66 Rescue Squadron (ACC)

Lineage.   Constituted as 66 Air Rescue Squadron on 17 Oct 1952.  Activated on 14 Nov 1952.

Inactivated on 18 Jan 1958.   Activated on 1 Jan 1991.   Redesignated as 66 Rescue Squadron on 1 Feb 1993.

 

Assignments.   9 Air Rescue Group, 14 Nov 1952–18 Jan 1958 (attached for operational control to United States Air Forces in Europe, 14 Nov 1952; Third Air Force, 15 Nov 1953; United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 Aug 1954–probably 18 Jan 1958).   Air Rescue Service, 1 Jan 1991 (attached to 4404 Operations Group [Prov], 25 Jan 1993–); 57 Operations Group, 1 Feb 1993– (remained attached to 4404 Operations Group [Prov] to 5 July 1993); 563 Rescue Group, 1 Oct 2003-.

 

Stations.   RAF Manston, England, 14 Nov 1952–18 Jan 1958.  Nellis AFB, NV, 1 Jan 1991– (deployed at Kuwait City, Kuwait, 25 Jan–5 Jul 1993).

 

Commanders.    Maj James E. Nelson, unkn-Apr 1953; Lt Col William P. Gordon Jr., 29 Apr 1953; Maj Frank G. Uhring, 1 Jun 1955; Lt Col Leonard H. Burgess, 1 Mar 1956; Lt Col Marshall F. Crispen, 9 May 1957-unkn.  Unkn, 1 Jan 1991; Lt Col Thomas P. Finnegan, 15 Mar 1993; Lt Col Robert S. Clegg, 11 Jun 1995; Lt Col Charles McCausland, 28 Feb 1997; Maj William H. Milton, 17 Feb 1998; Lt Col Thomas D. Summers II, 6 Mar 1998; Maj Tracy W. Colburn, 20 Apr 1998; Lt Col Joseph T. Callahan III, 24 Sep 1999-unkn; Lt Col Chad P. Franks, 1 Jun 2007-.     

 

Aircraft.    SA–16, 1952–1958; H–19 (SH–19), 1952–1958; C–82, 1952–1953; Unkn, 1953–1958.  HH–60, 1991–.

 

Operations.   Search and rescue, air/med-evacuation, disaster relief 1952–1958 and 1991–.  Deployed to Southwest Asia to ensure Iraq’s compliance with United Nations treaty terms, Jan–Jul 1993.  After 11 Sep 2001, deployed to South Central Asia in support of Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF).  In 2003, deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom (OEF); conducted first combat recovery of a downed fighter crew by conventional combat search and rescue (CSAR) unit since the Vietnam War. 

 

Service Streamers. None. 

 

Campaign Streamers.  Southwest Asia: Ceasefire.  Global War on Terrorism: GWOT-E.  Afghanistan: Consolidation III.  Iraq: Iraqi National Resolution; Iraqi Governance.

 

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers.  None.

 

Decorations.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device: 1 Dec 1999-31 Mar 2000. Meritorious Unit Award: 1 Jun 2008-31 May 2010; 1 Jun 2010-31 May 2012; 1 Jun 2014-31 May 2016.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jun 1998-31 May 2000; 1 Jun 2001-31 May 2003; 1 Oct 2003-31 Oct 2004; 1 Nov 2004-31 Jul 2006; [1 Aug] 2006-31 May 2008.

 

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 21 Mar 2017.

 

Commanders through Jun 2007; Aircraft, and Operations through 5 Apr 2012.

 

Supersedes statement prepared on 5 Apr 2012.

 

Emblem.  Approved on 21 Feb 1958.

 

Prepared by Daniel L. Haulman