305th Rescue Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 305th Rescue Squadron (305 RQS) was most recently part of the 920th Rescue Wing
at Patrick Air Force Base
, Florida
. The squadron is geographically separated and operates from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
, Arizona
. It operates HH-60 Pave Hawk
aircraft conducting search and rescue
missions.
(SAR) operations primarily in the upper Midwestern United States
from, 1958-1992. It deployed personnel worldwide to support active duty forces, including to the Far East
following the USS Pueblo
incident, January 1968-June 1969, and to Keflavík
, Iceland
, during and after the Gulf War
. The squadron maintained helicopter air refueling capability from, 1972-1992. It trained for combat search and rescue and performed SAR operations primarily in the Southwestern United States
from, 1993-. The 305th also provided support in counterdrug operations to U.S. civilian agencies from, 1994-.
920th Rescue Wing
The 920th Rescue Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida with additional geographically separated units located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona and Portland International Airport/Air Reserve Station, Oregon...
at Patrick Air Force Base
Patrick Air Force Base
Patrick Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It was named in honor of Major General Mason Patrick. An Air Force Space Command base, it is home to the 45th Space Wing...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The squadron is geographically separated and operates from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Davis–Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, and approximately south-southeast of downtown, Tucson, Arizona....
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. It operates HH-60 Pave Hawk
HH-60 Pave Hawk
The Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a twin turboshaft engine helicopter in service with the United States Air Force. It is a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Force PAVE electronic systems program...
aircraft conducting search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue 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, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
missions.
History
The 305th trained for and performed search and rescueSearch and rescue
Search and rescue 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, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
(SAR) operations primarily in the upper Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
from, 1958-1992. It deployed personnel worldwide to support active duty forces, including to the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
following the USS Pueblo
USS Pueblo (AGER-2)
USS Pueblo is an American ELINT and SIGINT Banner-class technical research ship which was boarded and captured by North Korean forces on January 23, 1968, in what is known as the Pueblo incident or alternatively as the Pueblo crisis or the Pueblo affair. Occurring less than a week after President...
incident, January 1968-June 1969, and to Keflavík
Keflavík
Keflavík is a town in the Reykjanes region in southwest Iceland. In 2009 its population was of 8,169.In 1995 it merged with Njarðvík and Hafnir to form a municipality called Reykjanesbær with a population of 13,971 .- History :...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, during and after the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. The squadron maintained helicopter air refueling capability from, 1972-1992. It trained for combat search and rescue and performed SAR operations primarily in the Southwestern United States
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
from, 1993-. The 305th also provided support in counterdrug operations to U.S. civilian agencies from, 1994-.
Lineage
- 305th Air Rescue Squadron (1958–1966)
- 305th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (1967–1990)
- 305th Air Rescue Squadron (1990–1992)
- 305th Rescue Squadron (1992–Present)
Assignments
- 2242d Air Reserve Flying Center(1958)
- Tenth Air ForceTenth Air ForceThe Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....
(1958) - 2467th Air Reserve Flying Center (1958–1960)
- Tenth Air Force (1960)
- Fifth Air ForceFifth Air ForceThe Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
Reserve Region (1960–1968) - Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service (1968–1969)
- Fifth Air Force Reserve Region (1969)
- Central Air Force Reserve Region (1969–1971)
- Eastern Air Force Reserve Region (1971–1972)
- Western Air Force Reserve Region (1972–1976)
- 403d Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing (15 Mar 1976 – 1 Oct 1987)
- 939th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group939th Air Refueling WingThe 939th Air Refueling Wing was a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Portland Air Reserve Station, Oregon. It was an Air Force Reserve Command flying unit operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command...
(1 Oct 1987 – 1 Sep 1992, 1 Oct 1993- ) - 943d Rescue Group (12 Feb 2005 - )
Bases stationed
- Selfridge AFB (later ANGB), MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
(8 Feb 1958 – 1 Sep 1992) - Davis-Monthan Air Force BaseDavis-Monthan Air Force BaseDavis–Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, and approximately south-southeast of downtown, Tucson, Arizona....
, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
(1 Oct 1993 - )
Aircraft Operated
- HU-16 AlbatrossHU-16 AlbatrossThe Grumman HU-16 Albatross is a large twin-radial engine amphibious flying boat that was utilized by the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard, primarily as a search and rescue and combat search and rescue aircraft...
(1958–1965) - HC-97 StratofreighterC-97 StratofreighterThe Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a long range heavy military cargo aircraft based on the B-29 bomber. Design work began in 1942, with the prototype's first flight being on 9 November 1944, and the first production aircraft entered service in 1947. Between 1947 and 1958, 888 C-97s in several...
(1965–1972) - HC-130 Hercules (1972–1992)
- CH-3 Sea King (1976–1980)
- HH-3 Sea King (1976–1992)
- HH-60 Pave HawkHH-60 Pave HawkThe Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a twin turboshaft engine helicopter in service with the United States Air Force. It is a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Force PAVE electronic systems program...
(1993 - )