Jump to content

38th Rescue Squadron: Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→‎Operations: added details of Vietnam organisation
Line 43: Line 43:
'''[[Vietnam War]]'''
'''[[Vietnam War]]'''


In mid-1965 the Squadron was organized into a number of detachments operating from bases in Vietnam and Thailand as follows:
In mid-1965 the Squadron was organized into a number of detachments operating from bases in Vietnam and Thailand as follows<ref>{{cite book
⚫
*Headquarters [[Tan Son Nhut Air Base]]
⚫
*Detachment 1 [[Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base]]
⚫
*Detachment 2 [[Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base]]
⚫
*Detachment 3 [[Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base]]
⚫
*Detachment 4 [[Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base]]
⚫
*Detachment 5 [[Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base]]
*Detachment 6 [[Bien Hoa Air Base]]
⚫
*Detachment 7 [[Danang Air Base]]<ref>{{cite book
| title=Search and Rescue in Southeast Asia 1961-1975
| title=Search and Rescue in Southeast Asia 1961-1975
| last=Tilford
| last=Tilford
Line 59: Line 51:
| isbn=9781410222640
| isbn=9781410222640
| page=70
| page=70
}}</ref>
}}</ref>:
⚫
*Headquarters [[Tan Son Nhut Air Base]]
⚫
*Detachment 1 [[Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base]]
⚫
*Detachment 2 [[Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base]]
⚫
*Detachment 3 [[Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base]]
⚫
*Detachment 4 [[Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base]]
⚫
*Detachment 5 [[Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base]] operating 6 [[HH-3]]Es<ref name="Tilford75">Tilford, p. 75.</ref>
*Detachment 6 [[Bien Hoa Air Base]] operating [[HH-43]]s and 2 HH-3Es<ref name="Tilford75">Tilford, p. 75.</ref>
⚫
*Detachment 7 [[Danang Air Base]] operating HH-43s and [[HU-16]]s


On September 15 1965 two more detachments were organized:
On September 15 1965 two more detachments were organized<ref name="Tilford70">Tilford, p. 70.</ref>:
*Detachment 9 [[Pleiku Air Base]]
*Detachment 9 [[Pleiku Air Base]]
*Detachment 10 [[Binh Thuy Air Base]]<ref name="Tilford70">Tilford, p. 70.</ref>
*Detachment 10 [[Binh Thuy Air Base]]




Revision as of 01:56, 24 February 2010

38th Rescue Squadron
38th Rescue Squadron Patch
Active14 November 1952 - 18 September 1957
30 June 1965 - 1 July 1971
1 July 1978 - 15 February 1996
1 May 2001 - Present
LandVereinigte Staaten
BranchUnited States Air Force
TypSearch and Rescue
Part ofAir Combat Command
23d Air Force
347th Rescue Group
Garrison/HQMoody Air Force Base
Decorations DUC
PUC
AFOUA w/ V Device
ROK PUC
RVGC w/ Palm

The 38th Rescue Squadron (38 RQS) is part of the 347th Rescue Group at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. It operates various fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft conducting search and rescue missions.

Mission

The 38 RQS trains, equips, and employs combat-ready pararescue and supporting personnel worldwide in support of U.S. national security interests and NASA. This squadron provides survivor contact, treatment, and extraction during combat rescue operations, and uses various fixed/rotary wing insertion/extraction assets and employs by any means available to provide combat and humanitarian search, rescue, and medical assistance in all environments.[1]

History

The 38th conducted search, rescue, and recovery in Japan and adjacent waters from 1952-1957 including supporting operations in Korea and adjacent waters from 1952-1953. It operated 14 search and rescue detachments in Vietnam and Thailand from, 1965-1971. The squadron provided light-lift helicopter operations east of the Mississippi River from 1978-1980. It also flew rescue helicopter operations in South Korea and adjacent waters from 1981-1995.[2]

Operations[2]

Vietnam War

In mid-1965 the Squadron was organized into a number of detachments operating from bases in Vietnam and Thailand as follows[3]:

On September 15 1965 two more detachments were organized[5]:


  • 20 September 1965, Kaman HH-43 Huskie BuNo 62-4510, callsign Dutchy 41 of Detachment 1, Nakhon Phanom Air Base was on a CSAR for Essex 04, an F-105D piloted by Capt Willis E. Forby[6], over North Vietnam. The HH-43 was hit by ground fire and crashed in the jungle. Captain Thomas J. Curtis, Sergeant William A. Robinson, and Crew chief Arthur Black were all captured by the North Vietnamese Army and taken to a POW camp in North Vietnam. They were later released during Operation Homecoming. 1LT Duane W. Martin, was captured by the Pathet Lao and taken to a POW camp in Laos. On June 29, 1966, Martin, LTJG Dieter Dengler and other prisoners overpowered their guards and escaped. Martin was later attacked and killed by a Laotian villager[7], while Dengler was eventually rescued by a Jolly Green of the 37th ARRS.
  • 6 November 1965, CH-3E BuNo 63-9685 on CSAR for CAPT George McKnight[8] pilot of Sandy 14 an A-1E over North Vietnam was hit by ground fire. 3 of the crew became POWs while the 4th crewman was rescued. This was the first Jolly Green loss in combat.
  • 11 April 1966, an HH-43 of Detachment 6 based at Bien Hoa Air Base was called to medevac wounded of the 1st Infantry Division which were surrounded by enemy forces near Cam My, east of Saigon. Pararescueman A1C William H. Pitsenbarger was lowered by winch and spent an hour and a half treating the wounded and evacuating nine wounded soldiers on 5 Huskie flights. On the sixth approach, Pitsenbarger's Huskie was hit, forcing it to cut the hoist line and pull out for an emergency landing at the nearest strip. Pitsenbarger continued to treat the wounded, collected rifles and ammunition from the dead and distributed them to the men still able to fight and returned enemy fire before being fatally hit. Pitsenbarger was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross. On 8 December 2000 Pitsenbarger was also awarded the Medal of Honor[9].
  • 28 October 1966, HH-43 BuNo 62-4511 callsign Pedro 42 was medevacing wounded of the 4th Infantry Division at night 60 km west of Pleiku Air Base when it was hit by ground fire and crashed. The Flight Engineer[10] and 3 soldiers were killed in the crash, while the copilot later died from injuries[11].
  • 8 May 1967, HH-43 BuNo 63-9715 callsign Pedro 96 of Detachment 7 was shot down while trying to rescue 4 Marines.
  • 21 May 1967, HH-43 BuNo 63-9711 callsign Pedro 73, Bien Hoa Air Base was flying CSAR for CAPT David Lindberg[12] pilot of Ramrod 02 an F-100D when it was hit by ground fire and made an emergency landing; it was later destroyed on the ground.
  • 7 February 1968, HH-43 BuNo 62-4525 callsign Pedro 56 of Detachment 9, Pleiku Air Base was assisting in the recovery of the crew of a downed Army helicopter near Kontum when it was hit by ground fire and crashed. The Flight Engineer died in the crash[13].
  • 27 September 1968, an HH-43 of Detachment 13, Phu Cat Air Base took off to recover the crew of a downed Army helicopter approximately 30 km north of Phu Cat. At a height of 300 feet above the pickup point, the helicopter received ground fire and the pilot Major David H Pittard, was hit in the chest and killed[14]. The helicopter returned safely to Phu Cat.
  • 10 October 1968, HH-43B Tail No 58-1845 callsign Pedro 44, assigned to Detachment 1, Phan Rang Air Base, was scrambled with the fire suppression kit (FSK) to standby for the emergency landing of a B-57. Pedro 44 entered a left hand climbing turn over the airfield when it crashed and burned killing all 5 crewmembers[15][16][17][18][19] .
  • 19 July 1969, HH-43B Tail No 59-1562 callsign Pedro 70, at U-Tapao Air Base, was flying SAR over a B-52 which had aborted its takeoff run and crash with a full load of fuel and bombs. Pedro 70 was looking for the tail gunner who was believed to be trapped in the B-52 when the B-52 exploded causing Pedro 70 to crash killing 2 crewmembers[20][21]
  • A1C William Pitsenbarger in front of an HH-43 Huskie
    A1C William Pitsenbarger in front of an HH-43 Huskie
  • An HH-43 rescues an airman in Southeast Asia
    An HH-43 rescues an airman in Southeast Asia

Lineage[2]

  • 38th Air Rescue Squadron (1952–1966)
  • 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (1966–1989)
  • 38th Air Rescue Squadron (1989–1994)
  • 38th Rescue Flight (1994–2001)
  • 38th Rescue Squadron (2001–Present)

Assignments[2]

Bases stationed[2]

Aircraft Operated[2]

References

Notes

  1. ^ 347 RQG Fact Sheet
  2. ^ a b c d e f 38 Rescue Squadron
  3. ^ Tilford, Earl (1980). Search and Rescue in Southeast Asia 1961-1975. Office of Air Force History. p. 70. ISBN 9781410222640.
  4. ^ a b Tilford, p. 75.
  5. ^ Tilford, p. 70.
  6. ^ "LCOL Willis Forby, Silver Star". Military Times.
  7. ^ "CAPT Duane W Martin". The Virtual Wall.
  8. ^ "CAPT George McKnight, Air Force Cross". Military Times.
  9. ^ "Airman 1st Class William H. Pitsenbarger". National Museum of the US Air Force. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help); Unknown parameter |http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id= ignored (help)
  10. ^ "A2C Francis D Rice". The Virtual Wall.
  11. ^ "2LT George H Bonnell". The Virtual Wall.
  12. ^ "CAPT David C Lindberg". The Virtual Wall.
  13. ^ "SGT Jose G Abara". The Virtual Wall.
  14. ^ "MAJ David H Pittard". The Virtual Wall.
  15. ^ "CAPT Von Liebernecht". The Virtual Wall.
  16. ^ "MAJ Donald R Brooks". The Virtual Wall.
  17. ^ "SSGT Milard L Bledsoe". The Virtual Wall.
  18. ^ "TSGT Emmett S Orr". The Virtual Wall.
  19. ^ "TSGT Angel Luna". The Virtual Wall.
  20. ^ "MAJ Warren K Davis". The Virtual Wall.
  21. ^ "TSGT Harry Cohen". The Virtual Wall.

Bibliography

See also

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=38th_Rescue_Squadron&oldid=346007213"