I thought this was a good story on a helo's history. I'd have to look back in the archives to see what the first H52/3 SAR cases were. I'm recollecting the first operational H65 SAR (flare or overdue???) case was either at ATC or Nawleans (NO) around 1985. It would have been one of the early numbers...6502/03/04. The first actual operational SAR hoist was either NO or Miami.

http://www.military.com/news/article/air-force-news/hel...ml?col=1186032325324

Helicopter Retires After Service
April 10, 2008
Air Force Print News|by TSgt Kristina Newton
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - MH-53 Pave Low helicopter tail number 68-10357 flew its final mission and last flight supporting special operations forces March 28 in Iraq after 38 years of service.

The helicopter was the lead command and control helicopter for a mission to rescue approximately 50 American prisoners of war from the Son Tay prison camp in North Vietnam in 1970, which became a significant event for Air Force special operations.

From Iraq, the MH-53 known as 357 will be transported to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, where it will sit on display in the Cold War Gallery.

"It's fitting that this aircraft's last mission was flown in combat before it is placed on permanent display at the museum," said Lt. Gen. Donald C. Wurster, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command and an MH-53 pilot. "Aircraft 357 led a formation of HH-53 and HH-3 helicopters on a daring raid into North Vietnam to rescue American POWs. Of those five 53s that participated, only tail number 357 is left."

Historical records indicate 66 prisoners were being held at the Son Tay camp, located 23 miles west of Hanoi.

Although the mission was considered a tactical failure because no prisoners were found at the camp, it was also considered a success because conditions for POWs held in North Vietnam improved after the raid.

Training for the Son Tay raid began in the summer of 1970 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., under the command of Brig. Gen. LeRoy J. Manor, who retired as a lieutenant general. There, an all-volunteer team of Army and Air Force conventional and special operations members planned and practiced flight and ground operations for a rescue mission deep into North Vietnam. The mission was repeatedly rehearsed using a full-sized compound mock-up near Duke Field, known as Auxiliary Airfield No. 3.

For Operation Kingpin, HH-53 357, mission call sign "Apple 1," was flown by Lt. Col. Warner Britton and carried the operation commander, Army Col. Arthur Simons and his team of Soldiers to the target.

The crew of "Apple 1" was decorated with an Air Force Cross and four Silver Stars for their role in the raid.

Within 1.5 years of the Son Tay mission, three of the five HH-53s were lost, two in combat operations and one destroyed on the ground in Danang during a rocket attack by the Vietcong. The fourth HH-53 was converted to an MH-53J and flew in a special operations role for many years. It was lost in combat in Afghanistan in 2002.

Although "Apple 1" changed call signs many times since 1970, it continued to fly in operations supporting U.S. national objectives around the globe.

"It is awe inspiring to know people sat in this very seat and created history," said Col. Brad Webb, 1st Special Operation Wing commander and MH-53 pilot. "I've flown this tail number periodically since 1988," Colonel Webb said. "The closest I came to combat while flying 357 was a combat search and rescue mission for a British aircraft shot down near Gorazde, Bosnia-Herzegovenia in 1994. I also flew it in Kuwait several times under combat support missions for Operation Southern Watch in 2001."

Inevitably, aircraft age and technology advances.

As a result, the MH-53 Pave Low's long and distinguished career will soon complete its service to the Air Force. The remaining MH-53s in the Air Force inventory will be retired as they return from combat duty.

Thanks John for sharing this awesome story.
Peace,
Dick

quote:

Originally posted by asm3driscoll:
Thanks John for sharing this awesome story.
Peace,
Dick

Dick,

I'd feel safe saying that helicoptor has a few patches.

