305th Rescue Squadron

305th Rescue Squadron
305th Rescue Squadron
	Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ Palm
Insignia
305th Rescue Squadron emblem (approved 16 August 1967)
Aircraft flown
Helicopter	HH-60G Pave Hawk; HH-60W Jolly Green II

The 305th Rescue Squadron is part of the 943rd Rescue Group at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, a subordinate of the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida. It operates Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk and HH-60W Jolly Green II aircraft conducting peacetime and combat search and rescue missions.

The 305th was originally activated at

USS Pueblo incident

. In 1985, a squadron crew earned the Koran Kolligan, Jr. Trophy, the highest safety award in the Air Force, for successfully landing their severely disabled HH-3 helicopter. The squadron was inactivated in 1992 and its aircraft transferred to the active Air Force or to storage.

The unit was again activated the following year at Davis–Monthan, where it was equipped with HH-60s in 1994. It has participated in most major operations in Southwest Asia since that date. It also flew rescue missions following Hurricane Katrina and is the only United States Air Force rescue unit that is capable of operating from ships.

Mission

The 305th Rescue Squadron is trained and equipped to conduct day or night

Air Force Rescue Coordination Center The squadron also provides humanitarian and disaster relief operations at the request of foreign governments and the International Civil Aviation Organization.^[4]

If called to active duty, the unit's gaining command is Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.^[4]

History

First Activation: 1958–1992

The 305th was first activated as the 305th Air Rescue Squadron at

Air Rescue Service of Military Air Transport Service.^[4]^{[note 1]} The 305th supported local peacetime rescue operations while maintaining combat deployable status. It also participated in foreign training exercises with Brazil, Honduras and Venezuela. The squadron's peacetime operations included the recovery of eleven seamen from a sinking Canadian freighter in Lake Erie and the transport of fourteen workers critically injured from a factory accident.^[4]

In late 1965, the unit began to replace its SA-16s with

Boeing HC-97 Stratofreighters, and in January 1966 it was redesignated as the 305th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron.^[2]^[5] During 1966 and 1967 the unit provided rescue cover for Operation Hi-Cat, which involved research on turbulence at high altitude by Lockheed U-2 aircraft.^[6]^[7]

The squadron was called to active duty following the

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ Palm. It was returned to reserve status in June 1969. Other deployments included locations in Libya, Spain, North Africa, Greece, Germany, Italy, England, Iceland, and Southeast Asia.^[4]

In 1972 the unit upgraded to

Sikorsky HH-3 Jolly Green Giant helicopters. It continued to operate a combination of HC-130s and HC-3s until 1992. For part of this period, it also flew the CH-3 cargo model of the H-3.^[2]

In 1985, Major Larry Brooks and his crew earned the Koran Kolligan, Jr. Trophy, the highest safety award in the Air Force, for successfully landing their severely disabled HH-3 helicopter after one of the engines exploded.^[4]^[8] During the 1980s, the 305th also provided rescue coverage for tactical fighter and Army units deploying from the United States to Europe.^[9]

In 1991, pararescue personnel from the squadron deployed to the Persian Gulf to support the

Naval Air Station Keflavík, Iceland, during and after the Gulf War.^[2] In 1992, with the drawdown of active and reserve forces, the squadron's HC-130 Hercules aircraft were transferred to active duty units and its HH-3 Jolly Green helicopters were retired. The 305th was inactivated on 30 September 1992.^[4]

Current era: 1993–present

In October 1993 the squadron was again activated on paper at

Operation Provide Comfort II. On 19 May 1994, the 305th was credited with its first save since reactivation. One of its crews completed a rescue using night vision goggles and a Stokes litter to hoist an injured Army specialist from a sixty degree mountain slope that was surrounded by forty to sixty foot trees.^[4]

Ten months after beginning its conversion to HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters the squadron was tasked to support Provide Comfort II . The squadron deployed three HH-60G Pave Hawks and 95 personnel and accomplished 315 combat sorties during this deployment.[4] It trained for combat search and rescue and performed search and rescue operations primarily in the Southwestern United States. The 305th also supported counterdrug operations to civilian agencies from 1994.^[2]

In 2002, the 305th Rescue Squadron was activated for one year under a partial mobilization order to participate in

SEAL team member engaged in Operation Red Wings in the mountains east of Bagram, Afghanistan. Upon its return to the United States in August, the unit deployed to Louisiana and Texas to assist in the rescue of thousands of people in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.^[2]

