54th Helicopter Squadron
A helicopter of the 54th takes off at Minot en route to Columbus Air Force Base in 2005
Active1952–1960; 1961–1974; 1993–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleMissile support
Part ofAir Force Global Strike Command
Garrison/HQMinot Air Force Base
DecorationsNavy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1]
Commanders
Current
commander		Lt Col Jared P. Hann
Insignia
54th Helicopter Squadron emblem
Previous emblem for the 54th Helicopter Squadron
54th Air Rescue Squadron emblem (Approved 7 July 1956)[1]

The 54th Helicopter Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force based at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. It is currently part of the 582d Helicopter Group, headquartered at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Cheyenne, Wyoming.[1] Since it was first created, it has served a search and rescue and transport function at Air Force bases in three locations in North America. In its most recent format (since 1993), it has been stationed at Minot Air Force Base.

History

Search and rescue

The squadron was first activated in November 1952 as the 54th Air Rescue Squadron at Goose Bay Airport, Labrador, when Air Rescue Service expanded its squadrons into groups. At Goose, the new squadron assumed the personnel, equipment and mission of Flight D, 6th Air Rescue Squadron, which was simultaneously discontinued. The squadron performed search and rescue missions in Labrador and Greenland and the surrounding waters. The squadron was briefly inactivated in June 1960, but was restored to active duty at Goose the following June.[1]

The squadron was renamed the 54th Recovery Squadron in July 1965 to reflect its additional mission of recovering capsules ejected by various reconnaissance platforms. Little more than six months later, along with all rescue and recovery units, it was renamed the 54th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. In 1967, the squadron moved to Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire, where it continued the same mission until inactivating in June 1974.[1]

Missile support

The squadron was reactivated in 1993 as the 54th Rescue Flight, It provided security for the 91st Missile Wing's missile complex. It also transported security forces and equipment throughout the wing's missile fields and supported medical evacuation and rescue searches.[1]

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 54th Air Rescue Squadron on 17 October 1952
Activated on 14 November 1952
Inactivated on 18 June 1960
Activated on 18 June 1961
  • Redesignated 54th Air Recovery Squadron on 1 July 1965
  • Redesignated 54th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 8 January 1966
Inactivated on 1 July 1974
  • Redesignated 54th Rescue Flight
Activated on 1 May 1993
  • Redesignated 54th Helicopter Flight on 1 May 1998
  • Redesignated 54th Helicopter Squadron on 8 October 2005[1]

Assignments

Stations

  • Goose Bay Airport (later Goose Air Base), Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, 14 November 1952 - 18 Jun 1960
  • Goose Air Base, Canada, 18 Jun 1961
  • Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire, 1 August 1967 - 15 July 1974
  • Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota 1 May 1993 – Present[1]

Aircraft

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
    Citations
    1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Robertson, Patsy (3 September 2015). "Factsheet 54 Helicopter Squadron (AFGSC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2017.

    Bibliography

    Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

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