Camp Bastion airfield on 14 September 2012.

In April 2013, upon return from their deployment to Afghanistan, HMH-361 was announced as the recipient of the Keith B McCutcheon Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron of the year award.