USAF / 38th RQS / Full Squadron History / Jolly Green Giant

'STRENGTH & HONOR'

Established as the 38th Air Rescue Squadron on October 17, 1952, and activated on November 14, 1952, at Misawa Air Base, Japan, the squadron was initially assigned to the 3d Air Rescue Group. It was attached to the Far East Air Forces until July 1, 1954, and then to the Japan Air Defence Force until August 1, 1954, before being placed under the operational control of the Pacific Air Forces. Initially equipped with SA-16 aircraft received from C Flight of the 3rd ARG, the squadron's early operations were well suited for an island environment like Japan. In 1953, the squadron acquired H-5 aircraft, which were subsequently replaced a year later by the more capable SH-19s.

From 1952 to 1957, the 38th Air Rescue Squadron carried out search, rescue, and recovery missions in Japan and the surrounding waters, while also providing support for operations in Korea and nearby waters between 1952 and 1953. The squadron was reassigned to the 2d Air Rescue Group on June 18, 1957, but maintained its attachment to PACAF for operational control. However, it was ultimately deactivated a brief period later on September 18, 1957.

SEA Operations

Following its deactivation, the Squadron was later reactivated, albeit without being fully organized, on June 30, 1965, and was assigned to the Military Air Transport Service (MATS). It was officially organized on July 1, 1965, at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in South Vietnam, and was placed under the jurisdiction of the Air Rescue Service. Previously identified as Detachment 3 of the Pacific Air Rescue Centre, the Squadron's operational control was under the 2nd Air Division by around January 7, 1966.

Until 1966, the Squadron utilized the HH-3 Jolly Green Giant and CH-3 for its operations before acquiring control over the Local Base Rescue (LBR) HH-43's subsequent to the departure of the H-3's. The HH-43's were deployed across Vietnam and Thailand in 1965, and during the organizational consolidation of all detachments, the 38th gained control over 14 detachments. The primary focus of the Squadron was local base rescue, with an additional emphasis on aircrew recovery, attributed to the HH-43's limited range and armor capabilities.

DET	BASE	ACTIVE		AIRCRAFT	NOTES
		FROM	T0
Det.1	Phan Rang AB, Vietnam	15 Jan 1966	1 Jul 1971	HH-43B
	Nakhon Phanom TRAFB, Thailand	1 Jul 1965	1 Oct 1965	HH-43B CH-3C	First unit to operate CH-3’s.
Det.2	Takhli RTAFB, Thailand	1 Jul 1965	15 Nov 1970	HH-43B
Det.3	Ubon RTAFB, Thailand	1 Jul 1965	1 Jul 1971	HH-43B	Reassigned to the 3rd ARRG when the Sqn inactivated.
Det.4	Korat RTAFB, Thailand	1 Jul 1965	1 Jul 1971	HH-43B	Reassigned to the 3rd ARRG when the Sqn inactivated.
Det.5	Udorn RTAFB, Thailand	1 Jul 1965	1 Jul 1971	HH-43B HH-3E x6	HH-3E transferred to the 37th ARRS
Det.6	Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam	1 Jul 1965	1 Jul 1971	HH-43F HH-3E x2	Reassigned to the 3rdARRG when the Sqn inactivated.
Det.7	Da Nang AB, South Vietnam	1 Jul 1965	1 Jul 1971	HH-43B/F HH-3E	HH-3E formed the 37thARRS.
Det.8	Cam Ranh AB, South Vietnam	1 Jul 1965	15 Nov 1970	HH-43F
Det.9	Pleiku AB, Vietnam	1 Jul 1965	16 Feb 1970
	Nakhon Phanom TRAFB, Thailand	16 Feb 1970	1 Jul 1971	HH-43F	Reassigned to the 3rd ARRG when the Sqn inactivated.
Det.10	Binh Thuy AB, South Vietnam	15 Sep 1965	20 Dec 1969	HH-43F	Reassigned to the 3rd ARRG when the Sqn inactivated.
Det.11	Tuy Hoa AB, South Vietnam	18 Jan 1966	15 Oct 1970	HH-43B
Det.12	Nha Trang AB, South Vietnam	1 Apr 1966	28 Feb 1969	HH-43B
	U-Tapao RTAFB, Thailand	28 Feb 1969	1 Jul 1971	HH-43B	Reassigned to the 3rd ARRG when the Sqn inactivated.
Det.13	Phu Cat AB, South Vietnam	23 Apr 1967	15 Nov 1971	HH-43B	Reassigned to the 3rd ARRG when the Sqn inactivated.
Det.14	Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam	14 Aug 1967	1 Jul 1971	HH-43B	Reassigned to the 3rd ARRG when the Sqn inactivated.

