USAF / 67th ARRS / Full Squadron History / Jolly Green Giant

'NIGHT OWLS'

Air Rescue

The 67th has its roots in B Flight of the 9th Air Rescue Group, formed when the Group was constituted on May 11, 1945. In early 1946, the Air Transport Command established the Air Rescue Service, a vital support system for downed airmen on both land and at sea. Europe's coverage was managed by the 7th Air Rescue Squadron, stationed in Tripoli, Libya.

Multiple changes led to the establishment of the 9th Air Rescue Squadron at Bushy Park on February 27, 1951, comprising four Flights: A Flight at RAF Manston, England; B Flight at Prestwick, Scotland; C Flight at Burtonwood, England; and D Flight at Wheelus AB, Libya. Formed on July 1, 1951, D Flight operated B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft, supplemented by SC-47 Dakota. Notably, the B-17 featured a fuselage-mounted lifeboat designed for sea deployments.

An early 9th Air Rescue Squadron Christmas card.

On November 14, 1952, the 9th Air Rescue Squadron transformed into HQ 9th Air Rescue Group, and on October 17, 1952, the Flights were renumbered. Consequently, all aircraft and personnel from B Flight became the 67th Air Rescue Squadron. Officially constituted on October 17, 1952, the 67th was activated the following month at RAF Sculthorpe, England. Aligned with the 9th Air Rescue Group, the Squadron was attached to the Third Air Force from November 15, 1953, until June 24, 1958.

An early 67th Air Rescue Squadron patch.

Early Aircraft

The Squadron initiated operations at RAF Sculthorpe with the C-82A Packet, a twin-engined transport aircraft with a capacity for 42 troops or 34 stretchers. Due to being underpowered, the C-82A was phased out from the Squadron in 1953 and from the USAF in 1954.

The SB-29, a modified B-29 bomber, proved highly effective in World War II. By 1949, SB-29s were integrated into the Air Rescue Service inventory for extended rescue coverage. These aircraft were equipped with a 30-foot lifeboat, designated the A-3, containing a thirty-day supply of food, water, and clothing for twelve survivors. The all-metal A-3 lifeboat featured a single inboard engine and closely resembled the A-1 in most aspects.

You don't often see the C-82, that's because it was around for a short period of time, with the 67th operating it for only the first two years after being activated.

Top: An SB-29 showing the life raft that could be carried underneath & dropped to downed crews at sea.

Above: the 67^th ARS patch which was a caricature of a SB-29 that the Squadron operated.

Hunstanton Floods

While based at Sculthorpe alongside British forces, the Squadron faced a critical situation on January 31, 1953. Deadly storms, coupled with a tidal surge, breached the seaside town of Hunstanton's defences. This resulted in several families being stranded on the southern beach areas, leaving them vulnerable to flooding.

Despite the storm claiming 31 lives, the swift mobilization of the 67th ARS stationed at RAF Sculthorpe saved numerous others. Airman 2nd Class Reis Leming, unable to swim, courageously rescued 27 people in waters approximately 6 feet deep, towing a life raft. His heroic and selfless actions earned Leming the George Medal, making him the first non-Briton to receive such recognition for bravery in peacetime.

In the midst of the storm, with gale force winds reaching 85 knots, the aircraft at nearby Sculthorpe were significantly affected. Four men were assigned to each B-45 Tornado, conducting checks every half-hour. The orientation of the Tornados into the wind, with inert 500-pound bombs hanging from their noses to prevent rearing, underscored the formidable strength of the storm.

The newly named Reis Leming Way in remembrance to 27 lives being saved.

New arrivals

In 1953 the C-82A was replaced by the C-47, which was ironic as the C-82 had been built to replace the Second World War transport! The C-47 was itself finally replaced by a more modern aircraft in 1955 with the introduction of the SC-54. The SC-54 “Rescuemaster” was a modified version of the C-54 Skymaster with added auxiliary fuel tanks giving it 18 hours of flight, the latest electronic & communications equipment, plus it had added room & comfort for the crew with a fully pressurised fuselage. The aircraft would fly with the Squadron until 1958.

