USAAF 5th ERS / 8th AAF Patch

USAAF 5th ERS Air-Sea Rescue - Emergency Rescue Squadron / 8th  Army Air Force Patch

Super Rare – Hard to find and one of my precious treasures in my collection

As the end of the World War II approached, the 5th ERS (Emergency Rescue Squadron) was scheduled to be re deployed from England to the Pacific. The 5th ERS carried out search and rescue missions from Holton Airfield between January and may 1945, picking up downed allied aircrew from the perilous north sea OA10A Catalina Amphibian, P47 Thunderbolt Spotter Boat carrying B17 flying fortress aircraft were used.

OA-10A Catalina Amphibian Aircraft

The USAAF realised that they needed an Air Sea Rescue capability but they wanted it quickly and knew that it took time to set up a new unit. As a result they formed a informal unit called Detachment B, 65th Fighter Wing which was based here. As they were an informal unit they had to scrounge equipment from other units and so flew Thunderbolts that were past their best and were called "war weary". As a result the first USAAF Air Sea Rescue unit was formed here. They flew their first operation in May 1944 and then moved to Halesworth in January 1945. Their role was that they flew a patrol and then were directed towards aircraft in trouble. They could then either escort them home or, if they had to ditch, drop a dinghy to the crew and direct rescue ships to them. The unit was later formally designated the 5th ERS and were given the crest shown above.

The history of the 5th ERS - the "Shepherd of the Seas"

During WW2, the RAF perfected a very good system of Air-Sea Rescue (ASR) to pick up fighter and bomber crews from the English Channel. This operation relied on aircraft and shipping relaying the position of a crew in the drink back to control stations. Motor boats and Walrus seaplanes from various bases around the coast would then head to the reported position to pick up the men. When the US Army Air Corps came to England they had no such system and, when they started losing crews in the sea, decided to set about forming their own air-sea rescue operation.

With the coming of the invasion imminent, a conference was called on the 8th May 1944 at the Air Ministry between representatives of the RAF, the 8th Air Force, and the 65th Fighter Wing. It was decided that the 65th Fighter Wing would take responsibility for air-sea rescue.

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