41 Rescue Squadron (ACC)

Lineage.   Constituted as 41 Air Rescue Squadron on 17 Oct 1952.  Activated on 14 Nov 1952.   Discontinued, and inactivated, on 18 Mar 1960.  Activated on 29 Dec 1961.  Organized on 8 Jan 1962.   Redesignated as 41 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 8 Jan 1966. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1987.  Activated on 1 Mar 1989.  Redesignated as: 41 Air Rescue Squadron on 1 Jun 1989; 41 Rescue Squadron on 1 Feb 1993.

 

Assignments.   4 Air Rescue Group, 14 Nov 1952; Air Rescue and Recovery Service, 8 Dec 1956–18 Mar 1960.  Military Air Transport Service, 29 Dec 1961; Air (later, Aerospace) Rescue and Recovery Service, 8 Jan 1962; 39 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing, 1 Jan 1970; 41 Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Sep 1975–30 Sep 1987.  41 Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing, 1 Mar 1989 (attached to Eastern Space and Missile Center [later, 45 Space Wing] for operational control, 1 Mar 1989–c. 1 Feb 1993); Air Rescue Service, 1 Aug 1989; 1 Operations Group, 1 Feb 1993; 1 Rescue Group, 14 Jun 1995; 347 Operations (later, 347 Rescue) Group, 1 Apr 1997–.

 

Stations.   Hamilton AFB, CA, 14 Nov 1952–18 Mar 1960.  Hamilton AFB, CA, 8 Jan 1962; McClellan AFB, CA, 1 Aug 1973–30 Sep 1987.  Patrick AFB, FL, 1 Mar 1989; Moody AFB, GA, 1 Apr 1997–.

 

Commanders.   Maj Thomas L. Shockley, 14 Nov 1952; Lt Col Frank H. Dreher, c. Sep 1953; Lt Col Robert L. Boardman, 6 Aug 1954; Maj William M. McDonald, 7 Nov 1955-unkn; Lt Col Felix G. Brenner, unkn-11 Mar 1958; Maj John H. Mork, 11 Mar 1958-unkn; Lt Col Robert A. Stribling, unkn; Lt Col John H. Mork, unkn; Lt Col Robert A. Stribling, unkn-c. 18 Mar 1960.   Maj Robert E. Freshwater, 8 Jan 1962; Lt Col Edward Krafka, 6 Feb 1962; Lt Col Donald F. Karshner, 28 Sep 1964; Lt Col Cortez C. Brown, 5 Sep 1965; Lt Col Leslie E. Gamble, 27 May 1967 (acting); Lt Col Maynard R. Rhoades, 10 Jul 1967; Lt Col Joseph P. Leonelli, 20 Jun 1968; Lt Col Noble L. Webster Jr., 7 Nov 1969; Lt Col William H. Hatfield, 1 Jun 1971; Lt Col Philip S. Prince, 15 May 1972; Lt Col James Davis, 2 Jul 1973; Lt Col Charles E. Trapp Jr., 1 Mar 1976; Lt Col Richard W. Nelson, 5 Jun 1977; Lt Col Jack V. Butler, 29 May 1978; Lt Col Jon P. Woods, 16 Jun 1980; Lt Col Harold O. Jones, 7 Jul 1982; Lt Col James E. McArdle Jr., 7 Aug 1984; Lt Col Allan W. Rowe, 30 Jun 1986-30 Sep 1987.   Lt Col John K. Rehkop, 1 Mar 1989; Lt Col J. Michael Bergstresser, Aug 1991; Lt Col Robert H. Holliway, 19 Aug 1993; Lt Col J. Michael Scannell, 15 Sep 1995; Lt Col John P. Grimes Jr., 22 May 1997; Lt Col John D. Nelson, 7 May 1999; Lt Col Michael F. Korcheck, 22 Nov 2000; Lt Col Lee K. De Palo, 22 Aug 2002; Lt Col Lee J. Pera, 18 Jun 2004; Lt Col John V. Dallin III, 1 Oct 2006; Lt Col Edward J. Lengel, 18 Jul 2008; Lt Col Thomas E. Kunkel, 30 Jul 2009; Lt Col Jeremey D. Turner, 17 Jun 2011; Lt Col William M. Lowe, May 2012-.  

 

Aircraft.   SB–17, 1952–c. 1953; C–82, 1952–1953; H–5, 1952–c. 1953; SA–16, 1953–c. 1960; SH–19, c. 1953–c. 1960.   SA/HU–16, 1962–1968; SH/HH–19, 1962–1963; HH–43, 1963; HC–130, 1966–1987; CH/HH–53, 1971–1973; HH–3, 1973–1976; HH–53, 1976–1987.   HH–3, 1989–1994; HH-60, 1994-.

 

Operations.  Conducted search and rescue to recover personnel and aerospace hardware in support of USAF global air and space operations; conducted numerous humanitarian rescue operations, 1952–1960, 1962–1987; and 1989–.  Recovered high-altitude atmospheric-sampling devices, 1962–1987.  Deployed aircraft and aircrews to Florida bases during Cuban Missile Crisis, Oct 1962.  Beginning in Mar 1989, provided prelaunch security and safety surveillance of NASA launches and recovery or medical evacuation for Space Shuttle crewmembers.  Conducted day and night (night vision goggles), low-level combat rescue, air refueling and survivor rescue, 1994-.  During 1996-1997, deployed personnel and aircraft to Southwest Asia to provide combat search and rescue (CSAR).  In 1999, took part in air operations over Serbia.  Deployed in support of combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, 2002-2003.  

 

Service Streamers.   None.

 

Campaign Streamers.  Kosovo: Air Campaign.  Afghanistan: Consolidation I; Consolidation II; Consolidation III.  Iraq: Iraqi Surge; Iraqi National Resolution; Iraqi Governance.

 

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers.  None.

 

Decorations.   Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V” Device: 1 Sep-31 Dec 1999.  Meritorious Unit Awards: 1 Jun 2006-31 May 2007; 1 Jun 2008-31 May 2010; 1 Jun 2010-31 May 2012.   Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation:  29 Mar 1972-30 Jan 1973.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 22–28 Dec 1955; 1 Apr 1968–31 Mar 1970; 1 Jul 1972–30 Jun 1974; 1 Sep 1975–1 May 1977; 16 Jul 1977–16 Jul 1979; 17 Jul 1979–15 Jun 1981; 1 Apr 1984–31 Mar 1986; 1 Apr–[30 Sep 1987]; 1 Feb 1993–30 Apr 1994; 1 Jun 2002-31 May 2003; 1 Oct 2003-31 Oct 2004; 1 Nov 2004-31 Jul 2006.

 

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 2 Aug 2016

 

Commanders through May 2012; Aircraft, and Operations through Dec 2008.

 

Supersedes statement prepared in May 2014.

 

Emblem.  Approved on 24 May 1954; latest rendering, 21 Jan 2022.

 

Prepared by TSgt David Dollman.