| 56th Rescue Squadron | |
|---|---|
 56th Rescue Squadron Patch | |
| Active |
14 November 1952 - 18 March 1960 8 July 1972 - 15 October 1975 1 May 1988 - Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Search and Rescue |
| Part of |
United States Air Forces in Europe 3d Air Force 48th Fighter Wing 48th Operations Group |
| Garrison/HQ | RAF Lakenheath |
| Decorations |
 PUC  AFOUA  RVGC w/ Palm |
The 56th Rescue Squadron (56 RQS) is part of the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England. It operates HH-60G Pave Hawk aircraft conducting search and rescue missions.
Mission[]
The 56th Rescue Squadron is a combat-ready search and rescue squadron of HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters capable of executing all-weather search and rescue missions day or night in hostile environments in support of USAFE, USEUCOM, and NATO operations. It employs a state-of-the-art communications and navigation system along with advanced search and rescue equipment. The squadron is capable of deploying to any theater of operations in the world.
History[]
The 56th flew search and rescue, and medical evacuation, in North Africa and southern Europe from, November 1952-March 1960. It flew combat missions in Southeast Asia from, 10 July 1972 - 15 August 1973, to include search and rescue, airborne mission control, and aerial refueling. The squadron continued to perform local search and rescue until February 1975.
It flew search and rescue support to the Iceland Defense Force from, May 1988-September 2006.[1]
Operations[1][]
A 56th RS HH-60G Pave Hawk abaord USS Ponce (LPD-15) during Operation Odyssey Dawn off the Libyan coast, 2011.
On 1 April 1972 the 39th ARRS was dissolved and the aircraft and crews temporarily became part of Detachment 4 of the 3d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base. On 8 July 1972 the Detachment was redesignated the 56th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron.
On 12 April 1975 the squadron's HC-130Ps supported Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia.[2]
On 15 October 1975 the squadron was inactivated at Korat RTAFB and its 4 remaining HC-130Ps joined the 40th ARRS.[3]
In 2011 a detachment of helicopters from the 56th deployed on board the USS Ponce (LPD-15).[4]
Lineage[1][]
- 56th Air Rescue Squadron (1952–1962)
- 56th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (1972–1975)
- 56th Air Rescue Squadron (1989–1993)
- 56th Rescue Squadron (1993–Present)
Assignments[1][]
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Bases stationed[1][]
- Sidi Slimane, French Morocco (1952–1960)
- Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand (1972–1975)
- Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland (1988–2006)
- RAF Lakenheath, England (2006–Present)
Aircraft Operated[1][]
- H-5 Dragonfly (1952–1953)
- SA-16 Albatross (1952–1960)
- SC-47 (1953–1956)
- SH-19 Chickasaw (1953–1960)
- HC-130 Hercules (1972–1975)
- HH-43 Huskie (1972–1975)
- HH-3 (1988–1992)
- HH-60 Pave Hawk (1992–Present)
References[]
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 AFHRA 56 RQS Page
- ↑ Dunham, George R (1990). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Bitter End, 1973-1975 (Marine Corps Vietnam Operational Historical Series). Marine Corps Association. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-16-026455-9.
- ↑ Tilford, Earl (1980). Search and Rescue in Southeast Asia 1961-1975. Office of Air Force History. p. 154. ISBN 978-1-4102-2264-0.
- ↑ "U.S. Air Force Gets Underway on USS Ponce." Navy News Service, 1 April 2011.
Bibliography[]
- USAF 56th Rescue Squadron History
- 48th Operations Group Fact Sheet
- 56th Rescue Squadron Move News Story
See also[]
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The original article can be found at 56th Rescue Squadron and the edit history here.