John

I was thinking it had most likely gained some weight over that period?
Great story and a great aircraft. We were supposed to make our graduation jump out of an h53 and they had my class of ASM's all outfitted and waiting on the flight line and in the very last minute canceled the remaining jumps of the day because people were landing all over the pine barrens as a result of growing winds. Didn't bother me as even with all the training I was still pretty nervous about jumping that day with a parachute I packed to boot!
Be well,
Dick

Air Station New Orleans was the first operational H65 unit back in the early 80's and was also the first Prime Unit for the H65.
I don't know who had the first live hoist in a Dolphin tho. Unless I'm mistaken, ATC Mobile has always been a training unit.

"Unless I'm mistaken, ATC Mobile has always been a training unit."
Doesn't keep them from doing SAR; plenty has been done out of ATC.

quote:

Unless I'm mistaken, ATC Mobile has always been a training unit.

You are right. In fact I spoke to the Coastie that found the property.

Story goes that he was told to find an area in the Southeast to provide a training unit and was given a list of property the military owned. He went to a small piece of property that was listed as being owned by the AF on a small airfield in Mobile, AL. He got to the site of now ATC and found a shack, a man and his dog. The guy said he was the caretaker and had been there for years. He said he never really knew why the AF had the property as nobody ever came there.

The Coastie wet back to HQ, the property was transferred and ATC Mobile was born. "setting the standard since 1966'.

Don't know what ever happened to the dog.

My father-in-law's family owns property around ATC. It used to all be swampland. He still wonders to this day where all the fill dirt came from.

quote:

Originally posted by Lionspride5:
Air Station New Orleans was the first operational H65 unit back in the early 80's and was also the first Prime Unit for the H65.
I don't know who had the first live hoist in a Dolphin tho. Unless I'm mistaken, ATC Mobile has always been a training unit.

ATC received the first H65's (from APO Grand Praire, TX), followed shortly thereafter by NO, then Miami, then maybe Corpus. I think Houston might have been slightly later on. I've been thinking a little about what transpired back then. I would go so far as saying the FM (or BA) that likely was on the first SAR was (then) AT1 Guy Garner, AD1 Jim Harvey. They were part of the first H65 STAN Team and developed the initial FM syllabus. (There is a chance (then) AM1 Mike Whiteman did one during a cross country to ATC (from Grand Praire) or on the initial H65 shipboard/helo envelope training off of Cape Cod???) Many of those basic FM procedures those guys did are still in use today. Anyway, I vaguely remember one of them getting diverted (flare/overdue/possible PIW??) during a training flight. Shortly thereafter, I'm now thinking it was NO that did a SAR that involved a live hoist. I believe a NO or D8 message was sent taking credit as the "first" H65 live SAR hoist and what a bright future the H65 had lying ahead.

BTW....Even though a training unit, ATC has participated in some pretty good (non-hurricane) SAR cases over the years.

MC Long, I was cranking up the ol' brain cells also, and I do believe it was Guy Garner with the first 65 SAR. All of that info used to be in the 65 Stan office, alas through the moves around ATC and change in personnel through the Team, who knows where it is now.

JD,

Ya, I too was struggling to remember. I had to chew on it for a day or so. I spoke to Skip Deacon a bit ago about it. He brought up a few original STAN names from way back when (J. Lawrence, G. Cashman, etc).

MC

quote:

AM1 Mike Whiteman

He came down as a Master Chief in Borinquen in about 2000 time frame. He sure shook up the place. Mostly in a good way.

As for SAR at Mobile, it is pretty rare for the helicopter side of the house. So, what is really fun is watching people scramble to be the ones to go on the case. Not counting Katrina and the other few hurricanes in the few years before it, we would get only a few cases a year that they wanted us to respond to.


It was always funny to have four ATC Mobile helicopters conducting training over Mobile bay and then have a NOLA aircraft come blasting in and tell us they were doing a search in the same area. I'm not sure if Group Mobile didn't want to divert us from training or if they were told not to.

Gotta tell a quick story along those lines. About five of us pilots are sitting in the H-65 Branch and we hear the following pipe: "Now, put the ready Falcon on the line for MEDEVAC of an injured person off of a fishing vessel 15 miles south of Destin."

