united_states_air_force unit stationed arizona group controls rescue squadrons nevada assigned wing georgia group directs flying operations dedicated personnel recovery group activated current designation command rescue units western united_states group activated world war emergency rescue squadron mississippi training gulf_coast squadron moved fall served combat surrender japan earning philippine presidential unit citation war squadron moved japan occupation forces located korean war began served combat expanding earning distinguished unit war group eliminated groups assigned squadrons directly regional rescue centers group organized tan son airport rescue command united_states_air_force rescue units engaged war vietnam participated campaign winning additional air_force outstanding unit award combat device vietnamese gallantry cross palm combat southeast_asia united_states withdrew vietnam group moved headquarters thailand participating evacuations mission directs flying operations dedicated personnel recovery group responsible training readiness operations lockheed combat king squadron squadrons guardian angel squadrons operations support squadron units 48th rescue squadron rescue squadron nevada guardian angel squadrons train equip employ commonly known combat rescue officers supporting personnel worldwide combat rescue operations use fixed wing aircraft extraction squadrons provide survivor contact treatment extraction combat rescue operations provide combat humanitarian search rescue medical assistance operates combat rescue forces worldwide employs helicopter hostile environments recover downed isolated personnel day night marginal weather conditions squadron conducts civil search rescue disaster relief international aid emergency medical evacuation counter drug activities nevada operates mission similar 55th rescue squadron squadron meets logistical maintenance support requirements directed operational test missions rescue squadron operates combat king provides combat rescue forces theater commanders worldwide conducts helicopter air landing personnel equipment recover combat personnel crews fly low level operations perform missions day night supports training employment combat support squadrons provides support functions including weapons tactics current operations intelligence training life support mobility manages programmed flying hours operational training requirements met parameters set higher headquarters responsible implementing theater war plans history world war occupation japan world war unit activated mississippi february unit rescue units especially deploying pacific unit organized primarily water recovery downed number squadron received training united_states_navy unit continued training field mississippi april ground departed air continued training ground arrived california ship australia arriving airport near brisbane australia june moved new_guinea days later moved forward september squadron air continued training july flew california arriving following day moved california august arrived airport september finally reunited ground september squadron combat mission flown september picked downed navy november squadron began operating philippines initially army unable support months supported navy seaplane uss half moon support continued arrival squadron ground months war squadron began operate boeing equipped foot long life boat survival equipment dropped downed addition permitted rescue crews downed seas high land pick frequently accompany strike aircraft coast attack position accompany distressed aircraft return flight needed life boat engines gave range miles dropped crews aircraft squadron provided service carried supplies messages evacuated allied prisoners wounded personnel occasionally provided reconnaissance squadron flights frequently operated bases separated squadron headquarters example month war august squadron flights detachments located airfield near okinawa months operating pacific credited rescuing persons occupation japan squadron american military units japan day elements unit airfield september squadron headquarters joined october squadron occupation forces personnel early qualified pilot assigned unit summer regular officers soldiers assigned sufficient strength squadron resume operations squadron flights located air base japan air base korea squadron called rescue squadron provided rescue capabilities japan primary mission intercept distressed aircraft escort japanese adjacent waters experience demonstrated need land rescue capabilities helicopters light planes response squadron added helicopters inventory formed assigned control rescue units united_states command overseas routes took command rescue units pacific remained attached units operational control korean war deployment elements korea following north korean invasion south_korea june squadron deployed west air base perform search rescue missions replaced week later helicopters late august squadron representative stationed coordinate rescue operations months later single officer expanded command squadron deputy commander known air rescue squadron korea operations korea combat operations korea changing tactical situation soon added missions rescuing downed enemy lines evacuating wounded personnel squadron helicopters squadron rescue downed pilot enemy lines occurred september north american pilot 35th fighter bomber squadron rescued squadron helicopter initially aircraft available unit called air rescue squadron efforts limited short range missions squadron helicopters operate korea rice escorted unit flew evacuation missions small unprepared fields limited resources squadron augmented crews aircraft air rescue squadron clark air base philippines particularly form boeing operated offshore strike areas world war squadron search role occasion fly critical supply missions early war planes began replaced war began newest plane strength unit pacific remedy detachment 5th rescue squadron air force base colorado dispatched july augment squadron november squadron began receive fully equipped following march march squadron received test model helicopter evaluate combat replacement greatly extended range squadron wing elements squadron helicopters frequently flew wounded soldiers mash units typically mash december squadron successfully evacuated troops navy hospital ship sailing korean coast chairman credited drop mortality rate wounded soldiers half experienced world war quick evacuation rescue helicopters casualties evacuated war squadron elements operated islands coast north_korea enabling limited range helicopters rescue far enemy lines associated forward locations squadron assumed secondary mission special operations shortly arrival extract united_nations personnel likely korean enemy lines november squadron dropped number agents near chinese border radio equipment provide intelligence data enemy components april unit recovered components crashed near study military intelligence squadron group flying combat missions november squadron expanded squadron flights replaced newly activated squadron assigned new group time detachment squadron seoul korea expanded air rescue squadron group credited rescuing united_nations personnel korean war including combat saves enemy lines water rescues actions earned unit distinguished unit citation following war group returned