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Encyclopedia > Air Force Pararescue

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Pararescuemen (AFSC 1T2X1), also called PJs (a nickname pronounced 'pee jays' that refers to the earlier title 'para jumpers'), are United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and Air Combat Command (ACC) operatives tasked with recovery and medical treatment of personnel in humanitarian and combat environments. They are the only members of the DoD specifically organized, trained and equipped to conduct personnel recovery operations in hostile or denied areas as a primary mission. PJ's are also used to support NASA missions and have been used to recover astronauts after water landings. They also wear the maroon beret, as a symbol of their elite status. Image File history File links Pararescueemblem. ... The Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) is an alphanumeric code used by the United States Air Force to identify an Air Force Specialty (AFS). ... AFSOC logo. ... ACC bases and deploments The Air Combat Command (ACC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force whose mission is to provide air combat forces (mostly aircraft), to other commands, including both commands within the Air Force as well as the United States Unified Combatant Commands that... DOD or DoD may refer to: Australian Department of Defence United States Department of Defense Department of Defence of the Republic Of Ireland Date of death Date of discharge Day of Defeat, computer game Delivery of deed Draft on demand DrinkOrDie, a software cracking and warez trading network Diary of... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States Government, responsible for that nations public space program. ... The maroon beret has been the international symbol of airborne forces since its selection for use by the British Parachute Regiment in 1942. ...


Long an enlisted preserve, the pararescue service began commissioning officers early in the 21st century.

Contents

History

Pre-World War II

As early as 1922 there was a recognized need for trained personnel to go to remote sites to rescue airmen. In that year, Army Medical Corps doctor Colonel Albert E. Truby predicted that "airplane ambulances" would be used to take medical personnel to crashes and to return victims to medical facilities for treatment. However, it was another two decades before technology and need helped to create what would eventually become Air Force Pararescue. Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... The United States Army Medical Department (AMEDD) comprises the six medical Special Branches of the Army. ...


Even so, there were developments in critical technologies. In 1940, two U.S. Forestry Service Smokejumpers, Earl Cooley and Rufus Robinson, showed that parachutists could be placed very accurately onto the ground using the newly-invented 'steerable parachute'. These parachutes and the techniques Smokejumpers used with them were completely different from the techniques used by Army airborne units. And it was in that year that Dr. (Captain) Leo P. Martin was trained by the U.S. Forestry Service Parachute Training Center in Seely Lake, Montana as the first 'para-doctor'. Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... The USDA Forest Service, a United States government agency within the United States Department of Agriculture, is under the leadership of the United States Secretary of Agriculture. ... A smokejumper is a firefighter who parachutes into a remote area to combat wildfires. ... The Apollo 15 capsule landed safely despite a parachute failure. ... Airborne Military parachuting form of insertion. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area  Ranked 4th  - Total 147,165 sq mi (381,156 km²)  - Width 255 miles (410 km)  - Length 630 miles (1,015 km)  - % water 1  - Latitude 44°26N to 49°N  - Longitude 104°2W to 116°2W Population  Ranked...


World War II

During the opening months of the war, there was very little need for air rescue. American forces were in retreat or consolidating their positions and most long-range flying was limited. As the war progressed and American airmen began flying missions that would cover hundreds - and sometimes thousands - of miles, air rescue began to play a key role.


Rescue units were formed around the globe under the operational control of local commanders. While training, techniques and equipment varied, one rule was constant: "Rescue forces must presume survivors in each crash until proved otherwise."


Search and rescue of downed aviators in the continental United States fell primarily to the Civil Air Patrol, a civilian aviation group under the command of the Army Air Corps. The CAP would usually send in ground crews after locating a crash site; however, they would sometimes land small aircraft and they did experiment with parachute rescue teams. Civil Air Patrol seal The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). ... The Army Air Corps is a component of the British Army. ...


