USAF / 943d RQG / Full Group History / Jolly Green Giant

The Group, initially designated as the 943d Troop Carrier Group, Medium, was activated in the Reserve on December 28, 1962. Organized at March AFB, CA, on January 17, 1963, it included the 729th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium, operating C-119 Boxcars. This unit was among the four assigned to the 452d Troop Carrier Group based at Hill AFB.

The 943d Group carried out flying training missions and played a role in Operation Power Pack, facilitating troop and equipment transport amid the Dominican Republic crisis in 1965. It also handled troop transport in and out of Southeast Asia during the airline pilot strike in 1966, known as Operation Combat Leave. The group was redesignated as the 943d Tactical Airlift Group on July 1, 1967.

An early C-119 Boxcar. (USAF Photo)

In 1968, the group conducted air drops of personnel and supplies for Army Special Forces training in Utah, focusing on night counter-insurgency missions. Additionally, it airlifted USMC personnel from California to Nevada. The group was subsequently inactivated on April 25, 1969.

After a brief period of inactivity, the Group was redesignated as the 943d Military Airlift Group (Associate) on July 31, 1969. It was activated in the Reserve on September 25, 1969, at Charleston AFB, SC. Transitioning from the old prop C-119, the Group operated new C-141 Starlifters with the 300th MAS (A). Subsequently, the 701st MAS (A) joined in September 1970, and the 707th MAS (A) joined in October 1972.

A C-141B Starlifter. (USAF Photo)

From 1969 to 1973, the group engaged in various operations, including transporting porpoises and a Polaris missile for the US Navy in 1971. It played a crucial role in airlifting patients from the Canal Zone and islands in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean to hospitals. Additionally, the group supported President Nixon's meeting with Japanese Emperor Hirohito in Alaska in 1971. The 943d also provided air transport in Southeast Asia and took part in Operation Garden Plot during the Republican and Democratic conventions in 1972.

In 1973, the Starlifters were replaced by the massive C-5 Galaxy, and during the same year, the group was assigned to the 514 Military Airlift Wing (Associate) on September 25. It was inactivated on July 1, 1973, as part of an Air Force Reserve reorganization.

The impressive C-5A Galaxy. (USAF Photo)

The Group was then redesignated as the 943d Tactical Airlift Group on January 8, 1985, and activated in the Reserve on April 1. Operating C-130 Hercules from March AFB, CA, it supported the 303d TAS Reserve squadron and was assigned to the 302d Tactical Airlift Wing.

In 1985, the group was equipped with C-130H and C-130B aircraft, deploying personnel and equipment worldwide for airlifting troops, supplies, and performing aeromedical evacuation. It played a key role in supporting US operations in the Canal Zone from 1985 to 1993, rotating crews and aircraft to Panama. Two C-130Bs with firefighting modules supported firefighting operations in the Southwestern US. Additionally, personnel were deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm from 1990 to 1991.

The group underwent a redesignation as the 943d Airlift Group on February 1, 1992, and was reassigned to the 445th Airlift Wing (Associate). It was subsequently inactivated on June 30, 1993.

The 943d Rescue Group was redesignated on January 13, 2005, and activated in the Reserve on February 12, 2005, at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, assigned to the 920th RQW. The group comprises three squadrons: the 304th, 305th, and 306th Rescue Squadrons. The 304th, a geographically separate unit, focuses on the Guardian Angel mission from Portland Air Reserve Station. The 305th operates HH-60G helicopters from Davis-Monthan, while the 306th is a pararescue unit with a mission to cultivate a warrior culture, emphasizing fitness, education, and combat skills. Their teamwork involves sharing knowledge, experience, and travel to be a full partner in their endeavours.

A couple of HH-60's refuel from a HC-130. (USAF photo/SrA Kevin Tanenbaum)

Lone Survivor

On July 2, 2005, 25 reservists from the 943rd RQW rescued Petty Officer 1st Class Marcus Luttrell, part of Navy SEAL Team 10 on the run from the Taliban after the other three members of his SEAL team had been killed in an ambush during a covert operation named Operation REDWING. Luttrell had been rescued by a villager Mohammed Gulab and taken into the local mountainous village near the Sawtalo Sar Mountains in the northeastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border. The US Army attempted a rescue on the June 28, however a MH-47 Chinooks from the 160th SOAR, callsign Turbine 33, was shot down with the loss of all eight crewmembers from the 160th SOAR and eight Navy SEALs.

The USAF rescue crew deployed overseas to the 59th ERQS, based in southwestern Afghanistan at Kandahar and was on alert when they received news on June 29th that they were needed up at Bagram (over a 4-hour flight to the Northeast). The alert crews, flying their two HH-60G Pavehawks, headed up to Bagram to the US Special Forces compound there for a mission briefing. This is where the crew heard about the shootdown of the MH-47 and the 4 Navy Seals in desperate need of help. This mission was named Operation REDWING II and the crews on the two Pavehawks for the rescue mission were tasked to head down near the Pakistan border at Jalalabad where they were to wait for further words from HQ. The two rescue crews were:

