The Unofficial U.S. Air Force HH-43B/F "PEDRO" Crash Rescue - Air Rescue Web Site

33d Air Rescue Squadron

 

THE FIRST USAF SEARCH & RESCUE UNIT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Emblem of The 33rd Rescue Squadron

Emblem

On a Blue disc a Yellow crown garnished Red in the top of the disc, a Blue cross edged White and surmounted by a Green footprint bendwise in dexter base and a stylized White seagull surmounting a Light Blue representation of water in sinister base. Approved on 21 Mar 1978 (K 65479) and modified in 1994; replaced emblems approved on 27 Apr 1960 (K 11774) and 7 Aug 1953 (47424 A.C.). MOTTO: THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE. Approved on 21 Mar 1978.

 

Lineage

Constituted 33d Air Rescue Squadron on 17 Oct 1952. Activated on 14 Nov 1952. Discontinued on 18 Mar 1960. Organized on 18 Jun 1961. Redesignated: 33d Air Recovery Squadron on 1 Jul 1965; 33d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 8 Jan 1966. Inactivated on 1 Oct 1970. Activated on 1 Jul 1971. Re-designated: 33d Air Rescue Squadron on 1 Jun 1989; 33d Rescue Squadron on 1 Feb 1993.

Assignments

2d Air Rescue Group, 14 Nov 1952 (attached to Twentieth Air Force, 14 Nov 1952–1 Mar 1955; 3d Air Rescue Group, 1 Mar–19 Sep 1955); 3d Air Rescue Group, 20 Sep 1955; 2d Air Rescue Group, 18 Jun 1957; Air Rescue Service, 24 Jun 1958–18 Mar 1960 (attached to Pacific Air Forces, 24 Jun 1958–17 Mar 1959; Detachment 2, Air Rescue Service [Pacific Recovery Operations Center], 18 Mar 1959–18 Mar 1960). Air Rescue (later, Aerospace Rescue and Recovery) Service, 18 Jun 1961 (attached to Detachment 1, Air Rescue Service [Pacific Recovery Operations Center], 18 Jun–8 Oct 1961; Pacific Air Rescue Center [later, Pacific Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Center], 8 Oct 1961–31 Mar 1967); Pacific Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Center (later, 41st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing), 1 Apr 1967–1 Oct 1970. 41st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery (later, 41st Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance) Wing, 1 Jul 1971; Air Rescue Service, 1 Aug 1989; 18th Operations Group, 1 Feb 1993–.

Stations

Kadena AB, Okinawa, 14 Nov 1952; Naha AB, Okinawa, 14 Apr 1955–18 Mar 1960. Naha AB, Okinawa, 18 Jun 1961–1 Oct 1970. Kadena AB, Okinawa, 1 Jul 1971–.

Aircraft

SA–16, 1952–1960; SH–19, 1952–1960; SC–47, 1952–1956. SA–16 (later, HU–16), 1961–1968; SH–19 (later, HH–19), 1961–1964; HH–43, 1964–1966; C–54, 1966; HH–3, 1968–1970; HC–97, 1968–1969. HH–43, 1971–1972; HH–3, 1971–1975, 1982–; HC–130, 1972–1989; HH–53, 1975–1982; CH–3, 1982–.

Operations

Search, rescue and recovery, 1952–1960, 1961–1970, 1971–, including Vietnam, 1965–1967; following the seizure of the USS Pueblo by North Korea, 29 Jan–16 Sep 1968; and search efforts and salvage operations, Sep–Oct 1983, after a Soviet fighter aircraft shot down South Korean airliner KAL 007.

Honors

Service Streamers. Korean Theater.

Campaign Streamers. Vietnam: Vietnam Advisory; Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1956–31 Dec 1958; 15 Jun 1964–31 May 1965; 1 Jun 1965–30 Jun 1966; 1 Jul 1966–31 May 1968; 1 Jun 1969–30 Sep 1970; 1 Jun 1973–31 May 1975; 1 Sep 1975–1 May 1977; 16 Jul 1977–16 Jul 1979; 17 Jul 1979–15 Jun 1981; 1 Apr 1984–31 Mar 1986; 1 Apr 1987–31 Mar 1988. Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation: 1 Jul 1967–26 Jul 1969. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 1966–17 Jan 1967.