The map below shows all of South East Asia & the coverage the 38th could provide, which covers all of South Vietnam, Laos along with some of Cambodia & Thailand. A huge thanks to Johan Ragay for the picture that was originally from a USAF document.

In July 1965, the 38th acquired two CH-3C's from TAC, with Detachment 1 receiving #63-9685, one of which was unfortunately shot down on November 6, 1965. The Squadron's responsibilities expanded in 1966, marked by the acquisition of six HH-3C's at Udorn as Detachment 5 in November/December 1965, alongside the surviving CH-3C. The HH-3C designation was later changed to HH-3E between May and October 1966. All HH-3's remained under the Squadron's jurisdiction until January 18, 1967, when they were reassigned to the 37th ARRS.

Early Jolly Green Giant patches had a yellow background and this is the only example I've seen that has a det on the top of the patch. Through deduction this patch has to be one from the 38th ARRS, as the 37th ARRS was a HC-130 det.

On July 1, 1965, the twenty-five HH-43B/F at the Local Base Rescue Detachments were on temporary duty (TDY) with the Squadron. Additionally, the squadron had five HU-16's from the 31st and 33rd ARS, as well as two long-range HC-54's from the 36th and 79th ARS.

The 38th Air Rescue Squadron was redesignated as the 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on January 8, 1966, and was subsequently reassigned to the 3d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group.

Medal of Honour
On the 11 April 1966, two Huskies from Detachment 6 of the 38th ARRS were dispatched to extract Army casualties pinned down in a battle near Cam My, 35 miles east of Saigon.

Upon reaching the site of the ambush, one of the PJ’s William Pitsenbarger was lowered through the trees to the ground where he attended to the wounded before having them lifted to the helicopter by cable. After six wounded men had been flown to an aid station, the two helicopters returned for their second load.
One of the returning Huskies was hit by a burst of enemy small-arms fire & had to withdraw, so Pitsenbarger elected to remain with the Army troops. The helicopters could not return to rescue Pitsenbarger due to the intense enemy fire.
For the next ninety minutes, Pitsenbarger tended to the wounded soldiers & when began ammunition was low he gathered it from the dead & distributed it to those still alive. Then, he joined the others to hold off the enemy however he was killed by Viet Cong snipers later that night. Although Pitsenbarger did not escape alive, 60 other men did.
Air Force commanders nominated him for the Medal of Honour however he didn't receive it until the 30 June 1966, 35 years later. He was also posthumously promoted to the rank of Staff sergeant & was the first enlisted recipient of the Air Force Cross medal.

Medal of Honour citation
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, on December 8, 2000, has awarded in the name of the Congress the Medal of Honour posthumously to:

A1C WILLIAM H. PITSENBARGER

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty near Cam My, April 11, 1966:

Rank and organization: Airman First Class, U.S. Air Force, Detachment 6, 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Bien Hoa Air Base, Republic of Vietnam.

Place and date: Near Cam My, April 11, 1966

Entered service at: Piqua, Ohio

Born: July 8, 1944, Piqua, Ohio

Its not only A1C Pitsenbarger who was heroic during Vietnam, the Squadron had eleven Air Force Crosses awarded during the conflict.

