HS-4
Encyclopedia
Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Four (HS-4) is a helicopter squadron of the United States Navy
established in 1952.
, equipped with the Sikorsky HO4S-3.
HS-4 was the first anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter squadron of the U.S. Navy to deploy aboard an aircraft carrier, the escort carrier . In 1954/55 HS-4 was deployed on the . Afterwards the squadron converted to the Sikorsky HSS-1 Seabat helicopter and first deployed aboard the in 1956. This was followed by a cruise aboard the Princeton again in 1958. HS-4 could be identified at that time by the tail code "TA" (1955-1960). In 1961, it became the first ASW squadron in Commander Naval Air Forces Pacific (COMNAVAIRPAC) to achieve around-the-clock ASW capability, earning HS-4 the title "Black Knights".
From 1960 to 1968 HS-4 made six deployments aboard the to the Western Pacific as part of Carrier Anti-Submarine Air Group 55 (CVSG-55) (tail code "NU"). In 1964 the squadron converted to the Sikorsky SH-3A Sea King
. HS-4 was initiated into combat during its 1966 cruise to Southeast Asia
. While operating in the Gulf of Tonkin
, HS-4 pilots and aircrew rescued 24 downed airmen under hostile fire, a record for an ASW squadron in a single deployment. In 1968 HS-4 aboard Yorktown was part of the Task Force sent to the Sea of Japan at the beginning of the USS Pueblo incident.
, 10
, 11
, 12
, and 13
. The recovery was always made by "Helicopter 66". The helicopter's flight number was changed from "66" to "740", as after the Apollo 11 recovery the U.S. Navy had switched to a three number squadron designator - but the helicopter was repainted with the number "66" for each recovery thereafter for public relations reasons. HS-4 earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) for these recoveries. For the recovery of Apollo 13
in April 1970, HS-4 was assigned to the helicopter carrier .
In 1971 HS-4 was deployed for the last time on an anti-submarine carrier, the . In 1973/74 the "Black Knights" were aboard the during a cruise to the Western Pacific where they helped to develop the CV concept, which integrated the former "Anti-Submarine Air Group" and "Attack Carrier Air Wing" into the new "Carrier Air Wing". For this deployment HS-4 was assigned to Carrier Air Wing 11 (CVW-11)
. Between 1976 and 1979 HS-4 made two cruises aboard the as part of Carrier Air Wing 2 (CVW-2)
, before being reassigned to Carrier Air Wing 15 (CVW-15). The first deployment was made aboard the Kitty Hawk, followed by seven cruises aboard the between 1983 and 1990.
HS-4 had numerous awards since its inception: seven-time winner of the Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award, Arleigh Burke Fleet trophy in 1978, five-time winner of the Battle 'E' (Battle Efficiency
), three-time winner of the Captain Arnold J. Tobell trophy for ASW excellence and the Sikorsky 'Excellence in Maintenance' Award for 1979, 1982 and 1983.
helicopters and returned to the USS Kitty Hawk as part of CVW-15 for three deployments between 1991 and 1994. They supported Operations Restore Hope and Southern Watch
in 1994, and supported the carrier battle group during Korean contingency operations with detachments to both Korea and Japan.
When CVW-15 was deactivated, HS-4 was reassigned to CVW-14
in January 1995. In 1996 HS-4 made a single deployment aboard the Carl Vinson before CVW-14 and the Black Knights were assigned to the from 1998 to 2003. Their duties included military operations in Pakistan
, detachments in Kuwait
and combat search and rescue training in Australia
, all in support of "Operation Southern Watch" and Operation Enduring Freedom. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, HS-4 supported Navy SEAL
, British Commando
and Polish GROM
forces in Kuwait and Iraq
. HS-4 was awarded the Sikorsky Maintenance and Battle “E” maintenance awards for excellence and achieved the retention honor roll. The nine and one half month deployment (a record since the Second World War) included 1283 sorties and 3228 flight hours flown.
