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Naval Air Squadrons - Rotary 'H' Helicopter Squadrons


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Salvage Sailor
On 7/20/2014 at 12:00 PM, Bearmon said:

 

HC-3 Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Three (now HSC-3)

HELSUPPRON 3 Pack Rats Established in 1967, the first VERTREP squadron

 

HC 3 001.jpg

 

HC 3 002.jpg

 

HSC-3 Safety Award

 

As a result of the command's concern for all aspects of flight and ground safety, HC-3 celebrated their 250,000th Class A mishap-free flight hour on 14 June 2013 after not suffering an accident since July 1974. This record makes HSC-3 the safest operational helicopter squadron in the Navy and has enabled the squadron to win eight Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Awards. This achievement, plus an excellent operational record, brought a fifth consecutive Battle Efficiency Award to HC-3 in 1983. This was the seventh Battle "E" Award presented by Commander Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet to the squadron since its establishment.

 

HSC 3 001.jpg

 

HSC 3 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

HC-9 PROTECTORS - In service 1975 to 1990

http://www.seaforces.org/usnair/HC/Helicopter-Combat-Support-Squadron-9.htm

 

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Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 9 - I've always liked the 'Air-Sea-Land' design and colors on this patch

 

HC 9 PROTECTORS 002.jpg

 

HC-9 PROTECTORS later version

 

HC 9 PROTECTORS 003.jpg

 

HC 9 PROTECTORS 004.jpg

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Salvage Sailor
On 4/15/2017 at 12:19 PM, Salvage Sailor said:

HS-2 (now HSC-12) Golden Falcons Far East "I get around" cruise 1963-64

Hong Kong, Yokosuka, Sasebo, Iwakuni, Kobe

 

'round 'round get around I get around......

 

"Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron TWO was established on 7 March 1952 as the first Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) helicopter squadron on the West Coast, flying the HRS-2. Initially used in small detachments, the first deployment as an entire squadron was made in 1957 when the world famous "Golden Falcons," flying the HSS-1, embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS PHILIPPINE SEA (CVA-47). At this time, the squadron was manned by 258 enlisted and 39 officers to fly and maintain 17 aircraft. Since that time, the squadron has deployed on eight other carriers including USS YORKTOWN (CVS-10), USS HORNET (CVA-12), USS INDEPENDENCE (CV-62), USS TICONDEROGA (CVS-14), USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65), USS RANGER (CV-61), USS KITTY HAWK (CV-63), and USS NIMITZ (CV-68). Today, HS-2 deploys as a member of Carrier Air Wing TWO (CVW-2) aboard USS CONSTELLATION (CV-64) with 161 enlisted, 24 officers and six Sikorsky H-60 helicopters...."

 

HS-2 GOLDEN FALCONS Black Gang

 

HS 2 Golden Falcons Black Gang 001.jpg

 

HS 2 Golden Falcons Black Gang 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

HSL-44 DET 1 Attached to USS STUMP (DD-978) UNITAS XXXV 1994

 

HSL 44 UNITAS USS STUMP DD 978 001.jpg

 

HSL 44 UNITAS USS STUMP DD 978 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

HS-813 USNR, Naval Air Station Twin Cities Minneapolis Minnesota

 

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“Sink or Swim … or What?”
 
The annual request from the Minnesota ANG to provide helo water hoists for their air crew was welcomed. It would provide an opportunity for the pilots and air crew to complete their requirements. Time selected was a Sunday in July, 1966 at Lake Nokomis in the south part of Minneapolis. It was also Aquatennial time, an annual summertime festival and celebration. There were about 3,500 people at the lake that Sunday. The helo exercise was an added attraction to the other scheduled events. The weather was typical Minnesota July … hot & humid.
 
The SH-34J helicopter was being used by the Navy and Marines at the NAS at that time. I was assigned to HS-813 which was the unit assigned to do the hoists. Lake Nokomis is about 5 miles from the NAS. A portion of the shore line was cordoned off as a landing area to permit the ANG crew to debark after the hoist.
 
The drill called for 2 helos to fly at the same time: one hoisting and the other landing and debarking. A large raft, up to 40 man size, was anchored in the lake. The people to be hoisted left the raft and would swim out about 100 yards and await their turn. The helo would enter a hover at 35' and lower the sling for recovery.
 
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As I started an approach everything was normal. As power was applied to establish the hover (took a lot of power on "hot & humid") there was a tremendous BANG and the rotor RPM started to drop rapidly. A frantic 'milking' of the collective had no effect as the helo headed down to the water. I was told later that the guy waiting to be picked up almost 'walked on water' as he tried to get out of the way.
 
As the helo contacted the water, full up collective pitch was applied and we made a really soft landing. It did not start to sink as I had feared. Of course it couldn't fly but it had neutral buoyancy. This was not expected. I nudged the cyclic stick and the helo started to move slowly through the water … just like a boat. My crewman was frantically trying to get the hoist cable back into the helo before it tangled with the tail rotor. My co-pilot turned on the windshield wipers … they were needed.
 
I applied slight pressure on pedals and turned the plane toward shore where the ground crew moved the 'rubberneck' spectators off to a safe dis­tance. As we got into shallow water, I could feel the wheels contact the lake bottom. The rotor RPM started to increase as the helo weight was starting to be supported by the wheels. With the RPM again at normal, I was able to 'gingerly' lift off and ease into the landing area.
 
The helo was shut down and inspected. The lower cylinder head of the R-1820 engine had cracked all the way across. The blades were folded and the helo was towed back to NAS Minneapolis … to fly another day. We had accomplished a successful water landing in a SH-34 … It is not 'sposed to be an amphibian! Reference: http://thebrownshoes.org/story/frederick-c-bereswill

 

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HC-1 had a lot of detachments, some are easy to find. This one is not. It was not attached to any carrier that I can find. At one time I thought I had found it had an aircraft on a Frigate in the North SAR region outside of Vietnam. Now I cannot find a thing. Any one have a thought?

 

IH

 

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Salvage Sailor

They were deployed on a few commands (TICONDEROGA in 1957, ENTERPRISE 1967) including the guided missile destroyer leader/frigate USS FOX (DLG-33) also in 1967

 

USS FOX (DLG-33) 1967 Vietnam Cruise

 

12 Jul - 12 Aug 1967: Took station in Gulf of Tonkin, relieved guided missile frigate Wainwright (DLG-26) as PIRAZ ship. On day of turnover, HC-1 Det 17 UH-2B rescued LCDR John H. Kirkpatrick, VA-212, Bon Homme Richard, from waters of Gulf of Tonkin.
15 Jul 1967: Under heavy fire from North Vietnamese shore batteries, HC-1 Det 17 UH-2B rescued LT John N. Donis, VA-76, Bon Homme Richard, from Gulf of Tonkin.
20 Jul 1967: HC-1 Det 17 UH-2B rescued CDR Frederick H. Whittemore, VA-212, Bon Homme Richard, near islands in Gulf of Tonkin.
29 Jul 1967: HC-1 Det 17 UH-2B rescued two crewmen (Guy H. McCormack and Ray E. Rouge) washed overboard from flight deck fire on board attack carrier Forrestal (CVA-59); transfered the rescued sailors to nearby attack carrier Oriskany (CVA-34). Fox's helo detachment operated in concert with those from Forrestal, Oriskany, and guided missile frigate Worden (DLG-18), throughout the remainder of that day to deliver fire-fighting equipment and medical supplies to the stricken Forrestal, and transported casualties to hospital ship Repose (AH-16).
1 Aug 1967: HC-1 Det 17 UH-2 rescued LT David W. Thornhill, VA-15, antisubmarine warfare support carrier Intrepid (CVS-11) from waters inside the island area (karsts) south of Hon Gai, North Vietnam.
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Thanks, this a place to start.The Ticonderoga cruise book for 1957 shows HU-1 Det 17 as being aboard. The Enterprise cruise book for 1966,1967, 1968 show HC-1 Det M and HC-1 Det 65 and the pictures in each book show those listed Dets. I now remember that the frigate Worden (DLG-18) was the name I found.

