Boeing-Vertol CH‑46 Sea Knight
in US Marine Corps

USMC CH-46 were sent to South Vietnam in numbers, from c Mar 1964. There were some unexplained accidents (in addition to damage by enemy action), which resulted in the model being grounded in Sep 1967 due to failures of the aft rotor pylon. Problem eventually fixed and the type was returned to service (date ?).

The USMC retired the Phrog (CH-46) from service in Aug 2015.

1962 : CH-46A, basic assault transport, 194 built; 33 conv to CH-46D.
          BuNos 150265-150278 : HRB-1
          BuNos 150933-150968 : HRB-1
          BuNos 151906-151961 : CH-46A
          BuNos 152496-152579 : CH-46A
1962 : UH-46A, utility/cargo variant for US Navy service
          BuNos 151902-151905
          BuNos 152490-152495
1965 : CH-46D, improved transport
          BuNos 153314-153403
          BuNos 153951-154044
          BuNos 154789-154844
1965 : HH-46D, CH-46D and HH-46A upgraded to improved Base SAR version. Known as 'Pedro.'
          BuNos 153404-153413 : UH-46D
          BuNos 153556-153558 : UH-46D
1968 : CH-46F, improved transport based on CH-46D with same engines, but advanced avionics
          BuNos 154845-154862
          BuNos 155301-155318
          BuNos 155319-155336 : cancelled, not built
1974 : HH-46A, SAR conversion of ~59 existing CH/UH-46A. Converted by NARF North Island & NARF Cherry Point for USN & USMC Base, Station, & Shipboard SAR use
1979 : CH-46E, upgrade conversion in lieu of procurement (CILOP) of existing CH-46A/D/F models to common CH-46E standard. Included new engines, fibreglass rotors and advanced avionics. Further upgraded in early 1990s under Survivability, Reliability, & Maintainability (SR&M) program. ~275 airframes completed.
2006 : HH-46E SAR conversion of CH-46E

Oct.2014 : HMM-364 retire last West Coast CH-46E
Oct.2015 : HMM-774 retire last East Coast CH-46E


CH-46s parked on bow of assault carrier USS New Orleans (LPH-11), June 1988 .


On USS Guam (LPH-9) underway off the coast of Lebanon, 1982.