The Squadron also received its first rotary wing aircraft this being the Sikorsky HH-19B Chickasaw. The new helicopter was a vast improvement on the older H-5’s some of which had to fly with concrete brick in them to stabilise the flight! USAF ordered 50 H-19A's for rescue duties in 1951 & these aircraft were the primary rescue and medical evacuation helicopters for the USAF during the Korean War. The Air Force continued to use the H-19 through the 1960s, ultimately acquiring 270 in total.

The SC-54 brought in a new modern transport aircraft, with a pressurised crew space, more space, range & power. The added fuel tanks gave the Skymaster the range to stay on station 18 hours which was vital when loitering in a search area, or in the middle of the Atlantic. (Mark Service 67th SOS Squadron historian)

The SH-19B was the first helicopter the Squadron used here parked up after a shower at Prestick. It was a marked improvement from the H-5’s that had been developed for recovery in Korea & had a huge cabin for passengers. (Mark Service 67^th SOS Squadron historian)

Peacemaker Rescue

On August 5, 1953, an RB-36H aircraft from the 72nd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron at Travis AFB declared an in-flight emergency over the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Iceland, en-route to RAF Lakenheath. Two engines were ablaze, leading the crew to ditch the plane. The 67th and 68th Air Rescue Squadrons promptly responded, locating the wreckage and deploying an A-3 lifeboat to the survivors. Surface vessels were directed to the scene to rescue the crew. Unfortunately, only six of the 23 crew members were successfully rescued, and two later succumbed to their injuries.

Six turning & four burning! The RB-36H Peacemaker was a huge aircraft with six propelars & four jet engines. For a service the B-36 needed 336 spark plugs to be changed!

On November 7, 1953, the unit relocated to Prestwick, Scotland. In 1957, it acquired the SA-16 Albatross, an excellent aircraft for amphibious rescue, particularly well-suited for operations along Prestwick's western coast. On June 24, 1958, the Squadron was reassigned to the Air Rescue Service. On March 18, 1960, the Squadron was discontinued and inactivated.

Top: The SA-16 was used by all of the Air Rescue Squadrons as it was so versatile. Above: The Operations room at Prestwick. (Mark Service 67^th SOS Squadron historian)

Local Base Rescue

On May 10, 1961, the Squadron was activated and reallocated to the Military Air Transport Service. It was officially organized on June 18, 1961, and subsequently reassigned to the Air Rescue (later Aerospace Rescue and Recovery) Service, once again stationed at Prestwick. The Squadron operated a fleet including the C-54 (in three variations: SC-54, HC-54, and C-54), SA-16s, and HH-19Bs.

Starting October 1, 1961, the 67th took on the responsibility for five Local Base Rescue Detachments, each equipped with SH-19 helicopters. These detachments were situated at various locations: Det 1 in Spangdahlem AB, Germany; Det 1-1 in Laon AB, France; Det 1-2 in Ramstein AB, Germany; Det 1-3 in Toul-Rosieres AB, France; and Det 1-4 in Torrejon AB, Spain.

Effective April 1, 1962, the 67th received four more Local Base Rescue Detachments: Det 1-5 at Moron AB, Spain; Det 1-6 at Zaragoza AB, Spain; Det 1-7 at Chaumont AB, France; and Det 1-8 at Phalsbourg, France. All these LRBs were deactivated by 1971, except for the ones in Ramstein and Zaragoza, which later transformed into Detachment 2 and Detachment 9, respectively.

Flying Tiger 923

On September 23, 1962, Atlantic ARC orchestrated a significant rescue mission for survivors of Flying Tiger 923, a civilian C-121 airliner en-route from New Jersey to Frankfurt. The aircraft, captained by ditching in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 675 nautical miles west of Prestwick, Scotland, amidst 20-foot waves that severed the left wing, resulting in the plane breaking in half and claiming the lives of 25 passengers.