In the European Theater, there was very little opportunity for ground rescue. Most flights were over enemy-occupied territory, where a landing meant immediate capture. Crashes during over-water flights created a great many casualties, the Eighth Air Force initiated a 'sea rescue' group. From its creation in 1943 until the end of the war, the recovery rate of aircrews downed at sea rose from less than five percent to over forty percent. German Führer Adolf Hitler Preceding events (See also Events preceding World War II in Europe and Causes of World War II.) br Germany was in debt after World War I, due to the Great Depression and the forced payments to the victors of World War I. Germans wanted a... The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force (NAF) of the major command (MAJCOM) of Air Combat Command of the United States Air Force and it is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...


In the vast reaches of the Pacific Theater, a plane crash meant almost certain death from exposure to the elements. The Army formed several squadrons in theater specifically to aid and rescue downed flyers - both at sea and on islands - with great success. The Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) is the term used in the United States for all military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, in World War II. Pacific War is a more common name, around the world, for the broader conflict between the Allies and Japan...

Curtis CH-46 'Commando' over the Himalayas
Curtis CH-46 'Commando' over the Himalayas

The China-Burma-India Theater (CBI) was the birthplace of what would eventually become pararescue. Here was a unique combination of long overland flights through territory that was loosely held by the enemy and survivable. Dominating the flying in the CBI was 'The Hump' route: cargo flights that left India carrying thousands of tons of vital war supplies had to cross the spine of the Himalayas to reach their destinations in China. Every day thousands of flight crews and their passengers risked their lives making this passage in C-46 and C-47 aircraft. Many of these flights never arrived at their destinations due to mechanical problems, weather and mistakes. Crews forced to bail out or crash land faced weeks of hardship in tracing a path back to civilization, enduring harsh weather, little food and the injuries they carried with them. Public domain image of a C-46 Commando from Craven and Cate. ... Public domain image of a C-46 Commando from Craven and Cate. ... China Burma India Theater (CBI) was the name used by the United States Army for its forces in China, Burma, India during World War II. Well-known US units in this theater included the Flying Tigers, transport and bomber units flying the Hump, the engineers who built Ledo Road, and... Perspective view of the Himalayas and Mount Everest as seen from space looking south-south-east from over the Tibetan Plateau. ... C-46 Commando Categories: Military stubs | U.S. military transport aircraft 1940-1949 | World War II American transport aircraft ... The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota was a military transport that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. ...


Capt. John L. 'Blackie' Porter - a former stunt pilot - is credited with commanding the first organized air rescue unit in the theater. Known as "Blackie's Gang" and flying out of Chabua, India, they were equipped with two C-47 aircraft. One of their first rescue missions was the recovery of twenty people who had bailed out of a stricken C-46 in August of 1943 in the Naga area of Burma; an area that contained not just Japanese troops, but tribes of head hunters as well. Among the twenty was CBS reporter Eric Sevareid. The men were located and supplies were dropped to them. The wing flight surgeon Lt. Col. Don Flickinger, and two combat surgical technicians, Sgt. Harold Passey and Cpl. William MacKenzie, parachuted from the search planes to assist and care for the injured. At the same time, a ground team was sent to their location and all twenty walked to safety. A stunt pilot is a person who pilots an airplane in the performance of a stunt. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... Headhunter can refer to: Headhunter: a person who takes someones life in order to take their head. ... CBSs first color logo, which debuted in the fall of 1965. ... (Arnold) Eric Sevareid (November 26, 1912 – July 9, 1992) was a CBS news journalist from 1939 to 1977. ... A flight surgeon is a specialised medical officer in the military, typically the air force. ...


Although parachute rescues were not officially authorized at the time, this is considered by PJs to be the birth of Air Force pararescue. Eric Sevareid said of his rescuers: "Gallant is a precious word: they deserve it".


A few short months later, Capt. Porter was killed on a rescue mission when his B-25 was shot down.