providing rescue capability japan peak squadrons 37th squadron group replaced carried man safer drop single wooden boat carried group headquarters 38th squadron 36th 39th squadrons transferred squadrons assigned vietnam war buildup rescue forces coordination rescue operations southeast_asia begun establishment detachment replaced july 38th rescue detachments bases thailand squadron manned joint search rescue center tan son airport operated regional rescue coordination centers air base directed rescue operations rising aircraft losses late led expansion air_force rescue assets southeast_asia group reactivated rescue detachment detachment manning regional rescue centers 38th squadron responsible local base rescue detachments bases vietnam thailand 37th established responsible rescue missions air_force rescue efforts green giants combat rescue lockheed command control aircraft coordinate rescue operations assigned long range water rescue later combined form group squadron 39th improved equipment capabilities shelf rescue helicopters assigned limited group effectiveness higher altitudes needed stage forward bases provide rescue coverage partially addition air capability months combat june flight standard staging bases continued addition extending range group helicopters air permitted dump fuel needed aircraft enable rescues high altitudes knowing able connect tanker rescue attempt load sufficient fuel return home base parallel introduction air aircraft spring group implemented enabled fuel virtually navy ship operating landing larger ships alongside smaller ones combined ability land water permitted withdrawal amphibians flew combat rescue sortie september fall group received super green giant stationed helicopters improved capabilities faster altitudes pressure altitude armed larger size carried second specialist despite improved capability provided buff called unit night rescue capability remained limited night rescue attempts rarely successful march expanded rescue missions led formation second squadron 40th rescue reductions rescue operations reductions size group began december local base rescue detachment discontinued closure detachments continued bases closed transferred army closure required group 39th squadron bay air base fall july reductions local base rescue reached point 38th squadron remaining detachments transferred directly group month 40th squadron moved better support campaign trail air strikes concentrated bombing halt 20th parallel group directly participate son raid november joint task force arrived theater seven group 40th squadron 37th squadron march 39th squadron left vietnam shortly arrival squadron planes temporarily absorbed local base rescue detachment july 56th rescue activated manage aircraft late year connection cease fire resulted withdrawal rescue forces vietnam 37th squadron air base november remaining assets absorbed group moved existing replaced located group headquarters rescue operations continued group began participate training exercises eagle pull incident april group forces placed alert possible implementation operation eagle pull evacuation americans forces surrounded capital group helicopter flew united_states marine_corps command element assume control evacuation april group helicopters positioned evacuation flew combat control team city marine helicopters evacuated civilians group helicopters returned landing zone extract combat control team remaining security forces hit ground fire badly damaged able return base emergency landing conditions southeast_asia continued deteriorate evacuation implemented end month group placed rescue helicopters alert bases thailand aboard uss midway april helicopters aboard midway accompanied marine missions evacuate people flight carried refugees aboard aircraft end mission commission having flown group mission vietnam forces seized merchant ship group initially flew transport use possible rescue force group joined units transporting marine assault force island run aground marines uss howard headed knife shot marines crew rescued lost effort escorted struck attempting land marines attempt extract marines began additional transported relief force marines additional security evacuation efforts continued heavy enemy fire afternoon evening air_force combat operation southeast_asia october 56th squadron remaining absorbed united_states continued withdrawal southeast_asia shut december group 40th squadron end january group credited saves war including combat saves group deployed airmen aircraft annually support operation enduring freedom operation iraqi freedom conducted humanitarian operations hurricane katrina included evacuation support gulf_coast hurricane hurricanes supported nasa launch recovery space shuttle 48th squadron recovery teams saved hundreds lives combat situations medal honor distinguished service cross members group received second highest award heroism awarded united_states military later review awards upgraded nation highest award medal honor june landed shallow filled floating debris low hanging high tension power lines ran river rescue pilot plane twilight assisted covering flights suppress enemy able difficult night landing pick pilot successfully mission awarded class group 38th squadron enlisted man awarded flying sent extract army unit caught ambush march descended assist soldiers helicopter loaded wounded soldiers hold elected remain render aid remaining soldiers wounded second arrived scene descended found killed remaining soldiers december following review replaced award medal honor posthumously promoted rank class 37th squadron awarded actions march rescue operation marine helicopters shot boeing crashed attempting aid marine reported enemy forces closing crash site multiple trips ground exposed enemy fire loading marines litter possible trip struck enemy fire losing hydraulic pressure forcing pilot head emergency landing field continued tend wounded board rendered temporarily unconscious bullet struck helmet lineage lineage inception today constituted emergency rescue squadron february activated february redesignated rescue squadron january redesignated air rescue squadron august redesignated november june redesignated rescue activated december organized organized january january redesignated july activated october assignments assignments inception today february march july august operational control august october october march bomber command november composite wing june june attached november august june military december organized military january organized later 41st rescue 41st rescue weather reconnaissance wing january january october wing october present components operational squadrons operational squadrons today september june 36th air rescue squadron november june 37th later 37th november january august 38th later 38th november june january july 39th air rescue squadron later 39th november june january april 40th march august 48th rescue squadron october present 55th rescue squadron october present 56th july august rescue squadron october present 60th april june rescue squadron october present rescue squadron october present march april detachments detachment september june detachment june march detachment january december detachment january december stations stations inception today aircraft aircraft inception today awards campaigns
563d Rescue Group