56th Rescue Squadron

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 - Air Forces Africa
Third 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 Operations Group, 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England. It operates HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters conducting search and rescue missions. It will relocation to Aviano Air Base, Italy starting in 2017.[1]

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.[2]

Operations[2]

A 56th RS HH-60G Pave Hawk aboard 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.[3]

On 15 October 1975 the squadron was inactivated at Korat RTAFB and its 4 remaining HC-130Ps joined the 40th ARRS.[4]

In 2011 a detachment of helicopters from the 56th deployed on board the USS Ponce (LPD-15).[5]

Lineage[2]

Assignments[2]

  • 7th Air Rescue Group (1952–1956)
  • 12th Air Rescue Group (1956–1958)
  • Air Rescue Service (1958–1960)
    • Attached: Detachment 3, 8th Air Rescue Group (European Rescue Operations Center) (18 February 1958 – 18 March 1959)
    • Attached: Detachment 3, Air Rescue Service (European Recovery Operations Center) (18 March 1959 – 18 March 1960)
  • 3d Aerospace rescue and Recovery Group (1972)
  • 41st Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing (1972–1975)
    • Attached: 3d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group (20 August 1972 – 15 October 1975)
  • 39th Special Operations Wing (1988–1989)
  • 41st Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing (1989)
  • Air Rescue Service (1989–1993)
  • Air Forces Iceland (1993)
  • 35th Wing (1993–1994)
  • 85th Group (1994–2006)
  • 48th Fighter Wing (2006 – present)

Bases stationed[2]

Aircraft Operated[2]

Notes

  1. ↑ "UK rescue squadrons to relocate to Italy". Usafe.af.mil. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 AFHRA 56 RQS Page
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. ↑ Tilford, Earl (1980). Search and Rescue in Southeast Asia 1961-1975. Office of Air Force History. p. 154. ISBN 978-1-4102-2264-0.
  5. ↑ "U.S. Air Force Gets Underway on USS Ponce." Navy News Service, 1 April 2011.

References

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