In 1944, General William H. Tunner took command of Air Transport Command operations in CBI. Declaring the rescue organization to be a 'cowboy operation', he appointed Maj. Donald C. Pricer commander of the 3352nd Air Search and Rescue Squadron and assigned him several aircraft for the mission. In addition to fixed-wing aircraft, early helicopters were deployed to the CBI for use in rescue, marking the start of a long association between rotary-wing aircraft and air rescue. William H. Tunner Lt. ... The Air Transport Command was the World War II-era Army Air Corps (later Army Air Force) precursor to what became the Air Force Military Air Transport Service, then Military Airlift Command and eventually the Air Mobility Command. ... The Bell 206 of Canadian Helicopters Robinson Helicopter Company (USA) R44, a four seat development of the R22 A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors consisting of two or more rotor blades. ...

Pararescuemen with the 301st Rescue Squadron return with a downed pilot from a successful rescue mission April 8, 2003 at a forward deployed location in southern Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)
Pararescuemen with the 301st Rescue Squadron return with a downed pilot from a successful rescue mission April 8, 2003 at a forward deployed location in southern Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3008x1960, 3756 KB)OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Pararescuemen with the 301st Rescue Squadron return with a downed pilot from a successful rescue mission April 8, 2003 at a forward deployed location in southern Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3008x1960, 3756 KB)OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Pararescuemen with the 301st Rescue Squadron return with a downed pilot from a successful rescue mission April 8, 2003 at a forward deployed location in southern Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. ...

Post-World War II

Recognizing the need for a unified organization to perform search and rescue, the Army Air Force formed the Air Rescue Service (ARS). Officially established on May 29, 1946; the ARS was charged with saving the lives of aircrews who were involved in aircraft disasters, accidents, crash landings, ditchings or abandonments occurring away from an air base, and with being world-deployable to support far-flung air operations. Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...


In the area around an air base, the air base commander had search and rescue jurisdiction through the Local Base Rescue (LBR) helicopter units. However, these were limited to a 135-mile radius around the base due to the range and payload limitations of the aircraft. In order to reach beyond this limitation, Pararescue teams were authorized on July 1, 1947, with the first teams to be ready for fielding in November. Each team was to be comprised of a para-doctor and four pararescue technicians trained in medicine, survival, rescue and tactics. Pararescue was given the mission of rescuing crews lost on long-range bomber and transport missions and to support other agencies when aerial rescue was requested. Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1947 calendar). ...


A mission earlier in 1947 was the final impetus for the formal creation of Air Force Pararescue. In May, Dr. (Capt.) Pope B. 'Doc' Holliday parachuted out of an OA-10 Catalina into the Nicaraguan jungle to aid a crewmember who had parachuted from a crippled B-17 Flying Fortress. His actions earned him the Bronze Star and made him another of pararescue's early legends. A native of Athens, Georgia, Pope B. Doc Holliday, Jr. ... The PBY Catalina was the US Navy designation for an American and Canadian-built flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s. ... The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engine heavy bomber aircraft developed for the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC). ... The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration and is the fourth highest award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service. ...


Shortly after Pararescue teams were authorized, the 5th Rescue Squadron conducted the first Pararescue and Survival School at MacDill AFB in Florida. The core of instructors were experienced officers and enlisted men who were recruited from all branches of service. The commandant of that first school was pilot Lt. Perry C. Emmons, who had been assigned to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II. At the close of the war, Emmons and six sergeants flew prisoners of war out of Thailand, earning his group the nickname "Perry and the Pirates", after the popular comic strip "Terry and the Pirates". After the war, Emmons completed Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia, becoming only the second jump-qualified Air Force pilot. MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) is a base of the United States Air Force located in Florida, 8 miles south of Tampa at the tip of the Interbay Peninsula. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 162 miles (260 km)  - Length 497 miles (800 km)  - % water 17. ... The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency and was a lineage precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency, as well as for the Special Forces and Navy Seals, who have traced their lineage back to... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... Terry and the Pirates is the title of: a comic strip created by Milton Caniff; see: Terry and the Pirates (comic strip) a radio serial, based on the comic strip; see: Terry and the Pirates (radio serial) a television series, also based on the comic strip; see: Terry and the... Fort Benning is a United States Army base, located southwest of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama It is part of the Columbus, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. ...


In late 1947, the crash of the B-29 "Clobbered Turkey" in Alaska brought home the need for specialized, well-trained pararescuemen. On December 21, the "Clobbered Turkey" hit a mountain and when the wreck was spotted on the 27th, Medical Corps Lt. Albert C. Kinney, First Sergeant Santhell O. London and T-5 Leon J. Casey - none of whom were trained Pararescuemen - volunteered to jump onto the crash site, located ninety-five miles north of Nome. The team encountered poor visibility, extreme temperatures and high winds on the site and as a result, all three perished. Casey's body was found seven miles from the crash site, swept there by the surface winds. Two members of the crew of the "Clobbered Turkey" who set out to seek assistance also perished a few miles from the site. When ground rescue crews finally arrived at the crash site two days later, they found that the remaining six members of the crew - who had stayed with the aircraft - had all survived. Dr. Kinney's body was not located until July of the next year. The Boeing B-29 Superfortress (Boeing Model 341/345) was a four-engine heavy bomber flown by the United States Army Air Force. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area  Ranked 1st  - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,855 km²)  - Width 808 miles (1,300 km)  - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km)  - % water 13. ... Nome is a city located on the southern Seward Peninsula coast of Norton Sound in the Nome Census Area, Alaska. ...


In 1949, due to a shortage of available doctors, Medical Service Corps officers replaced para-doctors on the teams, receiving the same training as the enlisted pararescuemen. One of the first of these officers was John C. Shumate, a pharmacist, who was appointed commandant of the Pararescue and Survival School. John C. Shumate was an Army Medical Services Corps pharmacist who transferred to the United States Air Force and joined the fledgling Air Rescue Services, becoming commandant of the Pararescue and Survival School at MacDill AFB, Florida in 1949. ...


At this time the Air Rescue Specialist Course was created at the School of Aviation Medicine, Gunter AFB, Alabama. Designed to teach pararescuemen the skills needed to determine the nature and extent of injuries and to administer treatment, the course was taught by Medical Corps officers with previous pararescue experience, including: Dr. Pope B.'Doc' Holliday, Dr. Rufus Hessberg, Dr. Hamilton Blackshear, Dr. Randal W. Briggs and Dr. Burt Rowan. Gunter Air Force Base began life as Montgomery (Alabama) Municipal Airport, constructed on the northeast side of the city. ... Official language(s) English Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Area  Ranked 30th  - Total 52,419 sq mi (135,765 km²)  - Width 190 miles (306 km)  - Length 330 miles (531 km)  - % water 3. ... A native of Athens, Georgia, Pope B. Doc Holliday, Jr. ... Dr. Rufus Hessberg was an Army Medical Corps doctor during World War II and later was a pioneer aeromedical scientist. ...


Korean Conflict

As Pararescue grew, PJ teams were assigned to every Air Rescue Service squadron to provide global coverage. By 1950, the unification of all the formerly independent Air Rescue Squadrons under the umbrella of the Air Rescue Service was complete.


In 1950, North Korea attacked across the 38th parallel and began the Korean Conflict. This was an opportunity for Air Rescue to put training into practice and to develop theories into policies. One of the key new concepts was rescue of stranded personnel from behind enemy lines. This, along with evacuating critically wounded men from aid stations close to the front, were Air Rescue's primary missions. The 38th parallel north is a line of latitude that cuts across Asia, the Mediterranean and the United States. ... The Korean War (Korean: 한국전쟁), from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, was a conflict between North Korea and South Korea. ...


Pararescuemen were a normal part of Air Rescue crews for these missions. Their medical and tactical skills made them invaluable for evacuation and rescue missions of this type.


