USAF Patch Rescue c 303 ARRS Air Rescue Recovery Squadron HC 97 Stratofreighter a

USAF Patch Reserve 303 ARRS Air Rescue And Recovery Squadron HC 97 Stratofrieghter CSAR 1966 March AFB California Japanese made Fully embroidered cut edge 92mm by 71mm three and five eighth inches by two and three quarter inches.

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History

303 Air Rescue Squadron ARS was activated in the Reserve on 8 October 1956 at Long Beach Municipal Airport California equipped with SA 16 Albatross amphibious aircraft known as the Dumbo assigned to 2347 Air Reserve Flying Center to provide search and rescue SAR and medical evacuation in the Southwestern United States. The Squadron also provided escort for aircraft deploying to the Pacific and occasionally undertook SAR and Medivac in Central America.

The Squadron was reassigned to 2350 Air Reserve Flying Center on 1 October 1958 then to Fourth Air Force on 8 April 1960 and then to Sixth Air Force Reserve Region on 1 September 1960 and was relocated to March AFB California on 1 November 1960. The Squadron replaced its SA 16 Albatross flying boats with HC 97 Stratofreighter adapted for search and rescue and KC 97 Stratotankers for refuelling. The KC 97 Stratotankers were retired in 1966.

303 ARS was redesignated 303 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 18 January 1966 and was reassigned to Western Air Force Reserve Region on 31 December 1969. The Squadron reequipped with HC 130 Combat King Hercules in 1972 and was reassigned to 403 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing on 15 March 1976 which became 403 Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing on 1 January 1977.

303 ARRS was redesignated 303 Tactical Airlift Squadron TAS reequipped with C 130 Hercules and was reassigned to 943 Tactical Airlift Group on 1 April 1985 retasked for tactical air transport and to provide fire fighting support to the US Forest Service in the South West. 303 TAS was redesignated 303 Airlift Squadron AS on 1 February 1992. 303 Airlift Squadron was inactivated on 30 June 1993.

The Squadron was reactivated in the Reserve as 303 Rescue Squadron RQS on 15 April 1997 at Portland International Airport Oregon equipped with HC 130 Combat King Hercules aircraft assigned to 939 Rescue Wing to provide search and rescue SAR helicopter aerial refueling support to SAR missions primarily in the Northwestern United States as well as training for and undertaking combat search and rescue CSAR with a deployment to Italy from May to August 1999 in support of NATOs Operation Allied Force. 303 RQS was inactivated on 1 April 2003 when 939 Rescue Wing was retasked and reequipped for air refuelling and redesignated 939 Air Refueling Wing.

The Squadron was redesignated 303 Expeditionary Rescue Squadron ERQS and converted to provisional status on 22 July 2011 to be utilised for expeditionary deployments. 303 ERQS was activated in 2011 under 449 Air Expeditionary Group United States Air Forces Europe USAFE in Djibouti for deployed HH 60 Pave Hawk elements with 81 ERQS for deployed HC 130 Combat King Hercules assets and 82 ERQS for deployed Combat Rescue Officers CROs and Pararescuemen PJs for combat search and rescue for Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa CTF HOA operations against terrorist forces in Africa and southern Arabia.

This patch dates from 1966.