56th Rescue Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 56th Rescue Squadron (56 RQS) is part of the 48th Fighter Wing
at RAF Lakenheath
, England
. It operates HH-60 Pave Hawk
aircraft conducting search and rescue
missions.
, 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.
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-130
Ps supported Operation Eagle Pull
, the evacuation of Phnom Penh
, Cambodia
.
On 15 October 1975 the squadron was deactivated at Korat RTAFB and its 4 remaining HC-130Ps joined the 40th ARRS.
In 2011 a detachment of helicopters from the 56th deployed on board the USS Ponce
.
48th Fighter Wing
The 48th Fighter Wing is part of the United States Air Force Third Air Force, assigned to HQ Air Command Europe, and is based at RAF Lakenheath, England. The 48 FW is the only F-15 wing based in Europe...
at RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath, is a Royal Air Force military airbase near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It operates HH-60 Pave Hawk
HH-60 Pave Hawk
The Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a twin turboshaft engine helicopter in service with the United States Air Force. It is a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Force PAVE electronic systems program...
aircraft conducting search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
missions.
History
The 56th flew search and rescueSearch and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
, and medical evacuation, in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and southern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
from, November 1952-March 1960. It flew combat missions in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
from, 10 July 1972 - 15 August 1973, to include search and rescue, airborne mission control, and aerial refueling
Aerial refueling
Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
. The squadron continued to perform local search and rescue until February 1975.
It flew search and rescue support to the Iceland Defense Force
Iceland Defense Force
The Iceland Defense Force was a military command of the United States armed forces from 1951 to 2006. The IDF, created at the request of NATO, came into existence when the United States signed an agreement to provide for the defense of Iceland, which does not, and did not, have its own unified...
from, May 1988-September 2006.
Operations
- Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
On 1 April 1972 the 39th ARRS
39th Rescue Squadron
The 39th Rescue Squadron is part of the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. It operates HC-130 Hercules aircraft conducting search and rescue missions.-History:...
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
Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base
Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base is a base of the Royal Thai Air Force. It is located in northeast Thailand, located approximately 157 miles northeast of Bangkok and about 5 miles south of Nakhon Ratchasima , the second largest city in Thailand.During the Vietnam War, Korat RTAFB was the...
. On 8 July 1972 the Detachment was redesignated the 56th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron.
On 12 April 1975 the squadron's HC-130
HC-130
The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue and Combat search and rescue version of the C-130 Hercules transport. The HC-130H and HC-130J versions are operated by the United States Coast Guard in a SAR and maritime reconnaissance role. The HC-130P and HC-130N Combat King models...
Ps supported Operation Eagle Pull
Operation Eagle Pull
Operation Eagle Pull was the American evacuation by air of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 12 April, 1975. At the beginning of April 1975, Phnom Penh, the last remaining stronghold of the Khmer Republic, was surrounded by the Khmer Rouge and totally dependent on aerial resupply through Pochentong Airport...
, the evacuation of Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
.
On 15 October 1975 the squadron was deactivated at Korat RTAFB and its 4 remaining HC-130Ps joined the 40th ARRS.
In 2011 a detachment of helicopters from the 56th deployed on board the USS Ponce
USS Ponce
USS Ponce may refer to more than one United States Navy ship:, a boat or ship the United States Navy at least considered for service during World War I but for which no records have been found, an amphibious transport dock in commission since 1971...
.
Lineage
- 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
- 7th Air Rescue Group (1952–1956)
- Attached: 5th Air Division (14 November 1952 - 28 February 1953)
- 12th Air Rescue Group (1956–1958)
- Air Rescue ServiceAir Rescue ServiceThe Air Rescue Service is a disestablished organization in the United States Air Force. Previously a subcommand of the Military Air Transport Service , a USAF major command , ARS was redesignated as the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service on 1 Jan 1966 when MATS was redesignated as the Military...
(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 Wing35th Fighter WingThe 35th Fighter Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The 35 FW is part of Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force.-Mission:...
(1993–1994) - 85th Group85th GroupThe 85th Group is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with United States Air Forces in Europe, assigned to Third Air Force, being stationed at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland. It was inactivated on 28 June 2006....
(1994–2006) - 48th Fighter Wing48th Fighter WingThe 48th Fighter Wing is part of the United States Air Force Third Air Force, assigned to HQ Air Command Europe, and is based at RAF Lakenheath, England. The 48 FW is the only F-15 wing based in Europe...
(2006–Present)
Bases stationed
- Sidi SlimaneSidi SlimaneSidi Slimane is a newly formed province and is a small city in the western centre of Morocco. It is located between two major cities: Kenitra and Meknes....
, French MoroccoFrench MoroccoFrench Protectorate of Morocco was a French protectorate in Morocco, established by the Treaty of Fez. French Morocco did not include the north of the country, which was a Spanish protectorate...
(1952–1960) - Korat Royal Thai Air Force BaseKorat Royal Thai Air Force BaseKorat Royal Thai Air Force Base is a base of the Royal Thai Air Force. It is located in northeast Thailand, located approximately 157 miles northeast of Bangkok and about 5 miles south of Nakhon Ratchasima , the second largest city in Thailand.During the Vietnam War, Korat RTAFB was the...
, ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
(1972–1975) - Naval Air Station KeflavikNaval Air Station KeflavikUnited States Naval Air Station Keflavik is a former NATO facility at Keflavík International Airport, Iceland. It is located on the Reykjanes peninsula on the south-west portion of the island...
, IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
(1988–2006) - RAF LakenheathRAF LakenheathRAF Lakenheath, is a Royal Air Force military airbase near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel...
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(2006–Present)
Aircraft Operated
- H-5 Dragonfly (1952–1953)
- SA-16 AlbatrossHU-16 AlbatrossThe Grumman HU-16 Albatross is a large twin-radial engine amphibious flying boat that was utilized by the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard, primarily as a search and rescue and combat search and rescue aircraft...
(1952–1960) - SC-47C-47 SkytrainThe Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
(1953–1956) - SH-19 Chickasaw (1953–1960)
- HC-130 Hercules (1972–1975)
- HH-43 Huskie (1972–1975)
- HH-3Sikorsky S-61RThe Sikorsky S-61R is a twin-engine helicopter used in transport or search and rescue roles. A developed version of the S-61/SH-3 Sea King, the S-61R was also built under license by Agusta as the AS-61R...
(1988–1992) - HH-60 Pave HawkHH-60 Pave HawkThe Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a twin turboshaft engine helicopter in service with the United States Air Force. It is a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Force PAVE electronic systems program...
(1992–Present)