56th Rescue Squadron

56th Rescue Squadron
Two squadron HH-60 Pave Hawks on a Combat Search and Rescue exercise
Active	1952–1960; 1972–1975; 1988-present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Search and Rescue
Part of	United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa
Garrison/HQ	RAF Lakenheath
Decorations	Presidential Unit Citation (United States) Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Insignia
56th Rescue Squadron emblem (approved 31 March 1989)

The 56th Rescue Squadron is part of the 48th Operations Group, 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England. It operates HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters conducting search and rescue missions. It will relocate to Aviano Air Base, Italy starting in 2017.

The 56th Rescue Squadron is a combat-ready search and rescue squadron of HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters capable of executing all-weather search and rescue missions day or night in hostile environments in support of USAFE, USEUCOM, and NATO operations. It employs a state-of-the-art communications and navigation system along with advanced search and rescue equipment. The squadron is capable of deploying to any theater of operations in the world.

The 56th flew search and rescue, and medical evacuation, in North Africa and southern Europe from, November 1952-March 1960.

It flew combat missions in Southeast Asia from, 10 July 1972 – 15 August 1973, to include search and rescue, airborne mission control, and aerial refueling. The squadron continued to perform local search and rescue until February 1975. On 1 April 1972 the 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron was inactivated and its aircraft and crews temporarily became part of Detachment 4 of the 3d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base. On 8 July 1972 the detachment was replaced by the 56th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron.

On 12 April 1975 the squadron's HC-130Ps supported Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia.