Lineage. Constituted as 40 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, activated, and organized, on 21 Mar 1968. Inactivated on 31 Jan 1976. Activated on 1 Jul 1978. Inactivated on 31 Dec 1987. Redesignated as 40 Rescue Flight on 1 Apr 1993. Activated on 1 May 1993. Redesignated as: 40 Helicopter Flight on 1 May 1998; 40 Helicopter Squadron on 11 Oct 2005.
Assignments. 3 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group, 18 Mar 1968; 41 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery (later, 41 Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance) Wing, 20 Aug 1972-31 Jan 1976. 39 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing, 1 Jul 1978-31 Dec 1987. 341 Operations Group, 1 May 1993-.
Operational Components. Detachments: 1 (Nakhon Phanom RTAFB, Thailand): 18 Mar 1968-1 Jul 1971. 1 (Homestead AFB, FL): 8 Jan 1981-1 Oct 1985. 3 (Ubon RTAFB, Thailand): 20 Aug 1972-20 Aug 1974. 4 (Hill AFB, UT): 1 Jul 1978-31 Dec 1987. 5 (Udorn RTAFB, Thailand): 20 Aug 1972-30 Sep 1975. 5 (Edwards AFB, CA): 1 Jul 1978-31 Dec 1987. 6 (Holloman AFB, NM): 1 Jul 1978-31 Dec 1987. 7 (Da Nang AB, South Vietnam): 11 Dec 1972-10 Feb 1973. 8 (Takhli RTAFB, Thailand): c. Dec 1972-31 Jan 1973. 10 (Takhli RTAFB, Thailand): 31 Jan 1973-30 Jul 1974. 10 (MacDill AFB, FL): 8 Jan 1981-31 Mar 1981. 12 (U-Tapao RTAFB, Thailand): 20 Aug 1972-31 Jan 1976. 14 (Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam): 15 Sep 1972-10 Feb 1973. 18 (Plattsburgh AFB, NY): 8 Jan 1981-30 Nov 1987. 22 (Mountain Home AFB, ID): 1 Jul 1978-30 Nov 1987. 24 (Fairchild AFB, WA): 1 Jul 1978-30 Nov 1987.
Stations. Udorn Afld (later, Udorn RTAFB), Thailand, 18 Mar 1968; Nakhon Phanom RTAFB, Thailand, 28 Jul 1971; Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 15 Sep 1975-31 Jan 1976. Hill AFB, UT, 1 Jul 1978-31 Dec 1987. Malmstrom AFB, MT, 1 May 1993-.
Commanders. Lt Col James M. Dixon, 18 Mar 1968; Lt Col Chester R. Ratcliffe Jr., c. Aug 1968; Col Charles R. Campbell, 21 Jul 1969; Lt Col Edward S. Modica, 10 Jun 1970; Lt Col Ervin F. Rees, 8 Feb 1971; Lt Col Phillip R. Gonzales, 15 Apr 1971; Lt Col John H. I. Morse, 25 Jun 1971; Lt Col William E. Moore, 11 Sep 1971; Lt Col Phillip R. Gonzales, 21 Dec 1971; Lt Col Clifford E. Brandon, 7 Mar 1972; Lt Col Hubert M. Berthold, c. Dec 1972; Lt Col Ned G. Duffield, 9 Apr 1973; Lt Col Hubert M. Berthold, 7 May 1973; Lt Col Herbert R. Zehnder, 7 Sep 1973; Maj Ralph K. Gee, 4 Oct 1973; Lt Col Herbert R. Zehnder, 16 Oct 1973; Lt Col Norman B. Kamhoot, 10 Nov 1973; Maj Laurence W. Burnett, 26 Feb 1974; Lt Col Norman B. Kamhoot, 9 Mar 1974; Lt Col Joseph P. McMonigle, 18 Oct 1974; Maj Gordon L. Hall, 8 Dec 1974; Lt Col Joseph P. McMonigle, 2 Jan 1975; Lt Col Eldon D. Woodward, 9 Jul 1975; Lt Col Walter L. Lindsey, 1 Oct 1975-31 Jan 1976. Lt Col Fredrik M. Bergold, 1 Jul 1978; Lt Col Peter J. Connelly, 1 May 1979; Lt Col William F. Austin, 4 Dec 1980; Lt Col Carl E. Anderson, 16 Nov 1980; Lt Col Kenneth M. Lewis, 7 Jan 1985-31 Dec 1987. Unkn, 1 May 1993; Maj Michael B. Compton, c. 1994; Maj William R. Snow, 20 Oct 1995-unkn; Maj Curtis Kong, 4 Aug 1999; Maj Roger A. Dellinger, 1 Jun 2000; Maj Robert T. Wickum, 2 Jun 2004; Maj Lee D. Newton, 2 Jun 2006; Lt Col William B. Thomas, 29 Jun 2006; Lt Col Timothy A. Zacharias, 25 Jun 2008-.
Aircraft. HH-3, 1968-1970; HH-53, 1968-1976; HH-43, 1971-1975; HC-130, 1975-1976; UH-1, 1978-1987. UH-1, 1993-.
Operations. Search and rescue operations during the war in Vietnam. Participated in the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Saigon, South Vietnam, when those cities fell to communist forces in 1975. After hostile forces seized the American merchant ship Mayaguez that same year, took part in an assault on Koh Tang Island, Cambodia. Rescue missions and exercises, 1978-1987 and 1993-.
Service Streamers. None.
Campaign Streamers. Vietnam: Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II; Vietnam Air/Ground; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III; Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV; Tet 69/Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969; Vietnam Winter-Spring, 1969-1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Southwest Monsoon; Commando Hunt V; Commando Hunt VI; Commando Hunt VII; Vietnam Cease-Fire.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.
Decorations. Presidential Unit Citations (Southeast Asia): [18 Mar 1968]-31 Jan 1969; 1 Feb 1969-30 Apr 1970; 1 May 1970-31 Mar 1972; 1 Apr 1972-27 Jan 1973. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 24 Jan-2 May 1975; 2 Jul 1986-31 Dec 1987; [1 May]-31 Aug 1993; 1 Sep 1994-31 Aug 1995; 1 Oct 1995-30 Sep 1996; 1 Oct 1997-30 Sep 1999; 1 Oct 2002-30 Sep 2003; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2003; 1 Oct 2002-30 Sep 2004; 1 Oct 2006-30 Sep 2008; 1 Oct 2008-30 Sep 2009. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/Palm: 18 Mar 1968-28 Jan 1973.
Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through Sep 2010.
Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Sep 2010.
Supersedes statement prepared on 25 Sep 1996.
Emblem. Approved on 10 Jul 2003.
Prepared by Patsy Robertson.
Reviewed by Daniel Haulman.