AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq — The Marine Corps' CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter, more affectionately known as the "Phrog," has been a staple of Marine Corps aviation for more than 40 years. However, as MV-22 Osprey squadrons enter the Marine Corps aviation world, Marine CH-46 pilots will eventually say goodbye to their Phrogs.

Col. James O'Meara, the commanding officer of Marine Aircraft Group 26 (Reinforced), is a Phrog pilot by trade. He piloted his first CH-46 in November 1988, and since that time, has flown the Sea Knight with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 263 during Operations Desert Storm and Desert Thunder, with HMM-162 in the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003, and with HMM-365 during Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2004-2005.

During his current deployment in support of OIF, O'Meara has flown CH-46s with HMM-268 and 364, but on Jan. 16, he flew his final mission in the aircraft.

"The Phrog has done its job ... we used it for Vietnam, Grenada, the Balkans, Lebanon, Desert Storm, [Desert] Shield, Somalia and many more," explained O'Meara. "[Replacing the CH-46] is bittersweet, because it's a great airplane. I've flown [CH-53E Super Stallions], Hueys, Cobras ... but the [CH-46] is a very stable aircraft, it's a smooth aircraft, and it's very reliable."

Transitioning pilots to the MV-22 Osprey, however, won't be a quick and easy task.

"[The MV-22 is] great technology, but we've got to figure out some maintenance issues, we've got some typical transitioning issues, and we've got to mature a new community," said O'Meara. "In the next three to four years, we'll have some pains, but the Osprey can definitely do the high-end, long-range missions."

O'Meara will shortly redeploy to Marine Corps Air Station New River, Jacksonville, N.C., where he will continue to command MAG-26. However, while he has been serving in Iraq, his Marine Medium Helicopter Squadrons have completed their transition to the Osprey-flying Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadrons thereby eliminating the Marine Corps CH-46 presence on the East Coast.

Even though O'Meara and many other CH-46 pilots will eventually transition to the new aircraft, they will carry the spirit of the war-hardened Phrog with them.

"There is a [CH-46] following that goes way back," O'Meara explained. "I'll still probably fly CH-53Es, Hueys, Cobras and even the MV-22 a little bit, but I will always consider myself a Phrog pilot."

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