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55th Rescue Squadron emblem (approved 12 December 1988)[2]
55th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron emblem (approved 12 December 1984)[1][3]
Military unit
The 55th Rescue Squadron is an aviation unit of the United States Air Force. It operates the Sikorsky HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter and provides rapidly deployable combat search and rescue forces to theater commanders worldwide. 55th used to use the HH-60G Pave Hawk until switching to the HH-60W Jolly Green II. They tactically employ the HH-60W helicopter and its crew in hostile environments to recover downed aircrew and isolated personnel during day, night, or marginal weather conditions. The squadron also conducts military operations other than war including civil search and rescue, disaster relief, international aid, emergency medical evacuation, and counter-drug activities.[4]
Since 2003, the squadron provided rapidly deployable combat search and rescue forces worldwide; and deployed aircraft and crews in response to national disasters, domestic search and rescue, and medical evacuation ("MEDEVAC") missions.
History
North Atlantic Rescue
The 55th Air Rescue Squadron was activated on 14 November 1952, at Thule Air Force Base, Greenland, where it replaced Flight E, 6th Air Rescue Squadron, when Air Rescue Service expanded its squadrons to groups and replaced their flights with new squadrons. It remained at Thule and trained and performed rescue and recovery missions until March 1960, when it moved to Kindley Air Force Base, Bermuda, where it was inactivated on 18 June 1960.[2]
Reactivation
A 55th HH-53C over the Gulf of Mexico, 1978.
The squadron was reorganized at Kindley on 18 June 1961. Until January 1966 the unit supported crewed spacecraft recovery operations. In January 1966, it was renamed the 55th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. It moved to McCoy Air Force Base, Florida in February 1970. From McCoy, and after June 1971, from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida it provided coverage for Apollo missions through the early 1970s.[2]
Special operations
In 1988 the rescue role changed to special operations missions. During Operation Just Cause the 55th SOS performed combat search and rescue in Panama between 20 December 1989 and 14 January 1990. This was repeated during the 1991 Gulf War between January and March 1991, and again in the Persian Gulf region and the Kosovo, in 1998-1999. On 25 February 1993, the 55th moved to Hurlburt Field, Florida, where the squadron was inactivated on 11 November 1999.[2]
Return to rescue mission
On 22 January 2003, the squadron was reactivated at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona (USA).[2] Since 2003, the squadron provided rapidly deployable combat search and rescue forces worldwide; and deployed aircraft and crews in response to national disasters, domestic search and rescue, and medical evacuation missions, like during Hurricane Katrina.[2]
The unit has changed to the Sikorsky HH-60W Jolly Green II.[5]
Lineage
Constituted as the 55th Air Rescue Squadron on 17 October 1952
Activated on 14 November 1952
Discontinued and inactivated on 18 June 1960
Activated on 10 May 1961 (not organized)
Organized on 18 June 1961
Redesignated 55th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 8 January 1966
Redesignated 55th Special Operations Squadron on 1 March 1988
Inactivated on 11 November 1999
Redesignated 55th Rescue Squadron on 22 January 2003
