Rick Davis

Commissioned 2Lt. upon graduation from Arizona State University.

1968 - Graduated from pilot training. Attended USAF Helicopter School at Shepard AFB, TX.

1970 - 1971 Flew HH-3E's in Thule, Greenland.

1971 - 1973 Flew CH-3E's at Danang AB, RVN and Osan AB, ROK.

1973 - 1975 H/CH-3E flight instructor at the AF helicopter school when it was at Hill AFB, Utah.

1975 - 1986 was assigned as the Commander of the 302nd SOS at Luke AFB, AZ. where I flew CH-3E's.

Continued to fly H-3's during assignments at Selfridge AFB, MI, Portland IAP, OR. and Davis Monthan AFB, AZ.

In 1991 while serving as Commander, 71 SOS at Davis Monthan AFB, AZ, converted to MH-60G Pave Hawks. I Continued to fly Pave Hawks after becomming the 939th Rescue Wing Commander until my retirement in September 1998.

I flew CH-3E 63-9676 "Black Mariah" to the AF museum back in 1992. I logged many of my 5,500+ C/HH 3 hours in her over the years at several locations.

I am the former commander of the 302 SOS at Luke AFB, AZ. where CH-3E, tail #676 "Black Mariah" was assigned. When she was reassigned to the 71st SOS I had been reassigned to the 304th ARS at Portland IAP, Oregon. Because the 71st was deployed to Desert Storm, I flew her to the AF Museum in February of 1991. The entire trip from Davis Monthan to Scott AFB was flown in, around and through icing and severe weather. Fortunately I had two copilots with me, Major George Pierce and Captain Randy Schults-Rathbune. George became sick enroute and had to take a commercial flight home. Randy and I made the last leg in 40 mph winds and landed at Scott in blowing snow and a -20 chill factor. Because of the weather, we made a couple of unscheduled stops. One was in the parking lot of a truck stop in eastern Arizona. We parked next to a sign that said "SEE 'THE THING"...(which at that point was us)

"FREEDOM ISN'T FREE"

~SOMEONE PAYS FOR YOU AND ME~

"HELICOPTERS" - THE ONLY WAY TO FLY

~NEVER FORGOTTEN~