79 Rescue Squadron (ACC)

Lineage.   Constituted as 79 Air Rescue Squadron on 17 Oct 1952.   Activated on 14 Nov 1952.  Discontinued, and inactivated, on 18 Sep 1960.  Activated on 10 May 1961.   Organized on 18 Jun 1961.  Redesignated as 79 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 8 Jan 1966.  Inactivated on 30 Jun 1972.   Redesignated as 79 Rescue Flight on 1 Apr 1993.  Activated on 1 May 1993.  Inactivated on 2 Jul 1998.  Redesignated as 79 Rescue Squadron on 22 Jan 2003.  Activated on 14 Mar 2003.

Assignments.   11 Air Rescue Group, 14 Nov 1952 (attached to Far East Air Forces, 14 Nov 1952-1 Jun 1953; attached to 6319 Air Base Wing, 1 Jun 1953-); 2 Air Rescue Group, 16 Feb 1954 (remained attached to 6319 Air Base Wing to 1 Aug 1954; attached to Far East Air Forces, 1 Aug 1954-10 May 1955; attached to Seventh Air Force, 10 May 1955-unkn); Air Rescue Service, 24 Jun 1958-18 Sep 1960.  Military Air Transport Service, 10 May 1961; Air Rescue (later, Aerospace Rescue and Recovery) Service, 18 Jun 1961; Pacific Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Center (later, 41 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing), 1 Apr 1967-30 Jun 1972.  321 Operations Group, 1 May 1993; 321 Missile Group, 1 Jul 1994-2 Jul 1998.  355 Operations Group, 14 Mar 2003; 563 Rescue Group, 1 Oct 2003-.   

 

Stations.   Andersen AFB, Guam, 14 Nov 1952-18 Sep 1960.  Andersen AFB, Guam, 18 Jun 1961-30 Jun 1972.  Grand Forks AFB, ND, 1 May 1993-2 Jul 1998.  Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, 14 Mar 2003-.      

 

Commanders.   Maj Kenton S. Donaldson, 14 Nov 1952; Maj Charles W. Fatzinger Jr., 1953; Lt Col Robert W. Soderberg, 6 Mar 1954; Lt Col Robert B. McGlasson, 20 Jun 1955; Lt Col Richard B. Olney, 1 May 1957; Maj Jesse M. Cummings, c. 1959; Lt Col Malcolm W. Seab, c. 1959-18 Sep 1960.  Lt Col Malcolm W. Seab, 18 Jun 1961; Lt Col Louis E. Zweig Jr., by Jul 1961; Unkn, Dec 1962-Jan 1965; Lt Col Myron D. Miller, c. Jan 1965; Lt Col Joe B. Grobe, by Jan 1967; Lt Col James V. Prewett, Jun 1967; Lt Col Walter J. Riley Jr., 1 Jul 1969; Col William T. Montgomery Jr., c. Jun 1971-30 Jun 1972.  Maj Manuel Fernandez Jr., 1 May 1993; Maj Walter C. Stem Jr., 17 May 1993; Maj Ernest L. Parrott, 9 Jun 1995; Maj James W. Milroy, 24 Sep 1997-2 Jul 1998.   Unkn, 14 Mar 2003; Lt Col Steve Alderfer, 1 Oct 2003; Lt Col Craig J. Knierim, 21 Jun 2004; Lt Col David R. MacKenzie, 23 Jun 2006;  Lt Col Joseph P. Pace, 9 May 2008; Lt Col Michael R. Hinsch, 9 Jul 2010-.

 

Aircraft.   SB-29, 1952-1956; C-47, 1952-1954; SH-19, 1955-1960; SC-54, 1956-1960.  SC/HC-54, 1961-1966; HC-130, 1966-1972; HH-43, 1971-1972.  HH-1, 1993-1998.  HC-130, 2003-.    

 

Operations.   Search, rescue, and recovery services in western Pacific, 1952-1960 and 1961-1972, including some missions to Southeast Asia area, 1965-1966.  Supported U.S. space recovery operations during the late 1960s.  Search, rescue, and recovery services in the area around Grand Forks AFB, ND, 1993-1998.   Provided rapidly deployable search and rescue forces to theater commanders worldwide, 2003-.

 

Service Streamers.  Korean Service; Vietnam Service.

 

Campaign Streamers.   Global War on Terrorism: GWOT-E.  Afghanistan: Consolidation III.

 

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers.  None.

 

Decorations.   Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation:  Western Pacific, 1 Jul 1967-26 Jul 1969.  Meritorious Unit Award: 1 Jun 2008-31 May 2010; 1 Jun 2010- 31 May2012; 1 Jun 2013- 31 My 2015.  Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 27 Dec 1964-27 Apr 1966; 1 Jul 1966-31 May 1968; 1 Jun 1969-31 May 1971; 1 Oct 1994-30 Sep 1996; 1 Oct 1996-30 Sep 1997; 1 Oct 2003-31 Oct 2004; 1 Nov 2004-31 Jul 2006; 1 Jun 2006-31 May 2008.    

 

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 3 Aug 2016.

 

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Dec 2011.

 

Supersedes statement prepared on 26 Jan 2012.

 

Emblem.   Approved on 23 Jul 1968.

 

Prepared by TSgt David Dollman.