Duchy 41

On the 20 September 1965, a Det 3 HH-43 Huskie #62-4510 with Capt. Thomas J. Curtis, 1Lt. Duane W. Martin, A1C William A. Robinson, & Crew chief A3C Arthur Black took off as Duchy 41 on a CSAR mission for Essex 04, an F-105D piloted by Capt Willis E. Forby, about 40 miles south of Vinh, North Vietnam. The rescue team found the pilot, but as they attempted to hoist him up into the aircraft, the helicopter was shot down. The entire crew was captured Curtis Robinson & Black by the VC & Martin by the Pathet La. Black & Robinson, were POWs until their release in February 1973. & share the record as the longest-held enlisted American Prisoner of War in history. Martin escaped the POW camp but after being on the run for 17 days he was killed.

Duchy 41 Crew
Capt. Thomas J. Curtis A1C William A. Robinson	1Lt. Duane W. Martin A3C Arthur Black

A lot of reports put the callsign at Dutchy, however, as you can see from this official document it was actually Duchy. A huge thanks to Johan Ragay for this document.

Jolly Green 02 & 36

On the 5 October 1966 Jolly Green 02 & 36 were tasked for a rescue of an F-4 crew ‘Tempest 03’ which was downed 300 miles inside North Vietnam. Capt. Oliver Edward O'Mara, Jr, was tasked to make the recovery on Jolly Green 36 while Capt. Leland T. Kennedy would provide high cover in Jolly Green 02. Jolly Green 36 made three attempts before his HH-3 was badly damaged & had to return to base. O'Mara was awarded the Air Force Cross in 1969 for his efforts. From July 1966 to May 1967, Capt. O’Mara rescued eight pilots on seven separate missions. He flew a total of 128 missions, 16 of them over North Vietnam.
Kennedy returned to continue the pickup attempts of the F-4 back seater, his first actual attempt at combat rescue. The HH-3E was driven off by fire four times, injuring the crew. Despite deteriorating weather conditions, a rupture in their forward fuel tank, & smoke in the aircraft, Kennedy's three crewmen joined him in wanting to try again.
On the fifth attempt the got 1Lt. Edward W. Garland & exfiltrated the area at low level, with the ridgetops above them concealed by lowering clouds. Below minimum fuel levels needed to return to Udorn, he flew Jolly Green 04 to Lima Site 36, a FOB. Capt. Kennedy was awarded the Air Force Cross & his crew members each received the Silver Star for the rescue.

Fifteen days later on the 20 October Capt. Kennedy launched as Jolly Green 36 with Jolly Green 02 to pick up another F-4 Crew from the 433rd TFS ‘Avenger 03’. During the rescue Jolly Green 02 was forced to make an emergency landing after picking up the F-4 pilot due to the HH-3 being hit by the enemy. Capt. Kennedy who was providing top cover guided Jolly Green 02 to a clearing & then dumped fuel so he could pick up Jolly 02 crew & the F-4 pilot. The crew of the stricken Jolly Green 02 ran to board Kennedy's aircraft under fire, during which both enlisted crewmen of Jolly Green 02 were also wounded. Carrying nine men, Kennedy performed a "maximum performance" lift-off. Kennedy received a second Air Force Cross for this mission. Kennedy flew 99 missions in Southeast Asia, totalling 354 hours of combat flight time & was awarded a Silver Star with the 37th ARRS. Kennedy was referred to by Secretary of the Air Force Harold Brown as a major figure in 'one of the most outstanding human dramas in the history of the Air Force’.

