USAF 37th ARRSQ / Detachment 3 Patch
37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (37th ARRS) was a rescue squadron of the USAF active during the Vietnam War.
On 8 January 1966, the 37th ARRS was activated at Danang Air Base operating 5 HU-16s on loan from the 31st ARRS and the 33rd ARRS and with a Detachment at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base. The squadron was responsible for aircrew recovery over North Vietnam, Laos and the Gulf of Tonkin.
On 30 March 1966, 2 HC-130s were delivered to Detachment 1 at Udorn RTAFB. A further 3 HC-130s were delivered to Udorn in June 1966. On 16 January 1967, the squadron's HC-130s at Udorn RTAFB were transferred to the newly-formed 39th ARRS. Also on 16 January Detachment 2, 37th ARRS was designated and organised at Udorn RTAFB operating HH-3s. On 2 February 1967, all 5 HU-16s assigned to the 37th ARRS were transferred to the 33rd ARRS at Naha, Okinawa.
September 1967, Detachment 2 at Udorn RTAFB received its first 2 HH-53Bs. May 1967, Detachment 1 38th ARRS operating HH-3s at Danang Air Base was reassigned to the 37th ARRS. March 1968, Detachment 2 at Udorn RTAFB was transferred to the 40th ARRS.
The 37th ARRS remained at Danang until it was deactivated on 30 November 1972. 5 of its HH-53s were transferred to the 40th ARRS at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, while its two HH-43s remained at Danang as Detachment 7 of the 40th ARRS to provide base rescue during Operation Linebacker II.
I was with the 37 ARRS Sq. in Grand Forks, North Dakota in the 70's
ReplyDelete