Halo 43 Lead

Lt. Col. Jeffrey “Skinny” Macrander (P), 305th RQS

Maj. John “JP” Phalon (CP), 305th RQS

TSgt. Jason Burger (FE), 305th RQS

SSgt. Josh Donnelly (Gunner), 305th RQS

TSgt. John Davis (PJ’s), 304th RQS

MSgt. Brett Konczal, (PJ’s), 305th RQS

Halo 44 Wingman

Maj. Jeff “Spanky” Peterson (P), 305th RQS

1Lt. David "Gonzo" Gonzales (CP), 305th RQS

MSgt. Mike Cusick (FE), 305th RQS

SSgt. Ben Peterson (Gunner), 305th RQS

MSgt. Josh Appel (PJ’s), 306th RQS

SSgt. Chris Piercecchi (PJ’s), 306th RQS

The HH-60Gs attempted a rescue early in the morning prior to sunrise on July 1st from Jalalabad, but were unable to locate a survivor and then were forced to leave due to low fuel and returned back to Jalalabad. That subsequent night, just after midnight, the rescue crews were tasked to go and retrieve a person of interest that had information about an “American” in his village. The Halo 43 & 44 flew up to Camp Blessing (a small Marine outpost) and took him to get further debriefed. They then came back to Jalalabad and were told after sunrise to come back to Bagram.

At the mission and flight brief later that afternoon, it was confirmed by a 20-man SF team who had hiked into the village that Marcus Luttrell was indeed there and alive but needed medical attention ASAP. That night, under the cover of darkness and with support from A-10s and an AC-130 Gunship, they initiated the rescue mission. The plan involved landing at a LZ named Barracuda high in the mountains at 1130hrs (H-hour). The LZ was marked by a single IR strobe light that could easily be seen by the crews equipped with NVGs. The objective was to pick up Marcus Luttrell and transport him to Jalalabad.

Five minutes before H-hour, the AC-130 and A-10’s started firing on targets around the mountainous village, causing a distraction for the incoming Pavehawks. The lead Pavehawk, flown by Skinny and JP, would overfly the LZ and then pop up and perform what they called a “trailer-spooky” pattern providing cover while the trail Pavehawk flown by Spanky and Gonzo would perform the landing. The crews were approaching the LZ while flying up the mountain to the LZ when the A-10’s & AC-130 started lighting up the surrounding area. Unfortunately, the carnage they delivered provided a big problem for the Pavehawks, as there were friendly Special Forces in the area who didn’t want to get hit. To prevent this, they all switched on their IR strobe lights on top of their helmets! Now the surrounding area was a host of flashing IR strobes making it almost impossible find the one they needed that was in the LZ! Luckily Spanky asked for the AC-130 to shine its IR search light on the LZ 30 seconds prior to landing, however the light was obscured by low cloud cover. One of the A-10 pilots overheard the commotion and pointed his laser designator onto the LZ where both of the Pavehawk crews could see the illuminated laser point and the IR strobe on the small terraced ledge that they needed. The lead helicopter performed the spooky pop up and then Halo 44 landed on a narrow outcropping next to a cliff wall. At 15 feet above the ground, Spanky’s Pavehawk browned out, so his crew lying on the floor guided him safely down for the landing.

Within seconds, the crew unloaded water out the left cargo door for the SF guys who had hiked in while the PJs noticed a couple of Afghani clothed figures approaching from the rear of the helicopter quickly. The PJs finally identified a third individual as a US military member, distinguished by their uniform and a reflective flag on their front. Two individuals were loaded onto the aircraft on the right, with the first confirming he was "Spiderman," Luttrell's code name and the villager who rescued him also boarded. After less than 30 seconds on the ground, the Pavehawk lifted off back into the darkness.

HH-60G #90-26227 being unloaded from a C-17 while attending RIAT at RAF Fairford in 2018. This was the Pavehawk that picked up Luttrell during Operation REDWING. (T. Richardson)

Spanky used the successful pickup codeword of "popcorn plus 2" over SATCOM for Luttrell’s rescue. This caused confusion with HQ as only one person was expected to board the helicopter. After clarification that the shepherd (Gulab) who rescued and took Luttrell to his village had also jumped onboard, HQ instructed Halo 44 to drop him off at the base of the mountain at Asadabad before returning to Jalalabad. The rescue helicopter performed a “transload” of the survivor to an awaiting MC-130 on the taxiway at Jalalabad.

Marcus Luttrell meeting Maj. Jeff “Spanky” Peterson after the rescue mission.

The PJ's Josh Appel and Chris Piercecchi who picked up Luttrell and now run the Operation REDWING foundation helping the mental health of veterans.

Wing members also carried out days later the recovery operations to retrieve the remains of Luttrell's fallen SEAL team, including Navy Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the operation.

Since 1956, the 920th Rescue Wing has played a vital role in saving over 4,000 lives, encompassing 870 combat rescues and 3,000 peacetime rescues. This includes notable contributions, such as saving 1,043 lives during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Crews prep a couple of HH-60G's prior to a training mission.

(USAF Photo)

The 943rd RQG commenced a new chapter with the Jolly Green Giant when on February 1, 2024 the first new HH-60W Jolly Green II arrived at Davis-Monthan AFB.

The first 943d Rescue Group, 920th Rescue Wing, HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter taxis on the flight line at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Feb. 1, 2024. The HH-60W is the successor to the HH-60G Pave Hawk and is used for a variety of missions to include combat search and rescue operations in hostile or denied territory. Located at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, the 943d RQG is one of three geographically separated units that fall under the 920th RQW, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida.

(USAF Photo/SrA Nicole Koreen)

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👣