76 Helicopter Flight (AFSPC) Lineage. Constituted 76 Air Rescue Squadron on 17 Oct 1952. Activated on 14 Nov 1952. Redesignated 76 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 8 Jan 1966. Inactivated on 1 Aug 1975. Redesignated 76 Rescue Flight on 1 Apr 1993. Activated on 1 May 1993. Redesignated 76 Helicopter Flight on 1 May 1998. Assignments. 11 Air Rescue Group, 14 Nov 1952 (attached to Pacific Division, Military Air Transport Service, 14 Nov 1952-); Air Rescue Service, 16 Feb 1954 (remained attached to Pacific Division, Military Air Transport Service, to 1 Jul 1955; attached to Far East Air Forces, 1 Jul 1955-); 2 Air Rescue Group, 20 Sep 1955 (remained attached to Far East Air Forces to c. 1 Jul 1957; attached to 326 Air Division, c. 1 Jul 1957-); Air Rescue (later, Aerospace Rescue and Recovery) Service, 24 Jun 1958 (remained attached to 326 Air Division to 8 May 1959; attached to 6486 Air Base Wing, 8 May 1959-unkn); Pacific Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Center (later, 41 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing), 1 Apr 1967-1 Aug 1975. 310 Operations Group, 1 May 1993; 30 Operations Group, 1 Jul 1993-. Stations. Hickam AFB, HI, 14 Nov 1952-1 Aug 1975. Vandenberg AFB, CA, 1 May 1993-. Commanders. Maj Tom L. Marshall, 1952; Maj Edward L. Cox, c. 1953; Lt Col Walter E. Thorne, 1954; Col Gene L. Douglas, 6 Dec 1954; Maj Raymond L. Shaffer (acting), 15 Apr 1956; Lt Col Marshall V. Fredrickson, 9 May 1956; Maj Dale E. Sauers (acting), Jun 1960; Col Felix G. Brenner, Jul 1960; Lt Col Willard D. Welch, Jun 1961; Lt Col Albert T. Ward, Jun 1963; Lt Col Clarence W. Reicherts, 9 Aug 1965; Lt Col Wayne B. Tweten, 20 Oct 1965; Lt Col Cortez C. Brown, 6 Jul 1967; Lt Col James L. Wilson (acting), 29 Jul 1967; Lt Col Cortez C. Brown, 18 Nov 1967; Lt Col Robert S. King, 8 May 1970; Lt Col Morgan A. Downing, 28 Jul 1972; Lt Col Lewis B. Harrington, 2 Apr 1973; Lt Col James L. Butera, 19 Jul 1974-1 Aug 1975. Maj Rodney J. MacNeil, 1 May 1993; Maj Donald P. McDermott, 30 Jul 1993; Maj Mark C. Perkins, 30 Jun 1995; Maj Robert F. Linsay, 27 Jun 1997; Maj Karen L. Cox, 10 Jun 1999; Maj Bruce T. Hellen, 20 Apr 2001; Maj William B. Thomas, 13 May 2002; Maj Gregory N. Urtso, 2 Jul 2003-. Aircraft. SB-29, unkn-1956. SA-16, unkn-1957, 1960-1961; SH-19, unkn-1960; SC-54, 1956-1964; C/HC/KC-97, 1964-1967; HC-130, 1966-1975; HH-53, 1972-1975. UH-1, 1993-. Operations. Provided search, rescue, and recovery services in central and southern Pacific Ocean areas, 1952-1975. Supported space recovery operations for Discoverer, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab programs. Maintained aircraft at Johnson Island during atomic bomb tests in the Pacific, 1955-1956, 1958. Search, rescue, recovery, and other missions in area of Vandenberg AFB, CA, especially during periods of missile launches, May 1993-. Service Streamers. None. Campaign Streamers. None. Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None. Decorations. Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation: Pacific, 1 Jul 1967-26 Jul 1969. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Jul 1964-30 Jun 1966; 1 Jul 1966-31 May 1968; 1 Jun 1969-31 May 1971; 1 Jun 1971-31 May 1973; 1 Jun 1973-31 May 1975; [1 May]-30 Sep 1993; 1 Oct 1994-30 Sep 1996; 1 Oct 1996-30 Sep 1997; 1 Jan-31 Dec 1997; 1 Jan 1998-30 Sep 1999; 1 Jan-31 Dec 2000; 1 Oct 2000-30 Sep 2001; 1 Oct 2001-30 Sep 2002. Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 3 Aug 2005. Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Dec 2003. Supersedes statement prepared on 3 Oct 1996. Emblem. Approved on 26 Jul 1995. Prepared by Daniel L. Haulman. Reviewed by A. Timothy Warnock.