In 2004, HS-4 and CVW-14 were reassigned to the . On board the Stennis, HS-4 completed a cruise to the Western Pacific, which took the squadron from San Diego, to Alaska
, Victoria, British Columbia
, Canada
, Japan
, Malaysia and Australia. In 2006 HS-4 and CVW-14 transferred to the for her maiden deployment. On this deployment HS-4 detached its HH-60Hs into Basra, Iraq to support coalition troops in the region.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
established in 1952.
1952–1968
HS-4 was commissioned on 30 June 1952 at U.S. Naval Auxiliary Landing Field, Imperial Beach, CaliforniaImperial Beach, California
Imperial Beach is a residential beach city in San Diego County, California, with a population of 26,324 at the 2010 census. The city is the most southern beach city in Southern California and the West Coast of the United States...
, equipped with the Sikorsky HO4S-3.
HS-4 was the first anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter squadron of the U.S. Navy to deploy aboard an aircraft carrier, the escort carrier . In 1954/55 HS-4 was deployed on the . Afterwards the squadron converted to the Sikorsky HSS-1 Seabat helicopter and first deployed aboard the in 1956. This was followed by a cruise aboard the Princeton again in 1958. HS-4 could be identified at that time by the tail code "TA" (1955-1960). In 1961, it became the first ASW squadron in Commander Naval Air Forces Pacific (COMNAVAIRPAC) to achieve around-the-clock ASW capability, earning HS-4 the title "Black Knights".
H-3 Sea King
The Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King is a twin-engined anti-submarine warfare helicopter. It served with the United States Navy and other forces, and continues to serve in many countries around the world. The Sea King has been built under license in Italy and Japan, and in the United Kingdom as the...
. HS-4 was initiated into combat during its 1966 cruise to Southeast Asia
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. While operating in the Gulf of Tonkin
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin is an arm of the South China Sea, lying off the coast of northeastern Vietnam.-Etymology:The name Tonkin, written "東京" in Hán tự and Đông Kinh in romanised Vietnamese, means "Eastern Capital", and is the former toponym for Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam...
, HS-4 pilots and aircrew rescued 24 downed airmen under hostile fire, a record for an ASW squadron in a single deployment. In 1968 HS-4 aboard Yorktown was part of the Task Force sent to the Sea of Japan at the beginning of the USS Pueblo incident.
1968–1990
From 1968 to 1970 HS-4 was assigned to Carrier Anti-Submarine Air Group 59 (CVSG-59) (tail code "NT") aboard the . From late 1968 through the spring of 1970, the Black Knights of HS-4 participated in and pioneered techniques for the Apollo capsule recoveries. HS-4 was on scene for Apollo missions 8Apollo 8
Apollo 8, the second manned mission in the American Apollo space program, was the first human spaceflight to leave Earth orbit; the first to be captured by and escape from the gravitational field of another celestial body; and the first crewed voyage to return to Earth from another celestial...
, 10
Apollo 10
Apollo 10 was the fourth manned mission in the American Apollo space program. It was an F type mission—its purpose was to be a "dry run" for the Apollo 11 mission, testing all of the procedures and components of a Moon landing without actually landing on the Moon itself. The mission included the...
, 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
, 12
Apollo 12
Apollo 12 was the sixth manned flight in the American Apollo program and the second to land on the Moon . It was launched on November 14, 1969 from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, four months after Apollo 11. Mission commander Charles "Pete" Conrad and Lunar Module Pilot Alan L...
, and 13
Apollo 13
Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the American Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. The craft was launched on April 11, 1970, at 13:13 CST. The landing was aborted after an oxygen tank exploded two days later, crippling the service module upon which the Command...
