Helo Performed Many CSAR Missions During Service
A battle-proven and time-tested Sikorsky Aircraft H-53
helicopter that accomplished Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) and
other demanding missions during the past several decades has been
inducted into the National Museum of the United States Air Force in
Dayton, OH.
"Sikorsky Aircraft has the longest and most successful record of
any helicopter company in history when it comes to combat search
and rescue, starting in 1944 with the R-4 aircraft and continuing
with the H-53 family," said Mike Farage, Director of Air Force
Programs for Sikorsky Aircraft. "We are proud that the Air Force
has recognized this legacy with the induction of this
aircraft."
The CH-53 and its variants, the HH-53 Jolly Green Giant and the
MH-53 PAVE LOW, came into service in 1967 and since then have
served in some of the toughest missions. In addition to combat
search and rescue, these missions include armed assault, heavy-lift
and troop transport. Sikorsky is currently developing the next
generation heavy-lift, the CH-53K, for the US Marine Corps, and
also has introduced the H-92 helicopter, which is currently
competing for the US Air Force's Combat Search and Rescue
platform.
"The H-92 helicopter is the culmination of all we’ve
learned about combat search and rescue technology since World War
II, which comprises an immense amount of knowledge and experience,"
said John Pacelli, Vice President and Business Acquisition Manager
for CSAR-X.
During the July 7 induction
ceremony, Lt. Gen. Donny Wurster, Commander of the Air Force
Special Operations Command and former MH-53 pilot, said, "The H-53
fleet has logged countless combat hours, flown in every contingency
in the last 40 years and met the needs of national objectives time
and time again."
He added, "The machines have seen a couple of generations of
these people come and go, and always they remain ... the enduring
posture to respond to the nation's call when needed."
The H-53 fleet has flown on 13 missions that earned the Air
Force Cross, the second-highest military decoration awarded to a
member of the Air Force, and on missions that resulted in the
presentation of 140 Silver Star awards, the third-highest military
decoration awarded to a member of any branch of the US armed
forces.
"The distinguished record of the fleet is a testament to the
people behind the aircraft -- the designers and engineers who
developed the proven and reliable technology, the people who worked
the line constructing the fleet, and the crews who have maintained
it," Farage said.
The H-53 and its variants were used extensively during the last
four decades to perform special operations and rescue of combat
personnel. >From the recovery of prisoners of war and downed
airmen during the Vietnam War to the daring missions performed
during Operation Desert Storm, including the first successful
combat rescue of a downed pilot, the aircraft have repeatedly
proven their capability.
The representative aircraft inducted into the US Air Force
Museum was known for its ability to sustain damage and keep flying.
It served as the command and control helicopter in the rescue
attempt of American prisoners from the Son Tay prison camp in North
Vietnam in 1970. For the mission, the crew received an Air Force
Cross and four Silver Star decorations.
The aircraft, tail number 68-10357, operated for 38 years, often
surmounting great odds to bring its crews home safely. It completed
its final mission on March 28, 2008, in Iraq. The remaining MH-53s
will retire by September 30.
"Even with the retirement of aircraft 68-10357 and the remaining
Air Force contingent of CH-53 helicopters, more than 360 H-53
variants will remain flying, still proudly serving the US Navy and
Marine Corps, as well as the armed forces of Germany, Japan, and
Israel," said Mark Cherry, Vice President, Marine Corps Programs
for Sikorsky. "And we are proud of the fact that we are writing the
next chapter in the legacy of the CH-53 platform, the CH-53K
helicopter."