Pararescuemen were often called upon to leave the helicopters that carried them in order to assist the personnel they were sent to rescue. This might call for an extended stay behind enemy lines and overland travel of several miles. The longest of these 'Lone Wolf' missions lasted seventy-two hours.


By the end of the Korean Conflict in 1953, Air Rescue had evacuated over eight thousand critical casualties and rescued nearly a thousand men from behind enemy lines.


Pararescue teams and structure

Training

Free-fall during a high-altitude jump
Free-fall during a high-altitude jump

(Information from United States Air Force Fact Sheet "PARARESCUEMEN") Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1800x1537, 392 KB) Summary United States Air Force pararescuemen from the 304th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron free-fall during a high-altitude jump over the Gulf of Tadjoura in Djibouti, Africa, on Thursday, May 11, 2006. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1800x1537, 392 KB) Summary United States Air Force pararescuemen from the 304th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron free-fall during a high-altitude jump over the Gulf of Tadjoura in Djibouti, Africa, on Thursday, May 11, 2006. ...

  • PAST Test -- First hopeful candidates must pass the Physical Aptitude Stamina Test. This can be given by a local Air Force Recruiter. It consists of push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, flutter-kicks, a 1.5 mile run, a 500 m swim, and an underwater swim. It is graded on a point scale.
  • Indoctrination Course, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas -- This 10-week Indoctrination Course recruits, selects and trains future PJs through extensive physical conditioning. Training accomplished at this course includes physiological training, obstacle course, rucksack marches, dive physics, dive tables, metric manipulations, medical terminology, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, weapons qualifications, PJ history and leadership reaction course.
  • U.S. Army Airborne School, Fort Benning, Ga. -- Trainees learn the basic parachuting skills required to infiltrate an objective area by static line airdrop in a three-week course.
  • U.S. Air Force Combat Divers School, Panama City, Fla. -- Trainees become combat divers, learning to use scuba and closed-circuit diving equipment to covertly infiltrate denied areas, conduct sub-surface searches and basic recovery operations. The six-week course provides training to depths of 130 feet, stressing development of maximum underwater mobility under various operating conditions.
  • U.S. Navy Underwater Egress Training, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla. -- This course teaches how to safely escape from an aircraft that has ditched in the water. The one-day instruction includes principles, procedures and techniques necessary to get out of a sinking aircraft.
  • U.S. Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course "SERE", Fairchild AFB, Wash. -- This two and a half-week course provides service members with training in survival, evading capture, and dealing with being taken prisoner. Instruction includes resistance to interrogation, principles, procedures, equipment and techniques, which enable individuals to survive, regardless of climatic conditions or unfriendly environments and return home.
  • U.S. Air Force Arctic Survival School, Eielson AFB, Alaska -- This five day course instructs trainees in "the arctic environment, medical, personal protection (clothing, shelter construction, and firecraft), sustenance (food and water procurement), and signaling." [1]
  • U.S. Army Military Free Fall Parachutist School, Fort Bragg, N.C., and Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz. -- This course instructs trainees in free fall parachuting procedures. The five-week course provides wind tunnel training, in-air instruction focusing on student stability, aerial maneuvers, air sense and parachute opening procedures.
  • Paramedic Course, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. -- This 24-week course teaches how to manage trauma patients prior to evacuation and provide emergency medical treatment. Upon graduation, an EMT-Paramedic certification is awarded through the National Registry.
  • Pararescue Recovery Specialist Course, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. -- Qualifies airmen as pararescue recovery specialists for assignment to any pararescue unit worldwide. The 24-week training includes field medical care and extrication basics, field tactics, mountaineering, combat tactics, advanced parachuting and helicopter insertion/extraction.

