48th Rescue Squadron
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 48th Rescue Squadron is part of the
563d Rescue Group The 563rd Rescue Group is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The group also controls the rescue squadrons at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. It is assigned to the 355th Wing. The group direct ...
at
Davis–Monthan Air Force Base Davis–Monthan Air Force Base (DM AFB) is a United States Air Force base southeast of downtown Tucson, Arizona. It was established in 1925 as Davis–Monthan Landing Field. The host unit for Davis–Monthan AFB is the 355th Wing (355 WG) ass ...
, Arizona. PJs/CROs fly on
HH-60 Pave Hawk The Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It is a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Force PAVE electronic system ...
and
HC-130 The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue (SAR)/ combat search and rescue (CSAR) version of the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, with two different versions operated by two separate services in the U.S. armed fo ...
aircraft to conduct combat rescue and
search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
missions.


Mission

The 48th Rescue Squadron 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 Fixed may refer to: * ''Fixed'' (EP), EP by Nine Inch Nails * ''Fixed'', an upcoming 2D adult animated film directed by Genndy Tartakovsky * Fixed (typeface), a collection of monospace bitmap fonts that is distributed with the X Window System * ...
and
rotary wing A rotorcraft or rotary-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air aircraft with rotary wings or rotor blades, which generate lift by rotating around a vertical mast. Several rotor blades mounted on a single mast are referred to as a rotor. The Internati ...
insertion and extraction assets. It employs by any means available to provide combat and
humanitarian Humanitarianism is an active belief in the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotional ...
search, rescue, and medical assistance in all environments.


History


Activation and training mission

The
squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, de ...
was first activated as the 48th Air Rescue Squadron in November 1952, when
Air Rescue Service The United States Air Force Combat Rescue School (for most of its existence, either Air Rescue Service or Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service), was an organization of the United States Air Force. The school was established in 1946 as ''Air ...
expanded its existing rescue squadrons into groups. The 48th was established with the assets of Flight C of the 5th Air Rescue Squadron at
Maxwell Air Force Base Maxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation under the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. O ...
, Alabama. In January 1955, the squadron moved to
Eglin Air Force Base Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in the western Florida Panhandle, located about southwest of Valparaiso in Okaloosa County. The host unit at Eglin is the 96th Test Wing (formerly the 96th Air Base Wing). The ...
, Florida. At Maxwell and Eglin, the 48th flew search, rescue and recovery missions, mostly over water. At Eglin, the squadron added the mission of training rescue aircrews. The squadron was inactivated in February 1969 and ite mission transferred to the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Training Center.''See'' Mueller, p. 141 (simultaneous inactivation and inactivation. Mueller omits "Training" from the name of the squadron's successor at Eglin.)


Survival School support

The squadron, now the 48th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron was reactivated at
Fairchild Air Force Base Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base, located in the northwest United States in eastern Washington, approximately southwest of Spokane. The host unit at Fairchild is the 92nd Air Refueling Wing (92 ARW) assigned t ...
, Washington in September 1972. It supported the 3636th Combat Crew Training Wing, which conducted the Air Force's advanced survival school at Fairchild, while continuing to fly
search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
(SAR) missions. The squadron was inactivated at Fairchild in August 1976. The squadron was again activated to support survival training in October 1985 at
Homestead Air Force Base Homestead Air Reserve Base (Homestead ARB), previously known as Homestead Air Force Base (Homestead AFB) is located in Miami–Dade County, Florida to the northeast of the city of Homestead. It is home to the 482nd Fighter Wing (482 FW) of th ...
, Florida, where the USAF Water Survival School, run by a squadron of the 3636th Wing, was located. Again it flew SAR missions in addition to its training role. In addition, squadron personnel performed interdiction missions in support of the
South Florida Drug Interdiction Task Force South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz ...
while at Homestead. In December 1987, the squadron was again inactivated.


Rescue in the southwest

The 48th was reactivated at
Holloman Air Force Base Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base established in 1942 located six miles (10 km) southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, and a census-designated place in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. Th ...
, New Mexico in 1993 and for the next six years flew combat search and rescue missions. Its most recent activation at
Davis–Monthan Air Force Base Davis–Monthan Air Force Base (DM AFB) is a United States Air Force base southeast of downtown Tucson, Arizona. It was established in 1925 as Davis–Monthan Landing Field. The host unit for Davis–Monthan AFB is the 355th Wing (355 WG) ass ...
, Arizona in 2004 was as a "guardian angel" squadron, providing
pararescuemen Pararescuemen (also known as PJs) are United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and Air Combat Command (ACC) operators tasked with recovery and medical treatment of personnel in humanitarian and combat environments. These speci ...
, flying on the aircraft and helicopters of the other squadrons of the
563d Rescue Group The 563rd Rescue Group is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The group also controls the rescue squadrons at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. It is assigned to the 355th Wing. The group direct ...
.


