Lineage. Constituted as 37 Air Rescue Squadron on 17 Oct 1952. Activated on 14 Nov 1952. Inactivated on 8 May 1955. Redesignated as 37 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, and activated, on 14 Dec 1965. Organized on 8 Jan 1966. Inactivated on 29 Dec 1972. Activated on 1 Oct 1973. Redesignated as: 37 Air Rescue Squadron on 1 Jun 1989; 37 Rescue Squadron on 1 Feb 1993; 37 Rescue Flight on 1 May 1993; 37 Helicopter Flight on 1 May 1998; 37 Helicopter Squadron on 21 Oct 2005.
Assignments. 3 Air Rescue Group, 14 Nov 1952-8 May 1955. Military Airlift Command, 14 Dec 1965; 3 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group, 8 Jan 1966; 41 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing (operational control by 3 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group), 20 Aug-29 Dec 1972. Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service, 1 Oct 1973; 39 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing, 1 Jul 1978; 41 Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Feb 1987; Air Rescue Service, 1 Aug 1989; 90 Operations Group, 1 Feb 1993-.
Stations. Komaki AB, Japan, 14 Nov 1952; Yokota AB, Japan, 23 Jul 1954-8 May 1955. Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, 8 Jan 1966-29 Dec 1972. Francis E. Warren AFB, WY, 1 Oct 1973-.
Commanders. Lt Col Leon H. Golinsky, 14 Nov 1952; Lt Col Garold H. Buzzard, 3 Jan 1953; Maj Joseph L. Wiseman, 12 Nov 1953-8 May 1955. Maj Rodney F. Redmond, 8 Jan 1966; Col Alan R. Vette, 1 Jul 1966; Lt Col Harold W. Wallace Jr., 20 May 1967; Lt Col William R. Peterson, 23 Jun 1967; Lt Col Kenneth D. Caughron, 17 Jul 1967; Lt Col Charles R. Klinkert, 1 Jul 1968; Lt Col John J. Devlin Jr., 3 Sep 1968; Lt Col Homer H. Howell, 18 Aug 1969; Lt Col Sidney A. Sosnow, 10 Dec 1969; Lt Col Frank S. Catlin, 19 Jan 1970; Col Albert L. Holcomb, 6 Mar 1970; Lt Col Royal A. Brown Jr., 12 Feb 1971; Lt Col William E. Moore, 28 Jun 1971; Lt Col William M. Harris IV, 12 Sep 1971; Lt Col Stephen L. Sutton, 2 Jun 1972-unkn. Lt Col Charles E. Trapp Jr., 1 Oct 1973; Lt Col Royal E. Foster Jr., 30 Nov 1974; Col Richard F. Burdett, 20 Jan 1975; Col Alton H. Deviney, 10 Jun 1976; Col James P. Scarff Jr., 19 Jun 1978; Col Walter A. Malkienicz, 8 Jan 1980; Col Peter W. Gissing, 23 Nov 1981; Lt Col Robert P. Starnes, 13 Apr 1984; Lt Col Donald A. Liesch, 21 Nov 1986; Lt Col Robert M. Raines, 3 May 1988; Lt Col Gordon M. Wiram, 10 Jul 1990; Lt Col Mark W. Hodges, 20 Jul 1992; Lt Col Charles T. Bowman III, 30 Apr 1993; Maj John C. McKoy, 15 Jul 1994; Maj William P. Walker, 30 Oct 1996; Maj Keith Sullivan, 24 Aug 1998; Maj Wesley R. Jolly, 15 Feb 2000; Maj David B. Lowe, 23 Jul 2001; Maj Michael J. Powers, 20 Jun 2003; Maj Darren A. Easton, 9 Jul 2004; Lt Col Lawrence W. McLaughlin, 4 Aug 2006; Lt Col William C. Pleasants, 24 Jun 2008-.
Aircraft/Missiles. SB-29, 1952-1954, 1954-1955; SC-47, 1952-1954. HC-130, 1966; HU-16, 1966-1967; HH-3, 1967-1970; HH-53, 1970-1972; HH-43, 1971-1972. UH-1, 1973-; HH-1, 1974-1993; TH-1, 1974-1987.
Operations. Performed search, rescue, and recovery missions in Far East, 1953-1955, and in Southeast Asia, 1966-1972. After activation in 1973, unit performed nuclear convoy security, missile site support and support of the missile test center at Vandenberg AFB, CA. Unit also flew numerous search, rescue and medical evacuation sorties.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. Korea: Korea Summer-Fall 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea Summer 1953. Vietnam: Vietnam Defensive; Vietnam Air; Vietnam Air Offensive; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; Tet 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer/Fall 1969; Vietnam Winter/Spring 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Vietnam Ceasefire.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Korea, 1 May-27 Jul 1953. Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia): 8 Jan-30 Jun 1966; 1 Jul 1967-31 Jan 1969; 1 Feb 1969-30 Apr 1970; 1 May 1970-31 Mar 1972; 1 Apr-29 Dec 1972. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device: 1 Jul-30 Jun 1966. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Dec 1973-30 Nov 1975; 1 Apr 1986-31 Mar 1988; 1 Aug 1991-31 Jul 1993; 1 Oct 1994-30 Sep 1995; 1 Sep 1996-31 Aug 1998; 1 Oct 1999-30 Sep 2000; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2001; 1 Oct 2003-30 Sep 2005; 1 Oct 2005-30 Sep 2007; 1 Oct 2007-30 Sep 2008. Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: [14 Nov 1952]-31 Mar 1953. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 8 Jan 1966-[29 Dec 1972].
Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through Apr 2010.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Apr 2010.
Supersedes statement prepared on 5 Mar 1999.
Emblem. Approved on 30 Nov 1988; latest rendering, 3 Sep 2019.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.