Despite the challenging conditions, the one remaining life-raft, designed for 25 people, became the refuge for the 51 survivors in the freezing waters around the wreckage. They all managed to board the overloaded inflatable raft, and despite the discomfort caused by overcrowding, this likely spared them from freezing to death as they drifted nearly 22 miles from the crash site.

A Super Constellation from the Flying Tiger Line.

During the rescue mission for Flying Tiger 923, an SC-54 and SA-16 from the 67th ARS played a crucial role. The life raft, carrying the survivors, was spotted approximately four hours after the ditching. Six hours later, the "Celerina," a Swiss freighter that had been monitoring the SOS messages, located the floating survivors and successfully picked them up.

Long Term Relationship
In 1965, the C-54 aircraft were replaced with the introduction of the HC-130, leading to the withdrawal of SA-16s and HH-19s from the 67th ARS. Consequently, the squadron exclusively operated the newly modified Hercules aircraft, a type it continues to fly today. Additionally, in 1965, the Squadron underwent a redesignation, becoming the 67th Air Recovery Squadron on August 1, 1965.

During the Vietnam War specially-equipped HC-130E Skyhook aircraft with the Fulton Recovery System installed were deployed to Southeast Asia in 1966. With the Fulton Surface to Air Recovery System, nicknamed "skyhook," the Combat Talon can snatch up to 500 pounds of cargo or two personnel from the ground. This is accomplished with a helium-filled balloon, associated life lines, harnesses, and special aircraft equipment. A typical mission might involve the recovery of a downed pilot in an area inaccessible to conventional aircraft or helicopters. Robert Edison Fulton, Jr., a talented inventor, may have been a collateral descendant of the steamboat inventor, but he never bothered to check the genealogical connection. Moreover, Edison had been a family name long before it became associated with the famous inventor. Nonetheless, with Fulton and Edison as part of his name, he seemed destined for a career as an inventor.

By 1958, the Fulton aerial retrieval system, or Skyhook, had taken its final shape. A package that easily could be dropped from an aircraft contained the necessary ground equipment for a pickup. It featured a harness, for cargo or person, that was attached to a 500-foot, high-strength, braided nylon line. A portable helium bottle inflated a dirigible-shaped balloon, raising the line to its full height.

The pickup aircraft sported two tubular steel "horns" protruding from its nose, 30 feet long and spread at a 70-degree angle. The aircraft would fly into the line, aiming at a bright mylar marker placed at the 425-foot level. As the line was caught between the forks on the nose of the aircraft, the balloon was released at the same time the spring-loaded trigger mechanism (sky anchor) secured the line to the aircraft. As the line streamlined under the fuselage, it was snared by the pickup crew, using a J-hook. It was then attached to a powered winch and pulled on board. (Mark Service 67th SOS Squadron historian)

A Skyhook patch was worn by Squadrons that had the Fulton Recovery system.

The Jolly Green Giant feet got EVERYWHERE even on the centreline on the main runway at RAF Woodbridge!

In 1966, the 67th Squadron underwent significant changes. Firstly, it was redesignated as the 67th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron on January 8. Subsequently, on July 1, 1966, it relocated south to Moron AB, Spain. In Spain, the squadron reintegrated a rotary element by flying the HH-43 from 1966 until 1972. This helicopter had previously operated at the base as Detachment 9 until the squadron assumed control.

The HH-43 helicopters played a vital role at Moron, particularly due to the high F-104 accident rate in the Air Force. This was attributed to frequent deployments, fatigued crews after long flights, and the challenging landing characteristics of the F-104.

Further changes occurred as the squadron was reassigned to the Atlantic Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Centre on April 8, 1967, a precursor to what would later become the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing.

More Rotary

In 1969, the HH-3E, known as the Jolly Green Giant, was introduced to the Squadron, serving faithfully for 19 years until its retirement in 1988. Primarily stationed at NAS Keflavik, it also operated a small detachment serving the region and shipping lanes between Iceland and Scotland.