Lackland Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located west of San Antonio, Texas, USA. It is located at 29°2323 North, 98°3645 West (29. ... Official language(s) English (de facto) See also languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Medical terminology is a process of accurately describing the human body and associated components, conditions, processes and procedures in a science based manner. ... Fort Benning is a United States Army base, located southwest of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama It is part of the Columbus, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. ... Skydiver about to land Parachuting, or skydiving, is an activity involving the breaking of a free-fall from a height using a parachute. ... A C-130 Hercules airdropping a light tank. ... Panama City (Spanish: Ciudad de Panamá), population 708,738, with a total metro population of 1,063,000 is the capital of Panama, located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, at . ... Naval Air Station Pensacola, The Cradle of Naval Aviation, is a United States Navy base located in Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Fairchild AFB is a town located in Spokane County, Washington. ... Eielson Air Force Base is located in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. ... Fort Bragg is a census-designated place and a major United States Army fort, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, USA, near Fayetteville. ... HALO and HAHO are acronyms that describe methods of delivering personnel, equipment, and supplies from a transport aircraft at a high altitude via free-fall parachute insertion. ... Kirtland Air Force Base is located in the southeast quadrant of Albuquerque, New Mexico, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. ... Kirtland Air Force Base is located in the southeast quadrant of Albuquerque, New Mexico, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. ...

"That others may live"

  • PJ Medical Service Corps Capt. John Shumate (who had been head of the Pararescue and Survival School at MacDill AFB) earned the Silver Star when he retrieved an injured pilot under enemy fire and carried him back to a waiting helicopter in October of 1952.
  • PJ Airman Third Class Arthur N. Black was awarded the Air Force Cross for actions during the recovery of a downed pilot under extremely hazardous conditions in North Vietnam on 20 September, 1965.
  • PJ Tech Sergeant Wayne L. Fisk earned a Silver Star for his role in the Son Tay Prison raid in November 1970, and another Silver Star for participating in the SS Mayaguez rescue in May 1975. During the Mayaguez rescue, Fisk was the last U.S. serviceman to personally engage the enemy in Southeast Asia. Other medals earned during his five tours in Vietnam include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the Air Medal with 17 oak leaf clusters.
  • PJ Airman First Class Joel E. Talley was awarded the Air Force Cross for actions during the recovery of a downed pilot under extraordinary ground fire in Southeast Asia on 2 July 1968.
  • PJ Airman First Class Charles D. King was awarded the Air Force Cross for actions in sacrificing himself so that an injured pilot might be evacuated safely in Southeast Asia on 25 December 1968.
  • PJ Technical Sergeant Donald G. Smith was awarded the Air Force Cross for actions during the recovery of a downed pilot and subsequent actions after his own aircraft was downed in Southeast Asia on 24 October 1969.

John C. Shumate was an Army Medical Services Corps pharmacist who transferred to the United States Air Force and joined the fledgling Air Rescue Services, becoming commandant of the Pararescue and Survival School at MacDill AFB, Florida in 1949. ... The Silver Star is the fourth highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. ... The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN), or less commonly, Vietnamese Democratic Republic (Vietnamese: Việt Nam Dân Chá»§ Cá»™ng Hòa), also known as North Vietnam, was proclaimed by Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi, September 2nd1945 and was recognized by the Peoples Republic of China and the... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... A1C William H. Pitsenbarger was a United States Air Force Pararescueman who gave his life aiding and defending a unit of Soldiers pinned by an enemy assault in Vietnam. ... The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. ... The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. ... The Distinguished Flying Cross. ... The Meritorious Service Medal is a military award presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding non-combat meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. ... The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN), or less commonly, Vietnamese Democratic Republic (Vietnamese: Việt Nam Dân Chá»§ Cá»™ng Hòa), also known as North Vietnam, was proclaimed by Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi, September 2nd1945 and was recognized by the Peoples Republic of China and the... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Sergeant Larry W. Maysey was a United States Air Force Pararescueman who was awarded the Air Force Cross medal. ... The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday. ... The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday. ... The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday. ... The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. ... National motto: ??? Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809km² N/A population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. ... The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN), or less commonly, Vietnamese Democratic Republic (Vietnamese: Việt Nam Dân Chá»§ Cá»™ng Hòa), also known as North Vietnam, was proclaimed by Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi, September 2nd1945 and was recognized by the Peoples Republic of China and the... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. ... The 75th Ranger Regiment —also known as the United States Army Rangers— is a light infantry special operations force of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC); with headquarters in Fort Benning, Georgia. ... A Mogadishu boy straddles the remains of a US Black Hawk helicopter during the 1992-1995 UN peacekeeping operation Mogadishu (Somali: Muqdisho) is a city in eastern Africa, on the Indian Ocean. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham was a United States Air Force pararescueman who was killed in action on March 4, 2002 while taking part in Operation Anaconda during the US war in Afghanistan. ... The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ...

