USAF Patch Rescue b 76 RQF Rescue Flight UH 1N Space Wing Vandenberg

USAF 76 RQF Rescue Patch Rescue Flight 1993 UH 1 Huey Vandenberg AFB California 30 Space Wing Fully embroidered merrowed edge 89mm by 78mm three and one half inches by three and one sixteenth inches

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History USAF 76 RQF Rescue

76 Air Rescue Squadron was activated on 14 November 1952 at Hickam AFB Hawaii assigned to 11 Air Rescue Group equipped with SB 17 Dumbo Airborne Rescue Boat SC 47 Skytrain aircraft adapted for SAR and H 5 Dragonfly helicopters to provide search rescue and recovery services for USAF operations in the central and southern Pacific Ocean areas. The Squadron was reassigned to Air Rescue Service in 1954 and to 2 Air Rescue Group in 1955 with its SB 17 Dumbos and SC 47s were replaced with SB 29 Superfortress Airborne Rescue Boat and search aircraft. 76 ARS received SA 16 Albatross amphibious flying boats and replaced its SB 29s with SC 54 Skymaster SAR aircraft in 1956 and then replaced the SA 16 Albatrosses with SH 19 Chicksaw helicopters in 1957. The Squadron was reassigned to Air Rescue Service in 1958 and maintained aircraft at Johnson Island during atomic bomb tests in the Pacific.

The Squadron replaced the SH 19 Chicksaw helicopters with SA 16 Albatross amphibious flying boats in 1960 until retired in 1961 leaving the Squadron operating SC 54 Skymaster aircraft. The SC 54 Skymasters were replaced by C and HC 97 Stratofreighter aircraft adapted for search and rescue and KC 97 refuelling aircraft in 1964.

The Squadron was redesignated 76 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron ARRS on 8 January 1966 and HC 130 Combat King Hercules search and rescue aircraft were added to the fleet in 1966 with the last of the Statofreighters retired in 1967. 76 ARRS was reassigned to Pacific Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Center in 1967 and supported space recovery operations for Discoverer Gemini Apollo and Skylab programs. The Squadron received HH 53 Super Jolly Green Giant Buff helicopters in 1972. 76 ARRS was inactivated on 1 August 1975

The Squadron was reduced to Flight status and was reactivated as 76 Rescue Flight on 1 May 1993 at Vandenberg AFB California assigned to 310 Operations Group then 30 Operations Group equipped with UH 1N Iroquois Twin Huey helicopters to provide security support for 30 Space Wings rocket and missile complex transporting security forces and equipment throughout the base and ranges supporting medical evacuations and Search and Rescue SAR. The Squadron was redesignated 76 Helicopter Flight on 1 May 1998. The Squadron supported high profile rescue and fire suppression missions including humanitarian relief in the Gulf States in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on 29 August 2005. The Flight was upgraded to Squadron status and redesignated 76 Helicopter Squadron on 1 October 2005.

76 Helicopter Squadron was inactivated on 29 Aug 2007.

This patch dates from 1993