May 1964 -

The Joint Chiefs of Staff direct the Air Force to send search and rescue units to Southeast Asia. Two HH-43B's and their crews and mechanics are sent from the 33d Air Rescue Squadron, Okinawa to Bien Hoa, Air Base Republic of Viet Nam. Due to the rapidly increasing losses of the aircraft involved in the "Yankee Team" reconnaissance missions over Laos the 33d is diverted to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base (NKP) on the Thai/Lao border. Since the runway at NKP could not handle the C-97 cargo planes transporting the 33d from Okinawa to Thailand, the plan was to have the '43's delivered to Udorn Royal Thai Air Base. The HH-43's would be assembled at Udorn and then flown to NKP.
 
June 17, 1964 -
 
The 33d arrives at Udorn and begins unloading and assembling their choppers. There are no facilities to accommodate the men. The men are flown to NKP where it is assumed there will be suitable facilities to spend the night. NKP has only a few rickety open-sided sheds. The exhausted men made a campfire, barbecued their C-Rations, and slept under the stars.
 
June 18, 1964 - 
 
At dawn most of the men return to Udorn to continue to assemble the helicopters.
 
June 19, 1964 - 
 
By morning the helicopters are assembled and ready to fly. The fuel for the helicopters has not arrived.
 
June 20, 1964 -
 
The fuel has arrived. By late afternoon the 33d and its two HH-43's reach NKP.
 
November 1964 -
 
The 33d is replaced by Detachment #1, Provisional from Vietnam and return to Okinawa.
 

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This Page was Updated March 05, 2010 . 

 

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HH-43 Organization/Unit Histories

33d Air Rescue Squadron The First Search and Rescue Squadron Deployed to Southeast Asia Detachment #10, Eastern Air Rescue Center One of the Units Making Up the Provisional Group Sent To SEA During the Buildup Following The Gulf of Tonkin Incident
  Detachment #1, Provisional   2nd Search and Rescue Unit Assigned to Southeast Asia Detachment #2, Provisional Part of the 2nd Search and Rescue Units Assigned to Southeast Asia.
3rd Aerospace and Recovery Group All of the Rescue Squadrons in Southeast fell under the 3rd Group 38th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron All of the HH-43 Units in Southeast Asia fell under this squadron
Detachment #1, 38th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron History of the unit out of Phan Rang AB, RVN Detachment #2, 38th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron History of the unit out of Takli RTAFB, Thailand
Detachment #3, 38th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron History of the unit out of Ubon RTAFB, Thailand Detachment #4, 38th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron History of the unit at Khorat RTAFB, Thailand
Detachment #6, 38th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron History of the unit out of Bien Hoa AB, RVN Detachment #9, 38th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron History of the unit out of Pleiku AB, RVN/Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand
Detachment #10, 38th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron History of the unit out of Binh Thuy AB, RV Detachment #11, 38th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron History of the unit out of Thuy Hoa AB, RV
Det. #4, 36th Aerospace Rescue & Recover Squadron History of the unit stationed in Osan, Korea. Det. #7, 40th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Wing History of the unit out of Terrejon, Spain
Det. #1, Atlantic Air Rescue Center History of the unit at Spangdahlem AB, Germany Det. #32, Central Air Rescue Center History of the unit at Webb AFB, Texas
Det. #37, Central Air Rescue Center History of the unit at England AFB Det. #7, Western Air Rescue Center I currently have no info. available. Looking for contributions
Det. #16, Western Air Rescue Center History of this unit based out of Williams AFB, Arizona HH-43 Southeast Asia Aircraft Locator Database Containing Dates and Unit Locations Where Aircraft Were Assigned
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