Facts

  • Pararescue Creed: It is my duty as a Pararescueman to save life and to aid the injured. I will be prepared at all times to perform my assigned duties quickly and efficiently, placing these duties before personal desires and comforts. These things I do, "That Others May Live.". Originally titled "The Code of the Air Rescueman", it was penned by the first commander of the Air Rescue Service, (then) Lt. Col. Richard T. Kight and is also still used by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC).
  • Every summer since 1975, Air Force PJs have provided training to dozens of Civil Air Patrol Cadets at CAP-exclusive training camps called the 'United States Air Force Pararescue Orientation Course'. CAP USAFPJOC site
  • The term "Pararescue Jumper" is a retronym of the initials 'PJ' that were used on an Air Force Form 5 (Aircrew Flight Log) to identify anyone who is onboard in order to jump from the aircraft. Pararescuemen originally had no 'in flight' duties and were listed only as 'PJ' on the Form 5. The pararescue position eventually grew to include duties as an aerial gunner and scanner on rotary wing aircraft, a duty now performed by aerial gunners. Currently, aircrew qualified Pararescuemen will be recorded using aircrew position identifier 'J' ('Pararescue Member') on the AFTO form 781.(AFI 11-401)
  • Of the 22 enlisted Air Force Cross recipients, 12 have been awarded to Pararescuemen
  • Many Pararescuemen tattoo green footprints on their body. The green feet originated in Vietnam due to a tradition of calling the helicopters used "The Jolly Green Giant".

As the United States inland search and rescue (SAR) coordinator, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center serves as the single agency responsible for coordinating on-land federal SAR activities in the 48 contiguous United States, Mexico and Canada. ... Civil Air Patrol seal The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). ... A retronym is a type of neologism coined for an old object or concept whose original name has come to be used for something else, is no longer unique, or is otherwise inappropriate or misleading. ... HMH-465 CH-53E doing an external lift in Iraq The CH-53 Sea Stallion is the most common name for the Sikorsky S-65 family of heavy transport helicopter. ...

Movies

  • Pararescuemen were featured in the recent IMAX documentary "Operation Red Flag", a profile of an Air Force pilot at the fighter pilot training exercises of the same name.

Yul Brynner (July 11, 1920[1] – October 10, 1985) was a Russian-born Broadway and Academy Award-winning Hollywood actor. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... Flight from Ashiya is a 1964 movie about a French soldier in North Africa during World War II. Spoiler warning: The soldier falls in love with an Arab woman, who is killed by an enemy artillery attack at the end of the movie. ... Richard Widmark in Kiss of Death Richard Widmark (born December 26, 1914 in Sunrise, Minnesota) is an Academy Award-nominated American film actor. ... The United States Air Forces 106th Rescue Wing is an Air National Guard rescue unit located at Suffolk County Airport, New York. ... The Air National Guard (ANG) is part of the United States National Guard and a reserve component of the United States Air Force (USAF). ... Francis S. Gabby Gabreski Francis Stanley Gabby Gabreski (Franciszek Gabryszewski) (born 28 January 1919 in Oil City, Pennsylvania - died January 31, 2002) was a Polish-American fighter ace in World War II. He was present at the attack on Pearl Harbor, where his squadron made it into the air too... Westhampton Beach is a village located in Suffolk County, New York. ... Map showing Long Island; to the north is Connecticut and to the west are New York City and New Jersey. ... NY redirects here. ... B C D E F G UN Categories: | | | | | | | | | | | ... Sebastian Junger (1962 - ) is the well known author of The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea. ... Official force name 75th Ranger Regiment Rangers Other names Airborne Rangers Army Rangers U.S. Army Rangers Branch U.S. Army Chain of Command USASOC Description Special Operations Force, rapidly deployable light infantry force. ... Combatants USSOF, UNOSOM II Somali National Alliance-affiliated militias Commanders William F. Garrison Mohamed Farrah Aidid Strength 160 2,000+ Casualties U.S. 18 killed 73 wounded 1 captured Malaysia 1 killed 7 wounded Pakistan 2 wounded Militia and civilians 1,000+ killed 3,000+ wounded Task Force Ranger achieved... Black Hawk Down is a 2001 film by Ridley Scott, based on the book Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War by Mark Bowden. ... Air Force One is the air traffic control call sign of any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. ... Terrorist Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman) confronts the President of the United States (Harrison Ford). ... IMAX theatre at the Melbourne Museum complex, Australia. ...

