102d Rescue Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 102d Rescue Squadron is a unit of the New York Air National Guard
and the oldest Air National Guard unit in the United States. It has flown a number of aircraft including balloon
s, biplane
s, and helicopter
s, though it currently flies the HH-60G Pavehawk and HC-130 Hercules for its missions. Its parent unit is the 106th Rescue Wing
.
on Long Island
.
The 1st Aero Company should not be confused with the 1st Aero Squadron
, the first in the Army Air Corps, which was deployed to New Mexico. By virtue of its participation as a combat unit with the Punitive Expedition into Mexico, the 1st Aero Squadron was the first organization of its kind that was ever used in active field service in the history of the United States Army. The squadron took to the field with airplanes of very low military efficiency, and with less than 50 percent of its authorized allowance of truck transportation.
After World War I, the 1st Aero Company was renamed and officially numbered the 102nd Observation Squadron, and assigned to the New York Guard
.
New York Air National Guard
The New York Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of New York. It is, along with the New York Army National Guard, an element of the New York National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as its state mission...
and the oldest Air National Guard unit in the United States. It has flown a number of aircraft including balloon
Balloon
A balloon is an inflatable flexible bag filled with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, or air. Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, while some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig...
s, biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
s, and helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, though it currently flies the HH-60G Pavehawk and HC-130 Hercules for its missions. Its parent unit is the 106th Rescue Wing
106th Rescue Wing
The 106th Rescue Wing is an Air National Guard unit stationed at Francis S. Gabreski Airport, Westhampton Beach, New York. The mission of the wing is combat search and rescue. During peacetime, the unit also provides search and rescue services to the maritime community and NASA...
.
History
The 102d traces its lineage back to the 1st Aero Company, which was originally formed in 1908 in the New York (National) Guard. In 1915, with the First World War going on in Europe, the 1st Aero Company was officially organized by the military as an unnumbered detachment of the 1st Battalion Signal Corps, training at MineolaMineola, New York
Mineola is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 18,799 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a Native American word meaning a "pleasant place"....
on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
.
The 1st Aero Company should not be confused with the 1st Aero Squadron
1st Reconnaissance Squadron
The 1st Reconnaissance Squadron is a United States Air Force reconnaissance training unit based at Beale Air Force Base, near Marysville, California. It is the oldest squadron in the Air Force, and the first organization to be established as a U.S. military flying unit...
, the first in the Army Air Corps, which was deployed to New Mexico. By virtue of its participation as a combat unit with the Punitive Expedition into Mexico, the 1st Aero Squadron was the first organization of its kind that was ever used in active field service in the history of the United States Army. The squadron took to the field with airplanes of very low military efficiency, and with less than 50 percent of its authorized allowance of truck transportation.
After World War I, the 1st Aero Company was renamed and officially numbered the 102nd Observation Squadron, and assigned to the New York Guard
New York Guard
The New York Guard is the State Defense Force of New York State. As of June 2008, the New York Guard, a recognized command under the New York State's Military law, has line-item funding in the state budget....
.
Major Command
- Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(2006–Present) - Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Air Force Special Operations CommandAir Force Special Operations CommandAir Force Special Operations Command is the Special Operations component of the United States Air Force and the US Air Force component command to the United States Special Operations Command , a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida...
(2004–2006) - Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(February 1, 1993–2004) - Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Military Airlift CommandMilitary Airlift CommandThe Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised... - Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Aerospace Defense CommandAerospace Defense CommandAerospace Defense Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1946 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the integrated air defense system of the Continental United States , exercise direct control of all active... - Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic... - Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Military Airlift CommandMilitary Airlift CommandThe Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised... - Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Air Defense Command - Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
Previous Designations
- 102d Rescue Squadron (March 16, 1992 – Present)
- 102d Air Rescue Squadron (October 1, 1989 – March 16, 1992)
- 102d Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron (June 14, 1975 – October 1, 1989)
- 102d Fighter Interceptor Squadron
- 102d Air Refueling Squadron
- 102d Air Transport Squadron (Heavy)
- 102d Aeromedical Transport Squadron
- 102d Fighter Interceptor Squadron
- 102d Bombardment Squadron (Medium)
- 102d Bombardment Squadron (Light)
- 102d Observation Squadron
Aircraft operated
- HH-60G Pavehawk(1990–Present)
- HC-130N Hercules (1988–Present)
- HH-3E Sea King (1975–1990)
- HC-130P Hercules (1975–present)
- F-102A Delta Dagger
- KC-97L Stratotanker
- C-97G Stratofreighter
- C-97A Stratofreighter
- MC-119J Flying Boxcar
- F-94B Starfire
- T-33 Shooting StarT-33 Shooting StarThe Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American-built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. It was used by the...
- B-26 Invader
- B-29 SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
(1951–1952) - Douglas O-46
- Douglas O-38Douglas O-38-References:*The complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, , 1152 pp.-External links:...
- O-11 Falcon
- Curtiss JN-4 Jenny
External links
- GlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...
102nd Rescue Squadron.