In 2005, Air Force Reserve Command expanded its rescue organization at Davis Monthan. The 305th was reassigned to the newly activated 943rd Rescue Group and was joined by the 306th Rescue Squadron, which provided a separate unit for pararescue personnel.^[4]^[10] From January through March 2007 the squadron again deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom. During the deployment, it rescued 14 injured US military personnel from a crashed Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter. It deployed again from March to September 2008 and flew over 340 combat sorties and assisted in saving the lives of over 480 people and two military dogs.^[2]^{[failed verification]}

The 305th Rescue Squadron is the first and only Air Force Reserve helicopter unit to gain the ability to operate from shipboard.^[4]

The first Sikorsky HH-60W Jolly Green II arrived on February 1, 2024.^[3]

Lineage

Constituted as the 305th Air Rescue Squadron on 16 January 1958

Activated in the reserve on 8 February 1958

Redesignated 305th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 18 January 1966

Ordered into active service on 26 January 1968

Released from active service on 19 June 1969

Redesignated 305th Air Rescue Squadron on 1 April 1990

Redesignated 305th Rescue Squadron on 1 February 1992

Inactivated on 1 September 1992

Activated in the reserve on 1 October 1993^[11]

Assignments

2242d Air Reserve Flying Center: 8 February 1958
Tenth Air Force: 8 April 1958
2467th Air Reserve Flying Center: 1 June 1958
Tenth Air Force: 20 May 1960
Fifth Air Force Reserve Region: 1 September 1960
Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service
: 26 January 1968
Fifth Air Force Reserve Region: 19 June 1969

Central Air Force Reserve Region: 31 December 1969
Eastern Air Force Reserve Region: 31 July 1971
Western Air Force Reserve Region: 1 January 1972
403d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing
(later 403d Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing): 15 March 1976
939th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group
(later 939th Air Rescue Wing): 1 October 1987
939th Operations Group: 1 August 1992 – 1 September 1992
939th Operations Group: 1 October 1993^[11]
943d Rescue Group: 12 February 2005 – present^[2]^[12]

Stations

Selfridge Air Force Base (later Selfridge Air National Guard Base), Michigan, 8 February 1958 – 1 September 1992
Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, 1 October 1993 – present^[11]

Aircraft

Grumman SA-16A (later HU-16) Albatross (1958–1965)
Boeing HC-97G Stratofreighter (1965–1972)
Lockheed HC-130H Hercules (1972–1992)
Sikorsky CH-3 (1976–1980, 1987–1992)
Sikorsky HH-3 Jolly Green Giant (1976–1992)
Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk (1993–)^[11]^[3]
Sikorsky HH-60W Jolly Green II (2023-)^[3]

Awards

Award	Dates	Notes
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	26 January 1968 – 26 January 1969	305th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron^[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1977 – 31 December 1978	305th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron^[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 July 1984 – 30 June 1986	305th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron^[2]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 October 1993 – 31 August 1995	305th Rescue Squadron^[4]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award	1 September 1997 – 31 August 1999	305th Rescue Squadron^[4]
Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm	26 January 1968 – 18 June 1969	305th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron^[2]

References

Notes

^ In January 1966, Military Air Transport Service Became Military Airlift Command and Air Rescue Service became Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service. Air Rescue Service returned to its original designation in 1989.

Citations

^ ^a ^b "Library: Fact Sheets: 305 Rescue Squadron". Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Public Affairs. 1 September 2011. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o Dollman, TSG Davis (17 October 2007). "Factsheet 305 Rescue Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Air Forces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. April 2024. p. 16.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p "305th Rescue Squadron". 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs. 26 March 2013. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
^ "Abstract, History 305 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron Jan–Jun 1966". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
^ "Abstract, History 305 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron Jul–Dec 1966". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
^ "Abstract, History 305 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron Jan–Jun 1967". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
^ "Abstract, History 403 Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing Jul–Dec 1986". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
^ "Abstract, History 305 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron Fiscal Year 1974". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
^ "Inside 920th RQW: 920th Rescue Wing Pararescue Squadrons". 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Lineage, including assignments, stations, and aircraft in Bailey, except as noted
^ Bailey, Carl E. (29 October 2007). "Factsheet 943 Rescue Group (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2017.