56th Rescue Squadron (USAFE)

Lineage. Constituted 56 Air Rescue Squadron on 17 Oct 1952. Activated on 14 Nov 1952. Discontinued, and inactivated, on 18 Mar 1960. Activated on 8 Jul 1972. Redesignated 56 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 10 Jul 1972. Inactivated on 15 Oct 1975. Activated on 1 May 1988. Redesignated: 56 Air Rescue Squadron on 1 Jun 1989; 56 Rescue Squadron on 1 Feb 1993. 

Assignments. 7 Air Rescue Group, 14 Nov 1952 (attached for operational control to 5 Air Division, 14 Nov 1952-28 Feb 1953); 12 Air Rescue Group, 8 Dec 1956; Air Rescue Service, 18 Feb 1958-18 Mar 1960 (attached to Detachment 3, 8 Air Rescue Group [European Rescue Operations Center], 18 Feb 1958-18 Mar 1959 and to Detachment 3, Air Rescue Service [European Recovery Operations Center], 18 Mar 1959-18 Mar 1960). 3 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group, 8 Jul 1972; 41 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery (later, 41 Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance) Wing (attached to 3 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group), 20 Aug 1972-15 Oct 1975. 39 Special Operations Wing, 1 May 1988; 41 Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Apr 1989; Air Rescue Service, 1 Aug 1989; Air Forces Iceland, 1 Feb 1993; 35 Operations Group, 31 May 1993; 85 Operations Group, 1 Oct 1994; 85 Group, 1 Jul 1995; 48 Operations Group, 28 Jun 2006-. 

Stations. Sidi Slimane, French Morocco, 14 Nov 1952-18 Mar 1960. Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 8 Jul 1972-15 Oct 1975. Keflavik, Iceland, 1 May 1988; RAF Lakenheath, UK, 1 Jun 2006-. 

Commanders. Maj William P. Armstrong, 14 Nov 1952; Maj Edmund B. Berry III, 25 Jun 1953; Lt Col Edward T. Davis, 7 May 1954; Lt Col John T. Burke, 8 Mar 1956; Lt Col John F. Zinn Jr., 10 Jul 1958; Lt Col Harry N. Young, 1 Jul 1959-18 Mar 1960. Lt Col Dale A. McGuire, 31 Dec 1972; Lt Col Billy R. McGee, 19 Mar 1973; Lt Col Edgar L. Allison, 26 May 1973; Lt Col Robert J. Bullington, 30 Sep 1973; Lt Col Chester G. Oehme Jr., 23 Aug 1974; Lt Col Walter L. Lindsey, 20 Jul-30 Sep 1975; unmanned, 1-15 Oct 1975. Lt Col William L. Schaefer Jr., 1 May 1988; Lt Col Charles W. Griffin, 1 Jul 1988; Lt Col Gary L. Robinson, 20 Aug 1989; Lt Col Dale A. Kissinger, 10 Oct 1990; Lt Col Jerry W. Cruit, 8 Jun 1992; Lt Col James A. Sills, 26 Feb 1993; Lt Col Gary L. Copsey, 30 Jun 1994; Lt Col Robert P. Donnelly, 28 Jul 1995; Lt Col Jerry F. Miller, 3 Jul 1996; Lt Col William J. Dunn Jr., 1 Jul 1997; Lt Col Richard W. Leibach, 4 Jun 1999; Lt Col Keith H. McCready, 8 Jun 2001; Lt Col David A. Duke, 21 Feb 2003; Lt Col Thomas J. Sexton, 25 Jun 2004; Lt Col Thomas M. Greetan, 7 Dec 2005; Lt Col Steven Huss, 6 Jun 2007-. 

Aircraft. H-5, 1952-1953; SA-16, 1952-1960; SC-47, 1953-1956; SH-19, 1953-1960. HC-130, 1972-1975; HH-43, 1972-1975. HH-3, 1988-1992; HH-60, 1992-. 

Operations. Flew search and rescue, and medical evacuation, in North Africa and southern European area, Nov 1952-Mar 1960. Combat in Southeast Asia, 10 Jul 1972-15 Aug 1973, to include search and rescue, airborne mission control, and aerial refueling; and local search and rescue until Feb 1975. Search and rescue support to Iceland Defense Forces; search area reached from Iceland to the North Pole (more than one million square miles), May 1988-May 2006. 

Service Streamers. None. 

Campaign Streamers. Vietnam: Vietnam Ceasefire. 

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None. 

Decorations. Presidential Unit Citation: Southeast Asia, 8 Jul 1972-27 Jan 1973. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Aug 1991-31 May 1993; 1 Jun 1993-31 Jul 1994; 1 Oct 1994-31 May 1996; 1 Jun 1996-31 May 1997; 1 Jun 1997-31 May 1998; 1 Jun 1998-31 May 1999; 1 Jun 2000-31 May 2001; 1 Jun 2001-31 May 2002; 1 Jun 2002-30 Sep 2003; 1 Oct 2003-30 Sep 2004; 1 Oct 2004-31 Oct 2005; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2007. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 8 Jul 1972-28 Jan 1973. 

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 10 Sep 2008. 

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 29 May 2008. 

Supersedes published information contained in: Judy G. Endicott (ed.), USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995 (Washington: USGPO, 1999). 

Emblem. Approved on 31 Mar 1989; modified on 30 Apr 2007. 

Prepared by Patsy Robertson.

Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.

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