55th Rescue Squadron (ACC)

Lineage. Constituted as 55th Air Rescue Squadron on 17 Oct 1952. Activated on 14 Nov 1952. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 18 Jun 1960. Activated on 10 May 1961. Organized on 18 Jun 1961. Redesignated as: 55 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 8 Jan 1966; 55 Special Operations Squadron on 1 Mar 1988. Inactivated on 11 Nov 1999. Redesignated as 55 Rescue Squadron on 22 Jan 2003. Activated on 14 Mar 2003.

Assignments. 6 Air Rescue Group, 14 Nov 1952; Air Rescue Service, 18 Feb 1958-18 Jun 1960. Military Air Transport Service, 10 May 1961; Air Rescue (later, Aerospace Rescue and Recovery) Service, 18 Jun 1961; 39 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery (later, 39 Special Operations) Wing, 1 Jan 1970; 1 Special Operations Wing, 18 Apr 1989; 1 Special Operations (later, 16 Operations) Group, 22 Sep 1992-11 Nov 1999. 355 Operations Group, 14 Mar 2003; 563 Rescue Group, 1 Oct 2003-.

Stations. Thule AB, Greenland, 14 Nov 1952; Kindley AFB, Bermuda, 17 Mar-18 Jun 1960. Kindley AFB, Bermuda, 18 Jun 1961; McCoy AFB, FL, 27 Feb 1970; Eglin AFB, FL, 25 Jun 1971; Hurlburt Field, FL, 25 Feb 1993-11 Nov 1999. Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 14 Mar 2003-.

Commanders. Maj Melvin E. Bunch, 14 Nov 1952; Maj Bernard L. Bailey, 5 Oct 1953; Maj Michael V. Pedulla, 19 Feb 1954; Maj Henry M. O'Conner, 31 Aug 1954; Lt Col Robert H. Johnson, 26 Sep 1954; Lt Col Eugene Ecklund, 24 Sep 1955; Maj William W. Poteet, 8 Jun 1956; Lt Col Webster W. Plourd, 23 Jul 1956; Maj Kenneth J. Mask, 10 Jul 1957; Lt Col Leon H. Golinsky, 8 Jun 1958; Lt Col F. V. Sohle Jr., 1959; Maj Burkhead M. Herndon, 28 Jul 1959; Lt Col Alden G. Glauch, 6 Aug 1959; Lt Col Joe Walker, 18 Mar-18 Jun 1960. Lt Col Norman V. Rudrud, 18 Jun 1961; Lt Col Edgar H. Albers Jr., 28 Jul 1963; Lt Col Marion L. Costello, 1966; Lt Col Reed C. Mulkey, 9 Mar 1967; Lt Col Paul W. Rudloff, 1968; Lt Col Coy W. Farrar Jr., 11 Feb 1971; Lt Col James F. Harmon, 28 Apr 1973; Lt Col John R. Moulton, by 31 Dec 1973; Lt Col Jerry A. Crupper, c. Jul 1974; Col Lewis E. James, 18 Jan 1976; Lt Col Richard E. Porter, 2 Jul 1976; Lt Col John H. Denham, by 30 Jun 1977; Lt Col John C. Flournoy, Jan 1979; Lt Col Franklin W. Watkins, 3 Nov 1980; Lt Col Benjamin J. Pearson II, 30 Oct 1981; Lt Col Paul B. Bowen, 23 Jul 1982; Lt Col Bennie D. Orrell, 2 Jul 1984; Lt Col Kenneth R. Pribyla, 14 Nov 1986; Lt Col John G. Taylor III, 1 Mar 1988; Lt Col Jerry L. Garlington, 18 May 1990; Lt Col Roland E. Peixotto Jr., 20 Jul 1992; Lt Col John W. Zahrt, 30 Oct 1992 (interim); Lt Col Roderick D. Reay, 16 Feb 1993; Lt Col John W. Zahrt, 2 Jun 1994; Lt Col Charles S. Shaw, 9 Jun 1995; Lt Col Richard B. McNabb, 25 Apr 1997; Lt Col Stephan J. Laushine, 9 Jul 1998-16 Sep 1999; Unkn, 17 Sep-11 Nov 1999. Lt Col Michael T. Healy, 14 Mar 2003; Lt Col Bradley K. Grambo, 9 Jul 2004; Lt Col Griffith S. Massey, 16 Jun 2006; Lt Col James J. McElhenney, 27 Sep 2007-.

Aircraft. SB-17, 1952-1955; SC-47, 1952-1954; H-19, 1953-1957; SA-16, 1953-1959; YH-21, 1953-1955; SC-54, 1956-1957, 1959-1960; SH-21, 1956-1960. HC-54, 1961-1964; SH-19 (later, HH-19), 1961-1963; HH-43, 1963-1964; HC-97, 1964-1966; HC-130, 1966-1988; HH-53, 1973-1980; H-3, 1980-1982; UH/MH-60, 1982-1999. HH-60, 2003-.

Operations. Trained and performed rescue and recovery missions, 1952-1960. Supported manned spacecraft recovery operations, Jun 1961-Jan 1966. Provided rescue coverage for Apollo missions to the moon in the early 1970s. Special operations missions, Mar 1988-Sep 1999. Combat search and rescue in Panama, 20 Dec 1989-14 Jan 1990, Southwest Asia, Jan-Mar 1991, and again in Southwest Asia and Kosovo, 1998-1999. Provided rapidly deployable combat search and rescue forces to theater commanders worldwide; deployed aircraft and crews in response to national disasters, domestic search and rescue, and MEDEVAC missions, 2003-.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Kosovo Air Campaign.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. Panama, 1989-1990.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device: 1 Jun 1997-31 May 1999. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1972-30 Jun 1974; 1 Jul 1976-30 Jun 1978; 20-29 Nov 1978; 1 May 1988-30 Apr 1990; 16 Apr 1992-15 Apr 1994; 1 Jun 1995-31 May 1997; 1 Oct 2003-31 Oct 2004; 1 Nov 2004-31 Jul 2006. Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation: 1 Jul 1967-26 Jul 1969. Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation: 5-6 Feb 1986.

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 12 Mar 2009.

Commanders through 1 Aug 2008, Aircraft, and Operations through 31 Dec 2005.

Supersedes statement prepared on 24 Feb 2003.

Emblem. Approved on 12 Dec 1988.

Prepared by Patsy Robertson.

Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.

"FREEDOM ISN'T FREE"

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"HELICOPTERS" - THE ONLY WAY TO FLY

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