Lineage

* Constituted as the 48th Air Rescue Squadron on 17 October 1952 : Activated on 14 November 1952 : Redesignated 48th Air Recovery Squadron on 1 February 1965 : Redesignated 48th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 8 January 1966 : Redesignated 48th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Training on 8 July 1967 : Inactivated on 7 February 1969 * Redesignated 48th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 14 September 1972 : Activated on 15 September 1972 : Inactivated on 1 August 1976 * Activated on 1 October 1985 : Inactivated on 31 December 1987 * Redesignated 48th Rescue Squadron on 1 April 1993 : Activated on 1 May 1993 : Inactivated on 1 February 1999 * Activated on 1 April 2004


Assignments

*5th Air Rescue Group, 14 November 1952 *
Air Rescue Service The United States Air Force Combat Rescue School (for most of its existence, either Air Rescue Service or Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service), was an organization of the United States Air Force. The school was established in 1946 as ''Air ...
(later Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service), 8 December 1956 – 7 February 1969 * 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing, 15 September 1972 * 41st Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing, 1 January–1 August 1976 * 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing, 1 October 1985 – 31 December 1987 *
49th Fighter Wing "Thank God for Mississippi" is an adage used in the United States, particularly in the South, that is generally used when discussing rankings of U.S. states. Since the U.S. state of Mississippi commonly ranks at or near the bottom of such rankings ...
, 1 May 1993 – 1 February 1999 * 563d Rescue Group, 1 April 2004 – present


Stations

* Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, 14 November 1952 * Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 10 January 1955 – 7 February 1969 * Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, 15 September 1972 – 1 August 1976 * Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, 1 October 1985 – 31 December 1987 * Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1 May 1993 – 1 February 1999 * Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, 1 April 2004 – present


Aircraft

*
Boeing SB-29 Super Dumbo The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a WWII era long range, strategic heavy bomber that was produced in many experimental and production models. XB-29 : ''Section source: Baugher'' The XB-29, Boeing Model 345, was the first accepted prototype or ...
(1952–1954) *
Fairchild C-82 Packet The C-82 Packet is a twin-engine, twin-boom cargo aircraft designed and built by Fairchild Aircraft. It was used briefly by the United States Army Air Forces and the successor United States Air Force following World War II. Design and develop ...
(1952–1953) *
Grumman HU-16 Albatross The Grumman HU-16 Albatross is a large, twin–radial engined amphibious aircraft, amphibious seaplane that was used by the United States Air Force (USAF), the U.S. Navy (USN), and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), primarily as a search and rescue (SA ...
(1954–1968) *
Sikorsky SH-19 The Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw (company model number S-55) was a multi-purpose helicopter used by the United States Army and United States Air Force. It was also license-built by Westland Aircraft as the Westland Whirlwind in the United Kingdom. ...
(later HH-19) (1954–1963) *
Douglas C-54 Skymaster The Douglas C-54 Skymaster is a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and the Korean War. Like the Douglas C-47 Skytrain derived from the DC-3, the C-54 Skymaster was derived from a civilian a ...
(1956–1965) * Douglas C-54 SC-54 (later HC-54) Rescuemaster (1956–1965) *
Kaman HH-43 Huskie The Kaman HH-43 Huskie is a helicopter with intermeshing rotors used by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps from the 1950s until the 1970s. It was primarily used for aircraft firefighting and re ...
(1963–1965, 1966–1968) *
Lockheed HC-130 Hercules The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue (SAR)/ combat search and rescue (CSAR) version of the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, with two different versions operated by two separate services in the U.S. armed for ...
(1965–1969) *
Sikorsky HH-3 Jolly Green Giant The Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King (company designation S-61) is an American twin-engined anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter designed and built by Sikorsky Aircraft. A landmark design, it was one of the first ASW rotorcraft to use turboshaft engin ...
(1966–1969) * Sikorsky CH-3 (1966–1969) *
Sikorsky HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant The Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low series is a retired long-range special operations Special operations (S.O.) are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces usin ...
(1966–1969) *
Bell UH-1 Huey The Bell UH-1 Iroquois (nicknamed "Huey") is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helico ...
(1972–1976, 1985–1987) *
Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk The Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It is a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Force PAVE electronic systems ...
(1993 – present) * Lockheed Martin HC-130J Combat King II (2011 - present)


See also

*
List of United States Air Force rescue squadrons This article is a list of United States air force rescue squadrons both active, inactive, and historical. A rescue squadron's main task is to provide both combat, and peacetime search and rescue operations. Which involve the search for and the ...


References


Notes


Bibliography

* *


External links


563d Rescue Group Fact Sheet
{{USAF Air Force Special Operations Command Military units and formations in Arizona 048