The HH-3E is the USAF version of the Sikorsky S-61 amphibious transport helicopter initially developed for the U.S. Navy. The USAF's CH-3A/Bs, derived from Navy HSS-2 (SH-3A) versions, proved successful. The subsequent CH-3Cs, featuring a redesigned rear fuselage with a cargo ramp, were introduced in 1963. Upgrades in 1966 led to the CH-3Es, with later modifications resulting in the HH-3Es tailored for combat rescue missions. These helicopters were extensively utilized in Vietnam, earning the nickname "Jolly Green Giant." With external tanks, the HH-3E boasted a remarkable range of 779 miles, with crew endurance being the primary limiting factor when refuelled in-flight.

A pair of HH-3E’s sit in the afternoon sun at RAF Woodbridge waiting for crews in April 1971. The HH-3’s are painted in the camouflage developed for SEA & this wouldn’t change until the Europe one scheme was introduced to the USAF in 1985. (Photo courtesy of Don Gilham)

On July 31, 1969, an HC-130 from the 67th ARRS was dispatched from Keflavik in response to a distress call from the Norwegian vessel MV Wenny, which had capsized about 200 miles north-northwest from Bodo, Norway, while carrying a load of ore. Upon arrival, the aircraft found the ship had sunk, and 41 individuals were in the water. Norwegian PV2 planes were dropping life rafts.
Despite the challenging conditions that led to eight fatalities from exposure, the joint United States-Norwegian rescue effort successfully saved 31 lives.

Super Jolly
On January 15, 1970, the Squadron returned to England, relocating to RAF Woodbridge in East Anglia. During its tenure at Woodbridge, the Squadron took on the responsibility for Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in an expansive area spanning 68 million square miles, ranging from the North to South Pole and the mid-Atlantic to Bermuda.

In 1971, the Squadron welcomed the HH-53C Super Jolly Green Giant, the larger counterpart to the Jolly Green Giant. This aircraft was introduced to replace the HH-3E, offering increased power and expanded space for equipment, enhancing its capability for Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) missions. The HH-53C had external tanks, providing a range of 690 miles, and could also be refuelled in-air by the Squadron's HC-130s.

The versatility of the airframe led to modifications for improved CSAR roles. After leaving the Squadron, these helicopters underwent further enhancements, transforming into MH-53J and later MH-53M variants, remaining in service with the USAF until 2008.

The HH-53 was slightly larger than the HH-3, but had a lot more power, nearly three times the power per engine than the older HH-3. It could also carry more armour due to the increased power & the HH-53 would cruise at the HH-3’s top speed.

Operation Fluid Drive
Operation Fluid Drive in 1976 involved the evacuation of U.S. and friendly foreign nationals from Beirut, Lebanon, amid the Lebanese Civil War. The Squadron was deployed to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, on June 13. During the operation, its HC-130s logged 121.3 hours in the air, while the sister 21st SOS MH-53s flew 163.9 hours. Under direct operational control of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Squadron executed its mission from June 12 to 27 before returning on July 2.

You can easily see the large radar on top which contained the Cook Electric re-entry tracking system which was used in conjunction with the Gemini spacecraft.

A couple of woodland subdued coloured patches that were used in the 1970's & 1980's by the crews.

Rendlesham Forest UFO

Little green men in Rendlesham Forrest?? Well the irony was that it was representing something that should have come from outer space, but its not Marvin's spaceship! In reality it was the 67th ARRS in the Rendlesham Forest UFO incident on December 26, 1980, is a Christmas prank gone awry rather than a visitation from ET. According to the story, the squadron had a retired Apollo Command Module (boilerplate), originally used for rescue practice, displayed outside its pararescue headquarters. As a holiday prank, the module was rigged with flashing lights and intended to be flown around the base as a sling load beneath a 67th HH-53 helicopter.

