USAF 33rd RQS / Osan PR Detachment Patch Set

USAF 33rd Rescue Squadron / Osan, AB - Korea / Personnel Recovery Detachment Patch Set

The story behind these pieces comes when in early 2019 (due to the missile crisis that escalated in between North Korea and the United States), the Pentagon decided to secretly reinforce some key components of the Air Force in South Korea in order to quickly respond to an escalating conflict in between the two Koreas and specially the United States. As part of these augmented teams in Osan, AB the 33rd RQS from Kadena, AB Japan sent a detachment to Osan to remain there in case they were needed. This was a very sensitive mission with an (undisclosed) amount of aircraft/personnel but its believed also Pararescue personnel from the 31st RQS was involved in this assignment.

The patch is based on the old design from the 3rd ERS (Emergency Rescue Squadron) emblem during World War II. The group was first activated during World War II as the 3rd Emergency Rescue Squadron at Keesler Field, Mississippi. After training on the Gulf Coast, the squadron moved to the
Southwest Pacific Theater in the fall of 1944, and served in combat until the surrender of Japan, earning a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. After the war, the squadron moved to Japan, where it became part of the occupation forces and was located there when the Korean War began. It again served in combat, expanding to become the 3rd Air Rescue Group in 1952, and earning two Distinguished Unit Citations and two Korean Presidential Unit Citations during the war. The group was inactivated in 1957 when Air Rescue Service eliminated its groups and assigned its squadrons directly to its regional rescue centers.

The group was organized again at Tan Son Nhut Airport in 1966 as the 3rd Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group, to command the United States Air Force rescue units engaged in the War in Vietnam. It participated in every campaign after 1966, winning an additional four Presidential Unit Citations, an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device and two Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm during combat in Southeast Asia. When the United States withdrew from Vietnam, the group moved its headquarters to Thailand and, after participating in the evacuations of Phnom Penh and Saigon, was inactivated there in 1976.

I was looking for these pieces since they were secretly made and since then couldn't release even a picture of it on request of the people involved in this operation. This VERY RARE set made in Korea 2019 was kindly donated to the collection by Col. Mempo Shiue. Also an special thanks to my friend AMR from the Jolly Green Giant Collection for some of the information on these pieces. 

Got information about it? Got it? Want to sell or trade? Contact me below (comments) with your email address and I´ll get back to you ASAP! Thank you!