Provide assault support transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment during expeditionary, joint or combined operations.

[3]: 347 On 3 June 1967 a squadron CH-46A #150955 was shot down just after having extracted a Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group Hatchet Force in eastern Laos.

Two crewmen were killed and two captured, with one dying in captivity, gunner Corporal Frank Cius, was released on 5 March 1973 as part of Operation Homecoming.

Two U.S. members of the Hatchet Force and an unknown number of Nùngs were killed in the crash and subsequent fighting, Sergeant first class Charles Wilklow escaped captivity and was rescued five days later.

[5]: 110  In November the squadron moved from Kỳ Hà to Phu Bai Combat Base joining the rest of MAG-36 there.

[6]: 116–7  The squadron supported US and South Vietnamese forces fighting in the Battle of Huế, flying in Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) reinforcements into the Mang Ca Garrison on 1 February.

[6]: 176  On 6 June a squadron CH-46A #152533 was shot down at LZ Loon, southeast of Khe Sanh Combat Base, resulting in 13 U.S.

[11]: 106  On 29 June the squadron transported South Vietnamese Marines into landing zones east of Quảng Trị.

[11]: 114  From 22 July to 13 August the squadron took part in Philippine flood relief operations, flying in food and supplies to local populations.

[11]: 238  On 17 April minesweeping operations were suspended and the task force withdrawn due to North Vietnamese delays in the handover of prisoners.

In December 1979 at a time of high international tension arising from the Iran hostage crisis and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, HMM-165 deployed to the Arabian Sea with the 31st Marine Amphibious Unit (31st MAU) on board USS Okinawa.

The squadron deployed to the western Pacific and Indian Oceans and completed contingency operations in the Okinawa, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Kenya, and Somalia.

HMM-165 moved to MCAS Miramar, San Diego, California in November 1998 as the result of additional BRAC requirements.

After offloading in Kuwait, the squadron was tasked with supporting Regimental Combat Team 1 (RCT-1) for the duration of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

On the night of 1 April 2003, HMM-165 comprised the CH-46 element of Task Force 20, the special team that extracted prisoner of war Army PFC Jessica Lynch.

On 3 December 2006 a helicopter carrying 16 personnel made an emergency landing on Lake Qadisiyah in Al Anbar Province.

The squadron demonstrated its prowess in a wide variety of missions as the White Knights headed up Task Force Ghazi in Khyber, Pakhtunkhwa Province, Northern Pakistan and Task Force South in the Sindh Province, Southern Pakistan in support of Humanitarian Assistance / Disaster Relief operations.

This operation was part of an evaluation of the feasibility of the MV-22 as a potential replacement for the C-2 Greyhound carrier onboard delivery (COD) cargo transport aircraft.

Upon arriving at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, the squadron assumed the duties of assault support for Regional Command Southwest [RC(SW)].