. The recovery was always made by "Helicopter 66". The helicopter's flight number was changed from "66" to "740", as after the Apollo 11 recovery the U.S. Navy had switched to a three number squadron designator - but the helicopter was repainted with the number "66" for each recovery thereafter for public relations reasons. HS-4 earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) for these recoveries. For the recovery of Apollo 13
Apollo 13
Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the American Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. The craft was launched on April 11, 1970, at 13:13 CST. The landing was aborted after an oxygen tank exploded two days later, crippling the service module upon which the Command...
in April 1970, HS-4 was assigned to the helicopter carrier .
In 1971 HS-4 was deployed for the last time on an anti-submarine carrier, the . In 1973/74 the "Black Knights" were aboard the during a cruise to the Western Pacific where they helped to develop the CV concept, which integrated the former "Anti-Submarine Air Group" and "Attack Carrier Air Wing" into the new "Carrier Air Wing". For this deployment HS-4 was assigned to Carrier Air Wing 11 (CVW-11)
Carrier Air Wing Eleven
Carrier Air Wing Eleven is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.-Mission:...
. Between 1976 and 1979 HS-4 made two cruises aboard the as part of Carrier Air Wing 2 (CVW-2)
Carrier Air Wing Two
Carrier Air Wing Two is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln .-Mission:...
, before being reassigned to Carrier Air Wing 15 (CVW-15). The first deployment was made aboard the Kitty Hawk, followed by seven cruises aboard the between 1983 and 1990.
HS-4 had numerous awards since its inception: seven-time winner of the Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award, Arleigh Burke Fleet trophy in 1978, five-time winner of the Battle 'E' (Battle Efficiency
Battle Effectiveness Award
The Battle Effectiveness Award , commonly known as the Battle "E", is awarded annually to the small number of U.S...
), three-time winner of the Captain Arnold J. Tobell trophy for ASW excellence and the Sikorsky 'Excellence in Maintenance' Award for 1979, 1982 and 1983.
1991–2006
In 1991, HS-4 transitioned from the SH-3H Sea King to the Sikorsky SH-60F and HH-60HSH-60 Seahawk
The Sikorsky SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk is a twin turboshaft engine, multi-mission United States Navy helicopter based on the United States Army UH-60 Black Hawk and a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family. The most significant airframe modification is a hinged tail to reduce its footprint aboard ships.The...
helicopters and returned to the USS Kitty Hawk as part of CVW-15 for three deployments between 1991 and 1994. They supported Operations Restore Hope and Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
in 1994, and supported the carrier battle group during Korean contingency operations with detachments to both Korea and Japan.
When CVW-15 was deactivated, HS-4 was reassigned to CVW-14
Carrier Air Wing Fourteen
Carrier Air Wing Fourteen , is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.-Mission:...
in January 1995. In 1996 HS-4 made a single deployment aboard the Carl Vinson before CVW-14 and the Black Knights were assigned to the from 1998 to 2003. Their duties included military operations in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, detachments in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and combat search and rescue training in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, all in support of "Operation Southern Watch" and Operation Enduring Freedom. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, HS-4 supported Navy SEAL
United States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
, British Commando
3 Commando Brigade
3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. Its personnel are predominantly Royal Marines, supported by units of Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, The Rifles, and the Fleet Air Arm, together with other Commando...
and Polish GROM
GROM
GROM is one of five special forces units of the Polish Armed Forces. It was officially activated on July 8, 1990...
forces in Kuwait and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. HS-4 was awarded the Sikorsky Maintenance and Battle “E” maintenance awards for excellence and achieved the retention honor roll. The nine and one half month deployment (a record since the Second World War) included 1283 sorties and 3228 flight hours flown.
In 2004, HS-4 and CVW-14 were reassigned to the . On board the Stennis, HS-4 completed a cruise to the Western Pacific, which took the squadron from San Diego, to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Malaysia and Australia. In 2006 HS-4 and CVW-14 transferred to the for her maiden deployment. On this deployment HS-4 detached its HH-60Hs into Basra, Iraq to support coalition troops in the region.
External links
See also
- History of the United States NavyHistory of the United States NavyThe history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was also notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy", the result of a modernization effort that began in the...
- List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons