The 38 RQS trains, equips, and employs combat-ready
pararescue and supporting personnel worldwide in support of U.S. national security interests and
NASA. This squadron provides survivor contact, treatment, and extraction during combat rescue operations, and uses various fixed/rotary wing insertion/extraction assets and employs by any means available to provide combat and
humanitarian search, rescue, and medical assistance in all environments.[2]
History
The 38th conducted search, rescue, and recovery in Japan and adjacent waters from 1952 to 1957 including supporting operations in
Korea and adjacent waters from 1952 to 1953. It operated 14 search and rescue detachments in
South Vietnam and
Thailand from, 1965–1971. The squadron provided light-lift
helicopter operations east of the
Mississippi River from 1978 to 1980. It also flew rescue helicopter operations in
South Korea and adjacent waters from 1981 to 1995.[1]
Vietnam War
The 38th Air Rescue Squadron was activated on 30 June 1965 at
Tan Son Nhut Air Base,
South Vietnam, and organized the next day to control detachments operating from bases in Vietnam and Thailand as follows:[1][3]
Detachment 11 was disbanded on 15 October 1970 when all USAF units left Tuy Hoa AB
Detachment 2 was disbanded on 15 November 1970 with the return of USAF strike units from Takhli RTAFB to the US.
On 1 July 1971 the entire 38th ARRS was inactivated. Local base rescue helicopters and their crews then became detachments of the parent unit, the 3d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group.[3]: 113
Operations and Losses
20 September 1965,
KamanHH-43 Huskie BuNo 62-4510, callsign Dutchy 41 of Detachment 1,
Nakhon Phanom Air Base was on a CSAR for Essex 04, an
F-105D piloted by Capt Willis E. Forby,[4] over
North Vietnam. The HH-43 was hit by ground fire and crashed in the jungle. Pilot Captain Thomas J. Curtis, Crew Chief Sergeant William A. Robinson, and P.J. Arthur Black were all captured by the
North Vietnamese Army and taken to a
POW camp in North Vietnam. They were later released during
Operation Homecoming. Co-Pilot 1LT
Duane W. Martin, was captured by the
Pathet Lao and taken to a POW camp in
Laos. On 29 June 1966, Martin, LTJG
Dieter Dengler and other prisoners overpowered their guards and escaped. Martin was later attacked and killed by a Laotian villager,[5] while Dengler was eventually rescued by a Jolly Green of the
37th ARRS.
6 November 1965,
CH-3E BuNo 63-9685 on CSAR for CAPT George G. McKnight[6] pilot of Sandy 14 an
A-1E over North Vietnam was hit by ground fire. 3 of the crew became POWs while the 4th crewman was rescued. This was the first Jolly Green loss in combat.
11 April 1966, an HH-43 of Detachment 6 based at
Bien Hoa Air Base was called to medevac wounded of the
1st Infantry Division which were surrounded by enemy forces near
Xa Cam My, east of
Saigon. Pararescueman A1C
William H. Pitsenbarger was lowered by winch and spent an hour and a half treating the wounded and evacuating nine wounded soldiers on five HH-43 flights. On the sixth approach, Pitsenbarger's HH-43 was hit, forcing it to cut the hoist line and pull out for an emergency landing at the nearest strip. Pitsenbarger continued to treat the wounded, collected rifles and ammunition from the dead and distributed them to the men still able to fight and returned enemy fire before being fatally hit. Pitsenbarger was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross. On 8 December 2000 Pitsenbarger was also awarded the
Medal of Honor.[7]
28 October 1966, HH-43 BuNo 62-4511 callsign Pedro 42 was medevacing wounded of the
4th Infantry Division at night 60 km west of
Pleiku Air Base when it was hit by ground fire and crashed. The flight engineer[8] and 3 soldiers were killed in the crash, while the copilot later died from injuries.[9]
6 February 1967, Jolly Green 05, HH-3E BuNo 65-12779 had rescued CAPT Lucius L. Heiskell[10] pilot of Nail 65 an
O-1F FAC when it was hit by ground fire and crashed near the
Mu Gia Pass, North Vietnam. Heiskell, the pilot, copilot and flight engineer were KIA-BNR,[11][12][13] while the pararescueman
Duane D. Hackney survived the crash and was rescued by Jolly Green 36
8 May 1967, HH-43 BuNo 63-9715 callsign Pedro 96 of Detachment 7 was shot down while trying to rescue 4 Marines.
21 May 1967, HH-43 BuNo 63-9711 callsign Pedro 73, Bien Hoa Air Base was flying CSAR for CAPT David Lindberg[14] pilot of Ramrod 02 an
F-100D when it was hit by ground fire and made an emergency landing; it was later destroyed on the ground.
7 February 1968, HH-43 BuNo 62-4525 callsign Pedro 56 of Detachment 9, Pleiku Air Base was assisting in the recovery of the crew of a downed Army helicopter near
Kontum when it was hit by ground fire and crashed. The flight engineer died in the crash.[15]
27 September 1968, an HH-43 of Detachment 13,
Phu Cat Air Base took off to recover the crew of a downed Army helicopter approximately 30 km north of Phu Cat. At a height of 300 feet above the pickup point, the helicopter received ground fire and the pilot Major David H Pittard, was hit in the chest and killed.[16] The helicopter returned safely to Phu Cat.
10 October 1968, HH-43B Tail No 58-1845 callsign Pedro 44, assigned to Detachment 1,
Phan Rang Air Base, was scrambled with the fire suppression kit (FSK) to stand by for the emergency landing of a
B-57. Pedro 44 entered a left-hand climbing turn over the airfield when it crashed and burned, killing all 5 crewmembers.[17][18][19][20][21]
19 July 1969, HH-43B Tail No 59-1562 callsign Pedro 70, at
U-Tapao Air Base, was flying SAR over a
B-52 which had aborted its takeoff run and crash with a full load of fuel and bombs. Pedro 70 was looking for the tail gunner who was believed to be trapped in the B-52 when the B-52 exploded causing Pedro 70 to crash killing 2 crewmembers[22][23]
A1C William Pitsenbarger in front of an HH-43 Huskie
An HH-43 rescues an airman in Southeast Asia
An HH-3 is escorted on a mission by an A-1 Sandy
Postwar service
This section is empty. You can help by
adding to it. (July 2010)
Lineage
Constituted as the 38th Air Rescue Squadron on 17 October 1952
Activated on 14 November 1952
Inactivated on 18 September 1957
Activated on 30 June 1965 (not organized)
Organized on 1 July 1965
Redesignated 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 8 January 1966
Inactivated on 1 July 1971
Activated on 1 July 1978
Redesignated 38th Air Rescue Squadron on 1 June 1989
Redesignated 38th Rescue Squadron on 1 February 1993