 

IH

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firefighter

HC-1 had a lot of detachments, some are easy to find. This one is not. It was not attached to any carrier that I can find. At one time I thought I had found it had an aircraft on a Frigate in the North SAR region outside of Vietnam. Now I cannot find a thing. Any one have a thought?

 

IH

 

 

attachicon.gifhc 001.jpg

Great looking patches.

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Salvage Sailor

Thanks, this a place to start.The Ticonderoga cruise book for 1957 shows HU-1 Det 17 as being aboard. The Enterprise cruise book for 1966,1967, 1968 show HC-1 Det M and HC-1 Det 65 and the pictures in each book show those listed Dets. I now remember that the frigate Worden (DLG-18) was the name I found.

 

IH

 

According to the cruise history I posted, they were assigned to the USS FOX (DLG-33). Of note is that they also helped out during the USS FORRESTAL fire (aka the forest fire) which was touched off by an errant rocket as John McCain was sitting in his fighter on the deck.

 

This is the damage control training film we were shown based on the fire using actual footage

 

"Learn or Burn, Baby, Learn or Burn"

 

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Salvage Sailor

Really nice patches IH

 

HC-3 DET 111 The Merlins

1976 Westpac aboard USS KISKA (AE35), theri first cruise after the fall of Saigon

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JJ's JERKERS - F*** IT - WE ARE IT Moving the World

 

Which refers to their being the USN's only Vertical Replenishment squadron at that time

10" high x 8" wide jacket patch. Also of note......IRAN.....working with our good buddies the Shah's Imperial Fleet

 

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Mystery unit. Could not find anything about them.

 

IH

attachicon.gifhu4 001.jpg

FROM WIKI: On July 1, 1960 Helicopter Utility Squadron FOUR (HU-4) was established at NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey, and tasked with the logistic support of non-aviation ships of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. To describe its mission more accurately, the squadron was redesignated as Helicopter Combat Support Squadron FOUR in July 1965, and HC-4 was born. The unit was equipped with the Kaman UH-2A Seasprite light transport helicopter. Eight years later, the young squadron assumed a new mission of Helicopter Anti-submarine Warfare and was renamed HSL-30. For eleven years, HC-4 seemed to have been relegated to the dusty tomes of history.

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Salvage Sailor

Helicopter Utility Squadron Four - Invaders

 

Later redesignated several times

1 July 1960: established as Helicopter Utility Squadron 4 (HU-4) "Invaders";
1 July 1965: redesignated Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 4 (HC-4);
1 March 1972: redesignated Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 30 (HSL-30) "Neptune's Horsemen";
30 September 1993: disestablished.
6 May 1983: established as HC-4 "Black Stallions";
28 September 2007: disestablished.
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Salvage Sailor

HC-11 GUNBEARERS

Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 11 (HELSUPPRON 11), now HSC-11

post-2322-0-44065400-1501696529.jpg

Desert Storm - Liberation of Kuwait 1990-1991

 

Scroll down to bottom of link for more patches (great photos too) http://www.seaforces.org/usnair/HC/Helicopter-Combat-Support-Squadron-11.htm

 

post-2322-0-64206800-1501696530.jpg

 

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Salvage Sailor
On 8/2/2017 at 7:55 AM, Salvage Sailor said:

HC-11 GUNBEARERS - Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 11 (HELSUPPRON 11), now HSC-11

 

Desert Storm - Liberation of Kuwait 1990-1991

 

Scroll down to bottom of link for more patches (great photos too) http://www.seaforces.org/usnair/HC/Helicopter-Combat-Support-Squadron-11.htm

 

HC-11 GUNBEARERS

Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 11 (HELSUPPRON 11), now HSC-11

 

HC 11 GUNBEARERS 001.jpg

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