USAF 67th ARRS / Anniversary Patch

USAF 67th ARRS / Anniversary Patch

This piece was kindly donated for the collection by my friend and fellow collector AMR from the USAF Jolly Green Giant Collection. Made in UK 2019.

In 2019, the 67th Special Operations Squadron, formally 67th Air Rescue Squadron celebrated its 67th Anniversary. The 67th was originally formed at RAF Sculthorpe, Norfolk in1952. On the 31st January 1953, the Squadron was tasked with assisting the rescue efforts in the nearby seaside town Hunstanton following a storm surge that affected many parts of the East Anglian Coast. 

On that day, 2nd Class Airman Reis Leming, aged 22, rescued 27 locals from the low lying areas of Hunstanton heavily affected by the floods in dark and difficult conditions despite not being able to swim and suffering the effects of hypothermia and exhaustion which caused him to collapse. In April 1953, Leming was presented with George Medal for his actions and has always remained in the minds of the locals.

On 10th November 2012 the 67th SOS now based at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk celebrated their 60th Anniversary, with a parade in Hunstanton and Mr. Leming was planning to attend as part of the squadrons reunion. As part of the event, the local council had named part of the seafront Reis Leming Way in his, and the squadrons honor and planned a surprise unveiling to thank him for efforts and recognize the part he played in the rescue efforts. Sadly, Mr. Leming passed away aged 81, on the 4th November 2012, and the sign is located on the seafront close to and as part of a permanent memorial of that day in 1953. 31 people died in Hunstanton that night, 307 along the East Anglian coast.

The unit was constituted as the 67th Air Rescue Squadron on 17 October 1952. It was activated on 14 November 1952 at RAF Sculthorpe, England, and discontinued, and inactivated, on 18 March 1960 at Prestwick, Scotland. It was activated again on 10 May 1961 and organized on 18 June 1961 at Prestwick, Scotland. The unit was redesignated 67th Air Recovery Squadron on 1 August 1965, and then as the 67th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 8 January 1966.

It was transferred to Morón Air Base, Spain on 1 July 1966. On 15 January 1970, the 67th ARRS transferred to RAF Woodbridge, UK. The unit operated the Lockheed HC-130 fixed wing (also used as rotational support for their Detachment of H-3 helicopters stationed at Keflavik, Iceland) and Sikorsky MH-53 rotary wing aircraft.

On 1 June 1988, the unit was split into two units redesignated the 67th Special Operations Squadron for the HC-130 aircraft and the 21st Special Operations Squadron for the HH-53 rotary wing. On 1 April 1992, they moved to RAF Alconbury, UK. They are still active as the 67th SOS and have flown the HC-130 since 1965 (designated the MC-130P since 1996). It is currently stationed at RAF Mildenhall, UK

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