USAF Patch Rescue c 305 ARRS Aerospace Rescue Recovery Squadron HC 97

USAF 305 Rescue Squadron Patch Reserve 305 ARRS Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron HC 97 Stratofreighter Deployed CSAR 1968 Selfridge AFB Michigan Fully embroidered cut edge 89mm by 75mm three and one half inches by two and fifteen sixteenth inches.

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History

305 Air Rescue Squadron was activated in the Reserve on 8 February 1958 at Selfridge AFB Michigan assigned to 2242 Air Reserve Flying Center with its gaining command the Air Rescue Service of Military Air Transport Service. The Squadron was equipped with four SA 16 Albatross amphibious flying boat aircraft to train and maintain combat search and rescue CSAR capability for USAF operations medical evacuation and to support civilian humanitarian and disaster relief primarily in the upper mid western United States. The Squadron was reassigned to Tenth Air Force on 8 April 1958 and then 2467 Air Reserve Flying Center on 1 Jun 1958. 305 ARS participated in foreign military training exercises with Brazil Honduras and Venezuela and undertook local rescue operations including the recovery of eleven seamen from a sinking Canadian freighter in Lake Erie and the transport of fourteen workers critically injured in a factory accident. The Squadron was reassigned back to Tenth Air Force on 20 May 1960 and then to Fifth Air Force Reserve Region on 1 September 1960.

The Squadron began to replace its SA 16 Albatross aircraft with HC 97 Stratofreighters in late 1965 and was redesignated 305 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 18 January 1966. During 1966 and 1967 the Squadron undertook rescue cover for Operation Hi Cat research on high altitude turbulence on U 2 Dragon Lady clandestine reconnaissance aircraft.

The Squadron was ordered to Active Service on 26 January 1968 assigned to Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service to augment the Service around the world deploying its HC 97 Stratofreighter in one and two ship elements to Iceland Spain Okinawa Hawaii Libya and the Philippines following the USS Pueblo incident in January 1968. The two aircraft at Naha AB Okinawa to augmented 33 ARRS while converted from HU 16s to HH 3 Jolly Green Giants. For its efforts the Squadron earned both an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and a Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm and was relieved from Active Duty returning to Fifth Air Force Reserve Region on 19 June 1969. The Squadron was reassigned to Central Air Force Reserve Region on 31 December 1969 then to Eastern Air Force Reserve Region on 1 July 1971 and then Western Air Force Reserve Region on 1 January 1972.

305 ARRS reequipped with HC 130H Combat King Hercules fixed wing aircraft in 1972 which included the capability of air refueling of helicopters when operating in conjunction with other Squadrons. The Squadron participated in the test and evaluation of the C 130 Self Contained Navigation System and also provided support for space shuttle missions. CH 3 and HH 3 Jolly Green Giant helicopters were added to the fleet in in 1976. 305 ARRS was reassigned to 403 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing on 15 March 1976 which became the 403 Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing on 1 January 1977. The Squadron provided refuelling support during the USAF operation to remove bodies from the Jonestown Guyana mass suicide in November 1978 and assisted 304 ARRS with search and rescue following the Mount St Helens volcanic eruption in May 1980. The Squadron provided rescue cover for tactical fighter and Army units deploying from the United States to Europe and provided support for space shuttle launches in Florida in the 1980s. 305 ARRS was reassigned to 939 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group on 1 October 1987

305 ARRS was redesignated 305 Air Rescue Squadron with the Group becoming 939 Air Rescue Wing on 1 April 1990 and deployed pararescue personnel to the Persian Gulf to support the Liberation of Kuwait. 305 ARS was redesignated 305 Rescue Squadron RQS with the Wing as 939 Rescue Wing on 1 February 1992 and was reassigned to 939 Operations Group on 1 August 1992. 305 RQS was inactivated on 1 September 1992.

305 Rescue Squadron was reactivated in the Reserve at Davis Monthan AFB Arizona on 1 March 1994 on the redesignation of 71 Special Operations Squadron when they returned to Davis Monthan from a six month tasking for Operation Provide Comfort II. 305 RQS absorbed the inactivated 71 SOSs personnel and HH 60 Pave Hawk helicopters assigned to 939 Operations Group to train and maintain combat search and rescue CSAR capability for USAF operations medical evacuation and to support civilian humanitarian and disaster relief primarily in the upper south western United States.

The squadron deployed three HH 60G Pave Hawks and 95 personnel to Turkey to provide CSAR support Operation Provide Comfort II and accomplished 315 combat sorties during this deployment The Squadron began providing support to counterdrug operations to US civilian agencies from 1994. 305 RQS by rotating personnel and equipment through the Air Expeditionary Force in support of Operation Northern Watch and Operation Southern Watch. 305 Rescue Squadron was activated for one year under the partial mobilization order in 2002 to participate in Operations Enduring Freedom and Operation Southern Watch deploying to Al Jaber AB in Kuwait and provided deployed elements to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom Afghanistan and Djibouti Africa for Operation Enduring Freedom.

Air Force Reserve Command expanded its rescue organization at Davis Monthan in 2005 and the Squadron was reassigned to the newly activated 943 Rescue Group on 12 February 2005 and was joined by 306 Rescue Squadron which provided pararescue personnel Combat Rescue Officers CROs and Pararescuemen PJs. 305 RQS again deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom from April through July 2005 flying a number of rescue missions including the recovery of a lone surviving SEAL team member ambushed in the mountains east of Bagram Afghanistan. Upon its return to the US in August 2005 the Squadron deployed to Louisiana and Texas to assist in the rescue of thousands of people in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. 305 Rescue Squadron is the first and only Air Force reserve helicopter unit to gain the ability to operate from ships.

305 RQS deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom from January to March 2007 where it rescued 14 injured US military personnel from a crashed CH 47 Chinook helicopter. The Squadron deployed again Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom from March to September 2008 and flew over 340 combat sorties and assisted in saving the lives of over 480 people and two military dogs.

This patch dates from 1968.