USAF / 3rd ARRG / Full History / Jolly Green Giant

"PER ADVERSA AD EREPTIONEM"

"Through Adverse Events"

The 3rd Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group's lineage is tied to the present-day 563rd Rescue Group, with its origins dating back to World War II. Constituted as the 3rd Emergency Rescue Squadron on February 14, 1944, and initially assigned to the Army Air Forces Training Command, it was activated the following day at Gulfport Army Air Field, Mississippi.

Following Gulf Coast training, the squadron relocated to the Southwest Pacific Theatre in autumn 1944. Operating the OA-10 Catalina, its main mission was water recovery of downed aircrews. Before deployment, the aircrew underwent training from the US Navy at Pensacola.

The squadron actively participated in combat until Japan's surrender, undergoing multiple relocations throughout the campaign, including Mokmer Airfield in Biak, Netherlands East Indies, and Dulag Airfield in Leyte, Philippines. On September 21, 1944, the squadron executed its first combat mission, rescuing two downed Navy fliers. It experienced reassignments to the 5276th Rescue Composite Group (Provisional) on October 2, 1944, and later to the 5th Emergency Rescue Group on March 16, 1945.

In 1945, the squadron expanded its fleet, incorporating aircraft such as the B-17, SB-17, C-47, and SC-47, which were flown until their replacement in 1957, along with the OA-10s. During the war's final four months, the squadron operated Boeing SB-17 Dumbos. These aircraft were equipped with a 27-foot long lifeboat containing survival equipment, facilitating the rescue of crews downed in seas too challenging for Catalinas to land. The Dumbos often accompanied strike aircraft, orbiting off the coast during attacks to assist distressed planes on their return. If necessary, the lifeboat, with a range of 500 miles, could be dropped to crews that ditched or bailed out. The squadron also played roles in courier services, supply and message transport, evacuation of allied prisoners and wounded personnel, and occasionally conducted reconnaissance.

It continued to move to Tacloban Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, 1 April 1945, Floridablanca Airfield, Luzon, Philippines, 21 May 1945.

Throughout the war, the squadron earned a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. Following the war, it relocated to Japan, joining the occupation forces and remaining there when the Korean War commenced. During its eleven months in theatre, the squadron was credited with rescuing 325 persons.

The squadron's initial assignment in Japan was Le Shima Airfield, Okinawa, on September 15, 1945, followed by Atsugi Airfield, Japan, on October 6, 1945, Nagoya Airfield, Japan, on June 17, 1946, and Yokota Air Base, Japan, on July 15, 1947. Being among the first squadrons to operate from Japan post-VJ day, from 1946 to 1950, it provided rescue capabilities in the region. Its primary mission involved intercepting distressed aircraft and escorting them over the Japanese Home Islands and adjacent waters. Drawing from experiences in the China Burma India theatre, the squadron recognized the need for land rescue capabilities using helicopters and light planes, prompting the addition of Sikorsky R-6 helicopters and Stinson L-5 Sentinels to its inventory in 1947.

Additionally, the squadron operated flights stationed at Atsugi, Chitose Air Base, Itazuke Air Base, and Itami Air Base in Japan, as well as Kimpo Air Base in Korea.

On January 28, 1948, it was redesignated as the 3rd Rescue Squadron. In the same year, it acquired the H-5s, which would replace the R-6s.

It was reassigned to the Air Rescue Service from May 1, 1949, to June 18, 1957, with attachments to Fifth Air Force from May 1, 1949, 314th Air Division from May 18, 1951, Japanese Air Defence Force from November 14, 1952, and Far East Air Forces from August 1, 1954, to June 18, 1957. During the same year, it gained the SB-29 Superdumbo (1949–1955).

The squadron then relocated to Johnson Air Base, Japan, on April 1, 1950, and subsequently served in combat during the Korean War.

Korean War

After the North Korean invasion of South Korea on June 25, 1950, the squadron responded by deploying two L-5 Sentinels and one Douglas SC-47 Skytrain to Pusan West Air Base for search and rescue missions. A week later, these were replaced by H-5 helicopters. On August 10, 1950, the squadron was redesignated as the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron and acquired the versatile SA-16 Albatross in the same year.

In late August, a squadron representative was stationed at the Joint Operations Centre to coordinate rescue operations. Three months later, this single officer expanded into a Rescue Control Centre, under the command of the squadron's deputy commander, and was also known as "3rd Air Rescue Squadron in Korea."

The squadron achieved its first rescue of a downed pilot behind enemy lines on September 4, when a F-51 Mustang pilot of the 35th FBS was rescued by a squadron helicopter. Subsequently, on November 14, 1952, the Squadron was redesignated as the 3rd Air Rescue Group and garnered two Distinguished Unit Citations and two Korean Presidential Unit Citations during the war.

The squadron's H-5 helicopters demonstrated versatility by operating from Korea's numerous rice paddies, occasionally escorted by the unit's L-5 Sentinels. The L-5s also performed aeromedical evacuation missions, utilizing small unprepared fields for their operations.

The squadron employed its SB-17 and SC-47 in search roles, with the C-47 "Gooneybirds" occasionally repurposed for vital supply missions. In March 1951, the squadron received a YH-19 test model of the Sikorsky helicopter for combat evaluation. The substitution of H-5s with the Sikorsky H-19 significantly extended the range of the squadron's rotary wing elements.

The squadron's helicopters regularly transported wounded soldiers to Army MASH units, commonly assigning one H-5 and one L-5 with each MASH. The 3rd evacuated over 7,000 casualties during the war. In April 1951, the unit retrieved components of a crashed MiG-15 near Sinanju for study by military intelligence.

While actively engaged in combat missions, the squadron underwent expansion in November 1952, evolving into the 3rd Air Rescue Group. Each of the squadron's flights was replaced by a newly activated squadron, now assigned to the newly formed group:

A Flight at Johnson Air Base, Japan was replaced by the 36th Air Rescue Squadron
B Flight at Komaki Air Base, Japan was replaced by the 37th Air Rescue Squadron
C Flight at Misawa Air Base, Japan was replaced by the 38th Air Rescue Squadron
D Flight at Ashiya Air Base, Japan was replaced by the 39th Air Rescue Squadron

Simultaneously, Detachment 1 of the squadron, located in Seoul, Korea, underwent expansion and transitioned into the 2157th Air Rescue Squadron.

The group received credit for rescuing nearly 10,000 United Nations personnel during the Korean War, comprising almost 1,000 combat saves from behind enemy lines and 200 water rescues. In recognition of its actions, the unit was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation and two Korean Presidential Unit Citations.

The group then relocated to Nagoya Air Base, subsequently Nagoya Air Station and later Moriyama Air Station, on December 9, 1953, to maintain rescue capabilities in Japan. As the Air Rescue Service contracted from its peak of 50 squadrons in 1954, the 37th Squadron was deactivated in May 1955. In 1955, the group replaced its SB-29s with SC-54 Skymasters. The SC-54 was equipped with four 40-man inflatable rafts, considered safer for dropping than the single wooden boat carried by the SB-29. In 1957, both group headquarters and the 38th Squadron were deactivated, and the 36th and 39th Squadrons were transferred to the 2nd Air Rescue Group. By 1961, the Air Rescue Service would have only eleven assigned squadrons.

SEA War

In response to increasing aircraft losses in late 1965, the Air Force expanded its rescue assets in Southeast Asia. To align with the growing mission, the USAF redesignated the 3rd Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group and activated it on December 14, 1965. The group was assigned to the Military Air Transport Service (MATS) and organized on January 8, 1966, at Tan Son Nhut Airport in South Vietnam. It was later reassigned to the Pacific Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Centre, which eventually became the 41st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing (ARRW) and 41st Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing (RWRW).

Upon reactivation, the group established Detachment 1 at Da Nang and Detachment 2 at Udorn, overseeing regional rescue centers. Additionally, three squadrons were assigned to the group, each with diverse missions across Southeast Asia (SEA).

The 38th ARRS assumed responsibility for LBR detachments at bases in Vietnam and Thailand, employing HH-43 Huskies. The establishment of the 37th ARRS at Da Nang placed it in charge of rescue missions in North Vietnam, Laos, and Air Force rescue efforts in the Gulf of Tonkin. The squadron utilized HH-3E Jolly Green Giants for combat search and rescue (CSAR) and Lockheed HC-130s as Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Centre (ABCCC) aircraft to coordinate rescue operations. HU-16s were also assigned for long-range water rescue over the Gulf of Tonkin. Subsequently, the HC-130s at Da Nang and Udorn were amalgamated to form the group's third squadron, the 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron.

In parallel with the introduction of the HC-130H air refuelling aircraft, in the spring of 1967, the group implemented Operation High Drink, which enabled the HH-3s to take on fuel from virtually any Navy ship operating in the Gulf of Tonkin, either landing on larger ships, or hovering alongside smaller ones. Combined with the Jolly Green Giant's ability to land on water, this permitted the withdrawal of the HU-16 amphibians, which flew their last combat rescue sortie on September 30, 1967. 

During the autumn of 1967, the group welcomed its initial HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant helicopters stationed at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base. While these helicopters enhanced capabilities over Laos and North Vietnam, the unit's night rescue capability remained limited, and night-time rescue attempts were seldom successful. In March 1968, the increased need for rescue missions over Laos and North Vietnam prompted the formation of a second squadron at Udorn, the 40th ARRS.

Beginning in December 1969, the group underwent size reductions, with the discontinuation of local base rescue detachments controlled by the 38th ARRS at Binh Thuy Air Base. This trend continued through 1970 as bases closed or were transferred to the Army or Vietnamese Air Force. The closure of Tuy Hoa Air Base necessitated the relocation of the group's 39th ARRS to Cam Ranh Bay Air Base in the fall of 1970. By July 1971, reductions in LRBs reached a point where the 38th ARRS was inactivated, and the remaining detachments were directly transferred to the group. In the same month, the 40th Squadron moved to Nakhon Phanom RTAFB to better support the campaign against Laos.

While the group itself did not directly participate in the Son Tay Raid in November 1970, seven HH-53s from the group's 40th ARRS, and two HH-3s from the 37th ARRS were utilised in the operation.

In March 1972, the HC-130Ps of the 39th ARRS departed Vietnam for Korat RTAFB. Shortly after their arrival, the squadron was inactivated, and its planes were temporarily absorbed by the Korat local base rescue detachment. However, in July, the 56th ARRS was activated to manage these aircraft. By late in the year, withdrawals associated with the cease-fire led to the removal of almost all rescue forces from Vietnam. The 37th ARRS at Da Nang was inactivated in November, and its remaining assets were absorbed by the 40th ARRS. The group moved with Seventh Air Force to Nakhon Phanom, and the existing Joint Rescue Centres were replaced by a single one located with group headquarters.

Following the withdrawal from Vietnam, rescue operations persisted in Laos and Cambodia. Additionally, the group commenced participation in training exercises.

On April 3, 1975, group forces were placed on alert for the potential execution of Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of Americans from Phnom Penh, as Khmer Rouge forces surrounded Cambodia's capital. A group helicopter transported a United States Marine Corps command element into Phnom Penh to take control of the evacuation on April 12. The group's helicopters positioned for evacuation and flew a combat control team to the beleaguered city. Following the evacuation of civilians by Marine helicopters, two group helicopters returned to the landing zone to extract the combat control team and remaining security forces. One HH-53 was hit by ground fire and sustained significant damage but managed to return to base for an emergency landing.

As conditions in Southeast Asia deteriorated, Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon, was executed at the end of the month.

The group relocated to U-Tapao Royal Thai Naval Airfield, Thailand, on September 15, 1975, and operated some helicopters aboard USS Midway. On April 29, the two helicopters aboard Midway joined Marine CH-53s on three missions to evacuate people at the Defence Attaché Compound. The final flight carried as many as 97 refugees aboard one of the aircraft. By the conclusion of the last mission, both Super Jolly's were out of commission, marking the end of the group's missions in Vietnam.

On May 12, Khmer Rouge forces seized the SS Mayaguez, a U.S. merchant ship. The group initially deployed two of its HH-53s to transport Security Policemen from Nakhon Phanom as a potential rescue force. On May 15, group HH-53s, along with CH-53s from other units, transported a Marine assault force from U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield to the island where the Mayaguez had been run aground. After offloading the Marines, the Jolly Greens headed for one of the CH-53s, Knife 21, which had been shot down after offloading its Marines. While the crew was rescued, one of the pararescuemen on the Jolly was lost in the effort. The Jolly's then escorted another CH-53, which had been struck while attempting to land its Marines. As the extraction of Marines from Koh Tang Island began, additional HH-53s transported a relief force of Marines for added security. Evacuation efforts persisted under heavy enemy fire throughout the afternoon and evening in the Air Force's final combat operation in Southeast Asia.

In October 1975, the 56th ARRS was inactivated, and its remaining HC-130s were absorbed by the 40th ARRS. As the United States continued its withdrawal from Southeast Asia, the Rescue Coordination Centre was shut down on December 15, 1975. Subsequently, both the group and the 40th ARRS were inactivated on January 31, 1976. The group was credited with 3,681 saves during the war, including 2,632 combat saves.

The Group was redesignated as the 563rd Rescue Group on July 29, 2003, and activated on October 1, 2003, at Davis-Monthan AFB. It was assigned to the 347th Rescue Wing, operating the HH-60G Pavehawk. The group deployed airmen and aircraft almost annually in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa. It conducted humanitarian operations during Hurricane Katrina (including evacuation support along the Gulf Coast), Hurricane Rita, and other hurricanes. Additionally, it supported NASA during the launch and recovery of the space shuttle.

The Group was reassigned to the 23rd Wing on October 1, 2006, and then to the 355th Fighter Wing on October 1, 2018.

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