Jolly Green 36 Capt. Oliver Edward O'Mara Jolly Green 04 & 36 Capt. Leland T. Kennedy

Air Force Cross Air Force Cross

Jolly Green 05
On 6 February 1967 Maj. Patrick H. Wood was a Commander of ‘Jolly Green 05’ a HH-3E helicopter Major Wood flew two sorties in an attempt to rescue ‘Nail 05’ a O-1 pilot downed deep in heavily defended hostile territory near Mu Gia Pass, North Vietnam. The first sortie was cancelled but Maj. Wood undertook a second. Despite intense & accurate 37 mm fire, Maj. Wood successfully located & hoisted the downed pilot into his aircraft. At this point, the hostile forces directed all their fire-power toward Major Wood’s aircraft. Heavy 37 mm fire exploded above the aircraft on climb out & one hit was taken in the cabin. Although his aircraft was severely damaged, Maj. Wood attempted to clear a ridge line which would have provided sufficient altitude for a safe bailout for his crew. Unfortunately, all the crew were killed when the HH-3 hit the ridge, however a PJ A1C Dwane Hackney & the O-1 pilot Capt. Lucius L. Heiskell had parachutes on & escaped the fireball. Hackney survived the explosion however Capt. Heiskell didn’t. Maj. Wood was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross after being listed as MIA until his remains were recovered in 2016 & he was listed as KIA. A2C Hackney was also awarded the Air Force Cross for his heroism during the rescue & was the first living recipient of the award.

Jolly Green 05
Pilot Maj. Patrick H. Wood Pararescueman A1C Dwane Hackney (Survived)	Air Force Cross Air Force Cross

Capt. John A. Firse
On the 11 June 1967 a HH-3E from Detachment 5, 38th ARRS, from Udorn flew deep into hostile territory to rescue two downed American pilots. After rescuing one survivor from the dense jungle, Capt. John A. Firse hovered over the second, with intense & accurate ground fire tearing into his unarmed aircraft & causing extensive damage. Despite continuing fire, Capt. Firse persevered in the recovery effort until the second survivor was safely aboard. Although three of his tires were blown and the hull was extensively damaged from hostile fire, Capt. Firse skilfully recovered at a FOB.

Pilot Capt. John A. Firse

Air Force Cross

Sgt. Michael E. Fish
On Feb. 18, 1969, Sgt. Michael E. Fish, a Det 5, 38th ARRS pararescue specialist, was lowered from an HH-43B Huskie through intense hostile ground fire into a dense jungle canyon near Tuy Hoa AB, South Vietnam. He came to treat and rescue four seriously injured US Army UH-1 helicopter crew members whose aircraft had been downed by enemy fire. Unable to immediately free the pilot from the wreckage, Fish chose to remain on the ground overnight, even though the HH-43 ran low on fuel and had to leave. The rescue chopper refueled and returned but because of darkness and extreme haze could not find the site again. During the next 15 hours, Fish faced attacks by enemy forces but cared for the pilot until the chopper returned at dawn on Feb. 19 and successfully extracted them.

Pararescueman Sgt. Michael E. Fish

Air Force Cross

By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States and as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States I have today awarded the Presidential Unit Citation to the,

38TH AIR RESCUE SQUADRON

FOR EXTRAORDINARY GALLANTRY

The personnel of the 38th Air Rescue Squadron distinguished themselves by extraordinary gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force in Southeast Asia from 1 August 1964 to 31 July 1965. They repeatedly jeopardized their own lives by exposing themselves to hostile air and ground fire while flying unarmed aircraft in order to rescue survivors downed in hostile territory. Their actions have directly resulted in saving the lives of 74 persons during the period reported. The extraordinary heroism displayed by this unit in effecting rescues under the most perilous of circumstances has had a most beneficial effect upon the morale of all who fly over hostile territory in Southeast Asia. By their gallantry and untiring devotion to duty, the personnel of the 38th Air Rescue Squadron have reflected great credit upon themselves and the United States Air Force.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON

Upon its inactivation on July 1, 1971, all of the detachments that had been under the Squadron's control were reassigned to the 3rd Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group at Tan Son Nhut.

The Squadron was reactivated at Homestead AFB on July 1, 1978, and was assigned to the 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing. Initially operating the UH-1, it later acquired the CH-3 the following year, but both aircraft were withdrawn from the Squadron's operation in 1980. During its initial period, the squadron conducted light-lift helicopter operations east of the Mississippi River. Subsequently, on January 8, 1981, the Squadron relocated to Osan Air Base, South Korea, where it regained the CH-3's and was assigned to the 41st Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing.