During the prank, the helicopter started up, hooked the module, and took off. However, it is recorded that the approach lights at Woodbridge were damaged during this time. It is believed that the crew misjudged their height, and the capsule struck and severely damaged the approach lights. This instability in the sling load forced the crew to drop the capsule into the forest, creating the unusual lights observed in the Rendlesham Forest UFO incident. The incident is now considered a memorable chapter in the base's history and a conspiracy theorists dream!

A HC-130 from the Squadron lands & you can clearly see the Boilerplate in the distance, which looks the traditional UFO shape.

The details about the capsule sitting in a cradle with three circular pads on the bottom, closely matching the measurements taken by investigators after the incident, provide additional context to the Rendlesham Forest UFO incident. The fact that the actual capsule is now on display at Patrick AFB adds a tangible element to the historical account, highlighting the connection between the prank and the unusual lights observed during that memorable event.

Below is a selection of photographs taken from RAF Woodbridge around the 67th ARRS operating areas & hopefully remind the crews who flew with them the time they were on the base & show others what the buildings were like.

	The entrance to the 667th SOMS building.
The 667th SOMS building.	The feet get everywhere!

67th ARRS Detachments
Detachment 2, based at Ramstein AB, West Germany, operated with four UH-1N helicopters, providing transportation for VIPs. With a team comprising 12 officers and nine enlisted personnel, the detachment played a crucial role in operational support airlift in Germany. However, on July 1, 1987, Detachment 2 was inactivated, relieving the Twenty-Third Air Force of its operational support airlift mission in Germany. The UH-1N aircraft and personnel from Detachment 2 was subsequently reassigned to the 58th Military Airlift Squadron at Ramstein AS, Germany.
Detachment 9, stationed at Zaragoza, Spain, had its primary mission focused on supporting a USAF training range. With a team consisting of seven officers and 27 enlisted men, the detachment operated three UH-1N helicopters to fulfil its responsibilities in the region.

Corona de Aragón Fire
On July 12, 1979, Detachment 9 played a critical role in assisting civil authorities during a tragic hotel fire in Zaragoza. The Corona de Aragón hotel, with 300 registered guests, caught fire, prompting the detachment's UH-1N helicopters to engage in a rescue operation. Despite the challenging circumstances, two UH-1Ns successfully evacuated three people from the hotel's roof.
SSgt. Charles L. Hart Jr. was lowered onto the burning building using a basket, assisting two men into the basket before flying them to a nearby bullring. The helicopter returned to pick up SSgt. Hart and a third guest from the roof. Meanwhile, TSgt. John L. Pighini rescued an unconscious man from a window. Clinging to a cable dangling from the other helicopter, he strapped the unconscious man to the cable, allowing the helicopter to transport him to a nearby roof.
Tragically, over 80 of the 300 guests lost their lives in the fire. Despite the devastating outcome, Capt. Kenneth Rees Jr. and TSgt. John Pighini were recognized for their heroic actions on that day with the prestigious Cheney Award.

A 67th ARRS Det 9 UH-1N comes in to help evacuate guests from the burning hotel.

Capt. Rees was also awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for the mission.

Captain Rees at the controls of a Det 9 UH-1N.

Another photo showing a lucky gust being hoisted from the burning hotel roof.

The Cheney Award is an aviation award presented by the United States Air Force in memory of 1st Lt. William Cheney, who was killed in an air collision over Italy in 1918. It was established in 1927 and is awarded to an airman for an act of valour, extreme fortitude or self-sacrifice in a humanitarian interest, performed in connection with aircraft, but not necessarily of a military nature.

A patch that was worn by UH-1 crews from Det 9 during the mid to late 1980's & has a UH-1 rotor blade crossed with the sword & what looks like sheath of wheat. Its very strange as its the exact design as the official 40th ARRS emblem. The only logical explanation is that some of the UH-1N crews came from the 40th ARRS as they were a main Huey Squadron. This would make complete sense as the 67th & 40th were both assigned to the 39th ARRW, which would be less problematic in finding qualified UH-1 aircrew from the US. SAVE in the top scroll is the helicopter callsign that was used when flying. The picture shows a crewman wearing a colour patch, looking like they are taking a break on a trip with the personal equipment in the back. A huge thanks goes to Joel Jenkins, for allowing me to share his superb personal picture from his days on the Squadron.