Current units

Moody Air Force Base is a base located in Lowndes County, Georgia. ... The United States Air Forces 106th Rescue Wing is an Air National Guard rescue unit located at Suffolk County Airport, New York. ... Francis S. Gabby Gabreski Francis Stanley Gabby Gabreski (Franciszek Gabryszewski) (born 28 January 1919 in Oil City, Pennsylvania - died January 31, 2002) was a Polish-American fighter ace in World War II. He was present at the attack on Pearl Harbor, where his squadron made it into the air too... NY redirects here. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Moffett Federal Airfield (IATA: NUQ, ICAO: KNUQ), also known as Moffett Field, is a private airport located 3 miles (5 km) north of Mountain View, in Santa Clara County, California, USA. The airport is near the south end of San Francisco Bay, north of San Jose. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... KPDX Airport Diagram Aerial view of KPDX from the southwest For the airport of Portland, Maine, see Portland International Jetport For the drug PDX, see 10-propargyl-10-deazaaminopterin Portland International Airport (IATA: PDX, ICAO: KPDX) is the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90... Official language(s) None Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ...

Previous units

Moody Air Force Base is a base located in Lowndes County, Georgia. ...

See also

Air Force Special Tactics (also known as Air Force Special Forces) are commandos of the United States Air Force under the Air Force Special Operations Command or AFSOC, a branch of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). ... Emblem of the United States Special Operations Command. ... The United States Special Operations Forces is the official category where the U.S. Department of Defense lists the U.S. military units that have a training specialization in unconventional warfare and special operations. ... Official Name USMC Force Reconnaissance Force Recon Marines Branch United States Marine Corps Command Structure MARFORPAC; MEF I, III; MEU(SOC) 11, 13, 15, 31 MARFORLANT, MEF II; MEU(SOC) 22, 24, 26 MARFORRES, Reserves Description MEU(SOC) Deep Recon Capability, Special Operations Capability Readiness Any shore in the world... The 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), commonly referred to as Delta within the U.S. Army or as Delta Force by the general public and officially recognized by the Department of Defense as the Combat Applications Group, is a Special Operations Force (SOF) and an integral...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

  Results from FactBites:
 
Air Force Pararescue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (3187 words)
PJ Sergeant Thomas A. Newman was awarded the Air Force Cross for actions during the recovery of a downed pilot in Southeast Asia, on 30 May 1968.
PJ Sergeant Michael E. Fish was awarded the Air Force Cross for actions during the two-day recovery of a downed and trapped pilot in the Republic of Vietnam, on 18 and 19 February 1969.
PJ Technical Sergeant Timothy A. Wilkinson was awarded the Air Force Cross for actions during the recovery and treatment of wounded Rangers in Mogadishu, Somalia, from 3 October 1993 to 4 October 1993.
  More results at FactBites »

 

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