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

Det. #2, 38th ARRSq.

 

Mission

Detachment 2 provides 24 hour local base rescue coverage for Takhli RTAFB, Thailand. In performing this mission the following organizations and types of aircraft are supported: The 355th Tactical Fighter Wing consisting of three squadrons of F-105's and two squadron's of EB-66's; plus the 4th Royal Thai Fighter Wing consisting of F-86's, T-28's and T-6's; and Air America's operations consisting of various types of aircraft. This detachment also provides helicopter support for numerous base missions. These missions include support of base perimeter defense, photography missions, and civic action flights.

Aircraft
Two HH-43B's and three Fire Suppression Kits. Aircraft #59-1549 and #59-1574

Operations
 
July 17, 1969
 
The Aircraft Commander of the alert crew heard what he supposed to be a heavy compressor stall and ran to the front alert building in time to see a sheet of flame erupt from the departure end of the Runway 18. The alert crew ran to the helicopter. Power was applied and the crew was strapping in as the scramble bell sounded. Since the crash trucks were arriving on the scene the fire suppression kit was left behind and the helicopter proceeded directly to the crash site. Upon arrival the Firefighters and Medic departed the helicopter and located the pilot in the cockpit which had separated slightly and was forward of the fuselage. The pilot was removed from the wreckage and litter loaded aboard the helicopter. He was immediately flown to the 355th Dispensary and arrived there at 2240 hrs., just fifteen minutes after the crash.

August 21, 1969
 
US Army Special Forces requested medical evacuation of a soldier from Camp Narai, Lop Buri, Thailand to the 355th USAF Dispensary at Takhli RTAFB, Thailand. The patient had experienced a heart attack and was in critical condition. A helicopter was sent to the camp to recover the patient.

July - September 1969
 
Civic Action - Detachment helicopters were used to transport USAF and Thai medical personnel to villages near Takhli. While the medical personnel were engaged in treating the villagers, members of the crew distributed clothing and supplies donated by base personnel and perform other friendly acts of goodwill.

July - September 1969
Photo Missions - Helicopter flights were provided in support of the MAC, 601st Photo Flight, Detachment #2. These missions were used to photograph base facilities, crash sites, and perimeter defenses.

The photo and caption below appeared in the base paper and also the Pacific Stars and Stripes on March 12, 1972.


The photo is provided by, and is the property of Jack Gurner. Jack also provided the copy of the following story.

 Takli Training Fire

"Crash Course in Firefighting"

"It takes teamwork to fight fires during an aircraft crash- and to get teamwork you have to practice. The Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, base fire department and Det. 2 of the USAF's 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Sq. practice their firefighting technique far into the night."

The photo is provided by, and is the property of Jack Gurner. Jack also provided the copy of the following story.

"This image is from an F-105 crash in 1969 at the end of the runway at Takhli. Interesting, my Mom sent me a clip from the Memphis Commercial Appeal which told more about the crash than I knew. Here's the clip..."

"Crash Ends Mission"
Bangkok, Oct. 9 - (UPI)

"A United States Air Force F105 bomber crashed and burned while landing at Takhli base in Thailand upon returning from a mission over Viet Nam, a military spokesman said Thursday. The pilot was not injured."

"The firefighter is A1C Ray Bradley and the Thai is Nappal Penchan."

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This Page was Updated March 26, 2008 .

 

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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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