Detachment 14, initially tasked with HH-3E helicopters based at NAS Keflavik, Iceland, played a crucial role in Search and Rescue (SAR) missions in the Atlantic. It was highly active, using three HH-3Es for rescues of injured or sick crews. The detachment comprised 11 officers and 41 enlisted men, maintaining a 24-hour alert status for the permanently assigned HC-130. By 1986, Detachment 14 had successfully saved 210 lives. During 1986 the Squadron comprised of 320 people with five HC-130’s & 15 helicopters, comprising of 5 HH-53C’s, 3 HH-3E’s & seven UH-1N’s.

When crews were rotated at Det 14, the flight from its home base in Woodbridge to Iceland took approximately 12 hours with one intermediate stop. On May 1, 1988, Detachment 14 underwent a transformation and became the 56th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (56th ARRS).

Its a very grainy picture but the sign shows who is living at this part of Keflavik, the 960th AWACSS with its E-3 Sentry's & the HH-3E's from Det 14 of the 67th ARRS.

Air India Flight 182

The Squadron deployed to Cork, Ireland, in June 1985 for the search and rescue mission of Air India Flight 182 reflects a sombre chapter in aviation history. Two HC-130s and two HH-53Cs were dispatched to scour the area for survivors. The Super Jolly Greens flew at low altitudes and slow speeds, with crews and pararescuemen (PJs) bravely conducting searches even in shark-infested waters. Despite their efforts, it became evident that no survivors would be found.

Air India Flight 182, a Boeing 747-237B registered VT-EFO, disintegrated mid-air on June 23, 1985, over the Atlantic Ocean due to a bomb explosion planted by terrorists. The tragic incident claimed the lives of all 329 people on board, making it the deadliest act of aviation terrorism in history and the deadliest aviation incident for Air India. The Squadron's involvement in the search, though unsuccessful in finding survivors, highlights the commitment to responding to humanitarian crises and aiding in recovery efforts.

The Boeing 747 VT-EFO that was shot down.

Squadron split & the Storm

On June 1, 1988, the Squadron underwent a redesignation, becoming the 67th Special Operations Squadron. As part of this transition, the HH-53 helicopters were transferred to the newly activated 21st Special Operations Squadron (21st SOS), also based at Woodbridge. The 67th became a purely fixed-wing HC-130 unit, providing support to Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) with both flying and non-flying crews.

The invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein prompted Operation Desert Shield, commencing on August 7, 1990. This operation evolved into Operation Desert Storm on January 16, 1991. The 67th SOS was attached to the Joint Special Operations Task Force from January 13. Operations commenced at Incirlik AB, Turkey, until March 18, 1991. Subsequently, they were again attached from April 6 to June 10, 1991, once more from Incirlik. The Squadron played a vital role in these operations as part of the broader efforts during the Gulf War.

The patch comes from the deployment & was manufactured in Turkey, with the 67^th SOS deploying to Incirlik AB for Operation Desert Storm.

This patch dates from 1996 & was made in the desert subdued colours as they were away in the middle east for deployments a large proportion of their time due to their geographical position in Europe.

On April 1, 1992, the 67th Special Operations Squadron relocated to RAF Alconbury, England. Later, on December 1, 1992, it was assigned to the 352d Special Operations Group. The squadron made another move to its current home at RAF Mildenhall, England, on February 17, 1995. At present, it operates the MC-130J aircraft, continuing its role in special operations and support.

A trio of patches made in 2019 for their 67th anniversary. These show the three designs used by the Squadron throughout their history.

If you have any additional information about this patch please contact me & I´ll get back to you.

Thanks👣