This is a patch based on the 40th ARRS official emblem. I suspect this was made as the 40th mainly operated the UH-1's & crew would be deployed to the 38th from there. The Squadron was assigned to the 39th ARRW, which was the main Wing for rescue service across the globe. Other squadrons used this 40th design, the main other being the 67th ARRS, who flew detachments of UH-1N's at Ramstein & Zaragoza.

A very saucy patch from the maintenance crew at the 38th ARRS, custom made between 1986-1987 while based at Osan.

A HH-3E sits on what is obviously a ramp dedicated for the 38th ARRS as it has been decorated by the crews with green feet. They seemed to pop up in the most unusually places if you lived on a jolly green station.

Following its redesignation as the 38th Air Rescue Squadron on June 1, 1989, the Squadron was subsequently reassigned to the Air Rescue Service on August 1, 1989.

Pavehawk for Jolly Green's

In 1990 the HH-60 Pave Hawk joined the Squadron which led to the retirement of the CH-3’s.

A new HH-60G #81-23644 is unloaded at Osan on a rainy day in February 1990. This saw the first arrival of the Pavehawk to the Squadron. (Photo courtesy of Tony Michael)

The new Pavehawks were moved past the old 

HH-3E's that had served the Squadron & USAF rescue community so well for over three decades. (Photo courtesy of Tony Michael)

The same C-5 Galaxy that delivered the new 

HH-60G's was the same one used to ferry the back to the US & retirement from the 38th RQS. (Photo courtesy of Tony Michael)

The Squadron underwent several rapid changes, being redesignated as the 38th Rescue Squadron on February 1, 1993, and assigned to the 51st Operations Group, and then subsequently redesignated as the 38th Rescue Flight on July 1, 1994. It was eventually inactivated on February 15, 1996.

A HH-60G prepares to land on the helipad at High Top Mountain in South Korea. (USAF Photo by TSgt. Scott Stewart)

The 38th was redesignated as the 38th Rescue Squadron on April 2, 2001, and was activated on May 1, 2001, at Moody AFB. It was initially assigned to the 347th Operations Group, which later transitioned into the 347th Rescue Group. The Squadron, while not having any specific aircraft assigned to it, focuses on training, equipping, and deploying combat-ready pararescue and supporting personnel globally in alignment with U.S. national security interests and NASA. The squadron is dedicated to survivor contact, treatment, and extraction during combat rescue operations, utilizing a range of fixed and rotary-wing insertion/extraction assets, employing all available means to deliver combat and humanitarian search, rescue, and medical assistance across diverse environments.

The 38th closely collaborates with its sister Squadron, the 41st RQS, which initially operated the HH-60G and later transitioned to the HH-60W. Crews from the 38th have also transitioned to operating the new Jolly Green II, as personnel from the 38th RQS often accompany deployments of the 41st.

NASA Support

In August 2021, the pararescuemen from Blue Team, along with aircrew flight equipment Airmen and maritime operations specialists from the 38th, participated in rescue training in the Banana River and Atlantic Ocean near Patrick Space Force Base. This training aimed to provide support for the SpaceX Human Spaceflight program, Boeing's spaceflight program, and other immediate response force operations. During astronaut launches, the Squadron provides coverage in the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean, serving as the on-site rescue team responsible for recovering astronauts from their capsules in case of emergencies or bailouts.

In the event of a malfunction during launch, the capsule detaches from the rocket and moves away from potential hazards. The aim is for the capsule to land in an ocean, allowing pararescue jumpers to swiftly extract any occupants on board.

A huge thank you goes to Johan Ragay from the HH-43 website, which is an absolute treasure trove of information regarding the Huskie in USAF operation.

If you have any additional information about this patch or anything to add, for example, photos or stories, please contact me at

usafjollygreen@gmail.com 

I will get back to you.

Thanks👣