39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron

39th Rescue Squadron
39th Rescue Squadron Patch
Active	14 November 1952 – 24 November 1957 16 January 1967 – 30 April 1972 1 January 1992 – 1 August 1994 15 April 1997 - Present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Search and Rescue
Part of	Air Force Reserve Command 10th Air Force 920th Rescue Wing 920th Operations Group
Garrison/HQ	Patrick Air Force Base
Nickname(s)	Crown/King
Decorations	DUC PUC AFOUA ROK PUC RVGC w/ Palm
Commanders
Current commander	Lt Col Jeffery D. Hannold

The 39th Rescue Squadron (39 RQS) is part of the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. It operates HC-130P Hercules "Combat King" aircraft conducting search and rescue (SAR) and combat search and rescue (CSAR) missions. An Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) unit, it is operationally-gained by the Air Combat Command (ACC).

As an Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) unit, the mission of the 39 RQS is to rapidly deploy HC-130P aircraft and personnel to austere airfields and denied territory in order to execute all-weather personnel recovery operations anytime...anywhere. 39 RQS flight crews routinely perform high and low altitude personnel & equipment airdrops, infiltration/exfiltration of personnel, helicopter air-to-air refueling, and forward area refueling point missions. When tasked, the 39 RQS also conducts humanitarian assistance operations, disaster response, security cooperation/aviation advisory, emergency aeromedical evacuation, casualty evacuation, noncombatant evacuation operations. During the Space Shuttle program, the 39 RQS also provided DoD manned space flight support for NASA.

The 39th conducted search, rescue, and escort missions in Japan and Korea during and following the Korean War and in Southeast Asia from January 1967 to April 1972. It also flew missions included refueling rescue helicopters and performing airborne command, control, and communications functions during combat rescue operations. The 39th again flew search and rescue in and around Japan from, 1992-1994. It has trained for combat search and rescue, performed search and rescue missions, and refueled rescue helicopters since 1997.

On 16 January 1967, the squadron was formed at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base with six Lockheed HC-130Hs transferred from the 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron.