48th Rescue Squadron

48th Rescue Squadron
48th Rescue Squadron Patch
Active	14 November 1952 – 7 February 1969 15 September 1972 – 1 August 1976 1 October 1985 – 31 December 1987 1 May 1993 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Search and Rescue
Part of	Air Combat Command 23d Air Force 563d Rescue Group
Garrison/HQ	Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Decorations	AFOUA

Members of the 48th Rescue Squadron training in preparation for the upcoming hurricane season.

48 RQS personnel practice landing in a 'hot' Landing Zone

The 48th Rescue Squadron (48 RQS) is part of the 563d Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. PJs/CROs primarily fly onboard HH-60 Pave Hawk aircraft while conducting search and rescue missions.

Mission

The 48 RQS trains, equips, and employs combat-ready pararescuemen, combat rescue officers, and supporting personnel worldwide in support of U.S. national security interests. It provides survivor contact, treatment, and extraction during combat rescue operations, uses various fixed and rotary wing insertion and extraction assets. It employs by any means available to provide combat and humanitarian search, rescue, and medical assistance in all environments.

History

The 48th flew search, rescue, and recovery, mostly over water from, 1952–1969, 1972–1976, and 1985-1987. It supported USAF Survival School from, 1972–1976 and 1985-1987. Squadron personnel performed interdiction missions in support of South Florida Drug Interdiction Task Force from, 1985-1987. Since October 1993, the squadron has flown helicopters for combat rescue, water survival training, and drug interdiction missions.^[1]

Lineage^[1]

• 48th Air Rescue Squadron (1952–1965)
• 48th Air Recovery Squadron (1965–1966)
• 48th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (1966–1967)
• 48th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Training (1967–1972)
• 48th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (1972–1993)
• 48th Rescue Squadron (1993 – present)

Assignments^[1]

• 5th Air Rescue Group (1952–1956)
• Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service (1956–1969)
• 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing (1972–1976)
• 41st Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing (1976)
• 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing (1985–1987)
• 49th Fighter Wing (1993–1999)
• 563d Rescue Group (1999 – present)

Bases stationed^[1]

• Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama (1952–1955)
• Eglin Air Force Base, Florida (10 January 1955 – 7 February 1969)^[2]
• Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington (1972–1976)
• Homestead Air Force Base, Florida (1985–1987)
• Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico (1993–1999)
• Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona (1999 – present)

Aircraft Operated^[1]

SB-29 Super Dumbo (1952–1954) C-82 Packet (1952–1953) HU-16 Albatross (1954–1968) HH-19 Chickasaw (1954–1963) C/SC/HC-54 Rescuemaster (1956–1965) HH-43 Huskie (1963–1965, 1966–1968)

HC-130 Hercules (1965–1969) HH/CH-3 (1966–1969) HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant (1966–1969) UH-1 N (1972–1976, 1985–1987) HH-60 Pave Hawk (1993 – present)

References

48 RQS Pararescueman loads a simulated patient during an exercise

Notes

1. AFHRA 48 RQS Page
2. Factsheets : 48 Rescue Squadron (AFSOC). Afhra.af.mil. Retrieved on 2011-10-31.

Bibliography

• USAF 48th Rescue Squadron History
• 563d Rescue Group Fact Sheet

See also