The last two H-3 Sea King helicopters made their last operational flight Jan. 27, taking to the air before making way for their replacement, the MH-60S Knighthawk.

Military personnel and civilians gathered in hangar SP-35 aboard Naval Station Norfolk, home of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 2, the Fleet Angels, as their Commanding Officer, Cmdr. H. Kris Croeber, addressed the crowd.

“Whatever the mission they were tasked with, the H-3 found a way to get it done.” said Croeber.

“There is only one King.”

Throughout its 45-year history, the H-3 has been involved in many missions, including search and rescue, firefighting, antisubmarine warfare, worldwide logistics support and torque and drone recovery.

According to some HSC-2 crew members, the H-3 requires a lot of time and maintenance put into it in order to stay airborne.

“I’d say the biggest obstacle is just maintaining an aircraft that just keeps getting older and older,” said Lt. Dan Post, avionics division officer of the Fleet Angels.

“As for flying the aircraft, it may be old, but if flies fine.”

Formerly an operational squadron with detachments in Italy and Bahrain, the Fleet Angels are now committed to teaching new pilots how to fly the MH-60S Knighthawk.

With the retirement of the H-3, HSC-2 will become the East Coast Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) for the MH-60.

“It’s very out-of-standards to go from an operational squadron to an FRS, so the command has really had to lay the groundwork down for themselves,” said Lt. James Landis, ground officer for the Fleet Angels.

Also attending the ceremony was retired Lt. Cmdr. Matt Maxwell, a former H-3 pilot who came to pay his respects to the aircraft that served him so well.

“I came here because the H-3 has always been a faithful friend,” said Maxwell. “They always brought me home and did everything that we asked them to do.” [ANN Salutes Photographer’s Mate Airman Apprentice Seth Scarlett, Public Affairs Center Norfolk]

FMI: www.navy.mil