A couple of us look at each other and of course, being one not to pass up a smart *** comment, I called the OPCEN and asked how the Falcon was planning to land on the fishing vessel for the MEDEVAC. I was told that they were going to call NOLA or Clearwater for the rescue.

I looked over at the Branch chief and made sure he was on board and then replied that ATC had 12 helicopters on the ramp (it was 1230 and afternoon sorties were still on deck), we had a bunch of pilots, FMs, and ASTs just hanging around.

During the wait for possible approval, the branch chief very discreetly coordinated a crew and an aircraft in the event it was approved and then told me to quietly grab my flight gear and have it ready.

About five minutes later we hear: "Now put the ready helo on the line..."
and were running out the door like our hair is on fire. I will never forget the look of my branch mates and those in the H-60 Branch as we zipped by them already set to go as they scrambled trying to coordinate an action plan.

It was a really benign case but after about 150 consecutive training flights, it was a gift from God.

quote:

Originally posted by tankkllr:

quote:

AM1 Mike Whiteman

He came down as a Master Chief in Borinquen in about 2000 time frame. He sure shook up the place. Mostly in a good way.

As for SAR at Mobile, it is pretty rare for the helicopter side of the house. So, what is really fun is watching people scramble to be the ones to go on the case. Not counting Katrina and the other few hurricanes in the few years before it, we would get only a few cases a year that they wanted us to respond to.


It was always funny to have four ATC Mobile helicopters conducting training over Mobile bay and then have a NOLA aircraft come blasting in and tell us they were doing a search in the same area. I'm not sure if Group Mobile didn't want to divert us from training or if they were told not to.

Gotta tell a quick story along those lines. About five of us pilots are sitting in the H-65 Branch and we hear the following pipe: "Now, put the ready Falcon on the line for MEDEVAC of an injured person off of a fishing vessel 15 miles south of Destin."

A couple of us look at each other and of course, being one not to pass up a smart *** comment, I called the OPCEN and asked how the Falcon was planning to land on the fishing vessel for the MEDEVAC. I was told that they were going to call NOLA or Clearwater for the rescue.

I looked over at the Branch chief and made sure he was on board and then replied that ATC had 12 helicopters on the ramp (it was 1230 and afternoon sorties were still on deck), we had a bunch of pilots, FMs, and ASTs just hanging around.

During the wait for possible approval, the branch chief very discreetly coordinated a crew and an aircraft in the event it was approved and then told me to quietly grab my flight gear and have it ready.

About five minutes later we hear: "Now put the ready helo on the line..."
and were running out the door like our hair is on fire. I will never forget the look of my branch mates and those in the H-60 Branch as we zipped by them already set to go as they scrambled trying to coordinate an action plan.

It was a really benign case but after about 150 consecutive training flights, it was a gift from God.

During my time there, I can remember numerous helo SAR cases. H-3's did the long ones in the Gulf, The H52's and H65's did the "local" ones.

I hear ya about the training flights, especially the first ones in the syllabus where everything is analyzed step by step, you're still in the chocks and it's August.....

Guy Cashman and John Lawrence are both retiring this summer. A lot of knowledge, experience and stories going with them.

A crew out here at Barbers Point just flew the Millionth flight hour in a H65 during a SAR case this past winter. People don't believe the majority of the H65's are almost 25 years old. I was surprised to see some zero hour green airframes at ARSC recently and the airframe numbers up to 6603 I think.

quote:

Originally posted by MotoTweet:
A crew out here at Barbers Point just flew the Millionth flight hour in a H65 during a SAR case this past winter. People don't believe the majority of the H65's are almost 25 years old. I was surprised to see some zero hour green airframes at ARSC recently and the airframe numbers up to 6603 I think.

I heard at one of our briefs this past week we are working on an H65 airframe from Japan. I didn't catch the airframe number.

It is up to at least 6606. We just got 6603 last week in PA.

Is the 6603 a MH-65?

Yep. We now have two and waiting for our third and final.