33d Rescue Squadron

33d Rescue Squadron
33d Rescue Squadron Patch
Active	14 November 1952 – 18 March 1960 18 June 1961 – 1 October 1970 1 July 1971 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Search and Rescue
Part of	Pacific Air Forces 5th Air Force 18th Wing 18th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Kadena Air Base
Motto	That Others May Live
Decorations	Navy MUC AFMUA AFOUA RVGC w/ Palm

33d Rescue Squadron (RQS) HH-60 PAVE Hawk

The 33d Rescue Squadron (33 RQS) is part of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan. It operates HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft conducting search and rescue missions.

History

The 33d has performed search, rescue, and recovery missions from 1952–1960, 1961–1970, and since 1971. The squadron flew missions in support of the Vietnam War from 1965–1967. The 33d supported operations following the seizure of the USS Pueblo by North Korea between 29 January and 16 September 1968 and aided search efforts and salvage operations from September–October 1983, after a Soviet fighter aircraft shot down South Korean airliner KAL 007.^[1]

Operations^[1]

• Vietnam War

Operation Enduring Freedom- Multiple deployments from 2005–present

Significant Awards

• 2009 USAF Vern Orr Award
• 2009 MacKay Trophy^[2]
• 2011 MacKay Trophy^[3]

Lineage^[1]

• 33d Air Rescue Squadron (1952–1965)
• 33d Air Recovery Squadron (1965–1966)
• 33d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (1966–1989)
• 33d Air Rescue Squadron (1989–1993)
• 33d Rescue Squadron (1993 – present)

Assignments^[1]

2d Air Rescue Group (1952–1955) Attached: 12th Air Force (14 November 1952 – 1 March 1955) 3d Air Rescue Group (1955–1957) 2d Air Rescue Group (1957–1958) Air Rescue Service (1958–1960) Attached: Pacific Air Forces (24 January 1958 – 17 March 1959) Attached: Detachment 2, Air Rescue Service (Pacific Recovery Operations Center) (18 March 1959 – 18 March 1960)

Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service (1961–1967) Attached: Detachment 1, Air Rescue Service (Pacific Recovery Operations Center) (18 June – 8 October 1961) Attached: Pacific Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Center (8 October 1961 – 31 March 1967) 41st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing (1967–1970) 41st Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing (1971–1989) Air Rescue Service (1989–1993) 18th Wing (1993 – present)

Bases stationed^[1]

• Kadena Air Base, Okinawa (1952–1955)
• Naha Air Base, Okinawa (1955–1960, 1961–1970)
• Kadena Air Base, Okinawa (1971 – present)

Aircraft operated

SA-16 Albatross (1952–1960)[1] SH-19 Chickasaw (1952–1960) SC-47 Skytrain (1952–1956) HU-16 Albatross (1961–1968) HH-19 Chickasaw (1961–1964) HH-43 Huskie (1964–1966, 1971–1972)

An MC-130P refuels a 33d Rescue Squadron HH-60 Pave Hawk assisting earthquake relief in Japan. C-54 Skymaster (1966) HH-3 (1968–1970, 1971–1975, 1982 – ) HC-130 Hercules (1972–1989) HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant (1975–1982) HH-3E Jolly Green Giant (1982 – 1994) HH-60 Pave Hawk (1993– present)

References

Notes

1. Factsheets: 33 Rescue Squadron
2. Kalish, Brian, "33rd Rescue Squadron earns MacKay Trophy", Military Times, 1 June 2010.
3. National Aeronautics Association, ""

Bibliography

• USAF 33d Rescue Squadron History
• 18th Operations Group Fact Sheet

See also