In addition to moving troops and equipment in Marine combat assault missions, the CH-46 Sea Knight was used for medical evacuation, aircraft recovery, firefighting, disaster relief and search and rescue operations.

In 1960, Boeing bought Vertol, a helicopter manufacturer in Philadelphia, Pa. The company had three tandem-rotor helicopters under production: the Chinook for the Army, the Sea Knight for the Navy and the Marines, and the commercial 107-II for the airlines. The twin-turbine tandem-rotor CH-46A Sea Knight won a design competition for a medium assault transport helicopter for the Marine Corps in 1961 and made its first flight in August 1962.

Between 1964 and 1990, Boeing Vertol delivered over 600 Sea Knights. During the 1980s and 1990s, Boeing developed modification kits and upgrades to modernize the Sea Knights.

The U.S. Marine Corps retired the CH-46 Sea Knight in August 2015.