76th Helicopter Squadron
The 76th Helicopter Squadron is an inactivated United States Air Force unit that was based at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California assigned to the 30th Operations Group, 30th Space Wing that was tasked to support range operations as well as search and rescue missions. The squadron operated the UH-1N Huey helicopter.
History
Provided search, rescue, and recovery services in central and southern Pacific Ocean areas. Supported space recovery operations for Discoverer, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab programs. Maintained aircraft at Johnson Island during atomic bomb tests in the Pacific. Search, rescue, recovery, and other missions in the area of Vandenberg Air Force Base, especially during periods of missile launches.The unit logged more than 35,000 hours of accident free flying hours. The helicopter squadron has supported high profile rescue and fire suppression missions, including humanitarian relief in the Gulf States in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Lineage
- Constituted as the 76th Air Rescue Squadron on 17 October 1952
- Redesignated 76th Rescue Flight on 1 April 1993
Assignments
- 11th Air Rescue Group, 14 November 1952
- Air Rescue Service, 16 February 1954
- 2d Air Rescue Group, 20 Sep 1955
- Air Rescue Service, 24 June 1958
- Pacific Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Center, 1 April 1967 – 1 August 1975
- 310th Operations Group, 1 May 1993
- 30th Operations Group, 1 July 1993 – 31 August 2007
Stations
- Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, 14 November 1952 – 1 August 1975
- Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, 1 May 1993 – 31 August 2007