41st Rescue Squadron


Lineage. Constituted as 41 Air Rescue Squadron on 17 Oct 1952. Activated on 14 Nov 1952. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 18 Mar 1960. Activated on 29 Dec 1961. Organized on 8 Jan 1962. Redesignated as 41 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 8 Jan 1966. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1987. Activated on 1 Mar 1989. Redesignated: 41 Air Rescue Squadron on 1 Jun 1989; 41 Rescue Squadron on 1 Feb 1993.

 

Assignments. 4 Air Rescue Group, 14 Nov 1952; Air Rescue and Recovery Service, 8 Dec 1956-18 Mar 1960. Military Air Transport Service, 29 Dec 1961; Air (later, Aerospace) Rescue and Recovery Service, 8 Jan 1962; 39 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing, 1 Jan 1970; 41 Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Sep 1975-30 Sep 1987. 41 Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Mar 1989 (attached to Eastern Space and Missile Center for operational control, 1 Mar 1989-); Air Rescue Service, 141 Rescue Squadron Aug 1989; 1 Operations Group, 1 Feb 1993; 1 Rescue Group, 14 Jun 1995; 347 Operations (later, 347 Rescue) Group, 1 Apr 1997-. 

 

Stations. Hamilton AFB, CA, 14 Nov 1952-18 Mar 1960. Hamilton AFB, CA, 8 Jan 1962; McClellan AFB, CA, 1 Aug 1973-30 Sep 1987. Patrick AFB, FL, 1 Mar 1989; Moody AFB, FL, 1 Apr 1997-. 

 

Commanders. Maj Thomas L. Shockley, 14 Nov 1952; Lt Col Frank H. Dreher, c. Sep 1953; Lt Col Robert L. Boardman, 6 Aug 1954; Maj William M. McDonald, 7 Nov 1955-unkn; Lt Col Felix G. Brenner, unkn-11 Mar 1958; Maj John H. Mork, 11 Mar 1958-unkn; Lt Col Robert A. Stribling, unkn; Lt Col John H. Mork, unkn; Lt Col Robert A. Stribling, unkn-c. 18 Mar 1960. Maj Robert E. Freshwater, 8 Jan 1962; Lt Col Edward Krafka, 6 Feb 1962; Lt Col Donald F. Karshner, 28 Sep 1964; Lt Col Cortez C. Brown, 5 Sep 1965; Lt Col Leslie E. Gamble, 27 May 1967 (acting); Lt Col Maynard R. Rhoades, 10 Jul 1967; Lt Col Joseph P. Leonelli, 20 Jun 1968; Lt Col Noble L. Webster Jr., 7 Nov 1969; Lt Col William H. Hatfield, 1 Jun 1971; Lt Col Philip S. Prince, 15 May 1972; Lt Col James Davis, 2 Jul 1973; Lt Col Charles E. Trapp Jr., 1 Mar 1976; Lt Col Richard W. Nelson, 5 Jun 1977; Lt Col Jack V. Butler, 29 May 1978; Lt Col Jon P. Woods, 16 Jun 1980; Lt Col Harold O. Jones, 7 Jul 1982; Lt Col James E. McArdle Jr., 7 Aug 1984; Lt Col Allan W. Rowe, 30 Jun 1986-30 Sep 1987. Lt Col John K. Rehkop, 1 Mar 1989; Lt Col J. Michael Bergstresser, Aug 1991; Lt Col Robert H. Holliway, 19 Aug 1993; Lt Col J. Michael Scannell, 15 Sep 1995; Lt Col John P. Grimes Jr., 22 May 1997; Lt Col John D. Nelson, 7 May 1999; Lt Col Michael F. Korcheck, 22 Nov 2000; Lt Col Lee K. De Palo, 22 Aug 2002; Lt Col Lee J. Pera, 18 Jun 2004; Lt Col John V. Dallin III, Jun 2006-. 

 

Aircraft. SB-17, 1952-c. 1953; C-82, 1952-1953; H-5, 1952-c. 1953; SA-16, 1953-c. 1960; SH-19, c. 1953-c. 1960. SA/HU-16, 1962-1968; SH/HH-19, 1962-1963; HH-43, 1963; HC-130, 1966-1987; CH/HH-53, 1971-1973; HH-3, 1973-1976; HH-53, 1976-1987. HH-3, 1989-1994; HH-60, 1994-

 

Operations. Conducted search and rescue to recover personnel and aerospace hardware in support of USAF global air and space operations; conducted numerous humanitarian rescue operations, 1952-1960, 1962-1987; and 1989-. Recovered high-altitude atmospheric-sampling devices, 1962-1987. Deployed aircraft and aircrews to Florida bases during Cuban Missile Crisis, Oct 1962. Beginning in Mar 1989, provided prelaunch security and safety surveillance of NASA launches and recovery or medical evacuation for Space Shuttle crewmembers. Conducted day and night (night vision goggles), low-level combat rescue, air refueling and survivor rescue, 1994-. During 1996-1997 deployed personnel and aircraft to Southwest Asia to provide combat search and rescue (CSAR). In 1999, took part in air operations over Serbia.

 

Service Streamers. None. 

 

Campaign Streamers. Kosovo: Air Campaign. 

 

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None. 

 

Decorations. Meritorious Unit Award: 1 Jun 2006-31 May 2007. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 22-28 Dec 1955; 1 Apr 1968-31 Mar 1970; 1 Jul 1972-30 Jun 1974; 1 Sep 1975-1 May 1977; 16 Jul 1977-16 Jul 1979; 17 Jul 1979-15 Jun 1981; 1 Apr 1984-31 Mar 1986; 1 Apr 1987-[30 Sep 1987]; 1 Feb 1993-30 Apr 1994; 1 Sep-31 Dec 1999; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2003; 1 Oct 2003-31 Oct 2004; 1 Nov 2004-31 Jul 2006. 

 

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 20 Mar 2009. 

 

Commanders through 18 Mar 2009, Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 2005. 

 

Supersedes published information contained in: Judy G. Endicott (ed.), USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October1995 (Washington: USGPO, 1999).

 

Emblem. On a Black bordered White disc, extending to border a Red curvilinear suspension bridge with Black outlined truss spanning a stylized expanse of Dark Blue water with wide White caps at top and narrower White caps toward base, the tatter half concealing a downed White plane all outlined Black. Overall above plane and Blue area of water, a stylized swooping Light Blue hawk, eyed White and with Yellow beak, feet and end of tail feathers, and with elevated wings. Approved on 24 May 1954(49781 A.C.). 

 

Prepared by Patsy Robertson.

 

Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.



           



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