On a Steel Horse I Ride: A History of the MH-53 Pave Low Helicopters in War and Peace PDF
Preview On a Steel Horse I Ride: A History of the MH-53 Pave Low Helicopters in War and Peace
On a Steel Horse I Ride A History of the MH-53 Pave Low Helicopters in War and Peace Darrel D. Whitcomb Air University Press Air Force Research Institute Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama September 2012 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Whitcomb, Darrel D., 1947– On a steel horse I ride : a history of the MH-53 Pave Low helicopters in war and peace / Darrel D. Whitcomb. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-58566-220-3 1. Sikorsky H-53 (Military transport helicopter)—History. 2. United States. Air Force—Search and rescue operations—History. 3. United States. Air Force—History. I. Title. II. Title: History of the MH-53 Pave Low helicopters in war and peace. UG1232.T72W55 2012 358.4—dc23 2012022142 Copyright 2008 by Darrel D. Whitcomb. The author retains all rights to this work granted under 17 USC §106. The US Air Force retains nonexclusive royalty-free license to publish and distribute this work. Cover photo of MH-53M #68-10357 courtesy of Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs Disclaimer Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Air University, the United States Air Force, the Department of Defense, or any other US government agency. Cleared for public release; distribution unlimited. AFRI Air Force Research Institute Air University Press Air Force Research Institute 155 North Twining Street Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6026 http://aupress.au.af.mil ii Dedicated to the Airmen of Pave Low who conceptualized it, created it, operated it, maintained it, lived it, loved it, and, yes, sometimes cursed it. It was your creation— your Steel Horse—and you rode it well. You were the “quiet professionals,” the reality of the motto Any Time, Any Place, and yours were the collective “hearts of man” that made it all work. Contents List of Illustrations xiii Foreword xix About the Author xxi Acknowledgments xxiii Introduction xxix PART I A RICH HERITAGE 1 From End to Beginning 3 Last Mission 3 The Beginning 6 2 Of Jolly Greens . . . 11 Air Force Use 11 Combat Aircrew Recovery Aircraft 14 To Southeast Asia 18 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron 21 Pave Star 23 40th and 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadrons 25 The Son Tay Raid 29 Pave Imp 34 40th and 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadrons 36 3 . . . And Knives 57 21st Special Operations Squadron 57 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron 71 1975 Southeast Asia Endgame 74 The Evacuations 75 SS Mayaguez 77 v CONTENTS PART II FROM CONCEPT TO CAPABILITY ~ 4 Black Knights and Red Scarves: 1973–80 91 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service 92 Pave Low 94 20th Special Operations Squadron 103 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service 105 20th Special Operations Squadron 109 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service 111 Pave Low 115 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service 119 20th Special Operations Squadron 120 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service 124 Pave Low 132 ~ 5 Necessity to Nadir: 1980–84 139 Kirtland AFB, New Mexico 139 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service 140 Crisis in Iran 141 USAF Helicopter Reorganization 143 Desert One 144 A Second Effort—Operation Honey Badger 150 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service 167 20th Special Operations Squadron 169 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service 173 20th Special Operations Squadron 175 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service 176 20th Special Operations Squadron 179 Twenty-Third Air Force 182 Congressional Interest 183 2d Air Division 187 Joint Special Operations Agency 188 20th Special Operations Squadron 189 Operation Urgent Fury 189 Action on Many Fronts 190 Initiative 17 194 First and Second Losses 198 vi CONTENTS ~ 6 Congress Acts: 1984–86 207 Washington, DC 207 20th Special Operations Squadron 211 Twenty-Third Air Force 213 Pave Low IV 216 A New Command 218 ~ 7 The Buildup: 1986–89 223 Hurlburt Field, Florida 223 Twenty-Third Air Force 230 United States Special Operations Command 230 Initiative 17 231 20th Special Operations Squadron 232 Twenty-Third Air Force 234 Pave Low Training 236 More MH-53s and Aircrews 237 39th Special Operations Wing and 21st Special Operations Squadron 244 Yarrawonga 246 Pave Low Training 248 A New Air Rescue Service 249 353d Special Operations Wing and 31st Special Operations Squadron 250 United States Special Operations Command 251 21st Special Operations Squadron 253 20th Special Operations Squadron 254 Operation Pokeweed 256 Clear and Present Danger 258 Mountain Training 259 8 First Combat: 1989 263 Just Cause 263 Air Force Special Operations Command 275 Pave Low Training 277 20th Special Operations Squadron 279 vii CONTENTS PART III FROM CAPABILITY TO COMMUNITY ~ 9 War in the Desert: 1990–91 285 The Middle East 285 20th Special Operations Squadron 286 Combat Search and Rescue 291 Eager Anvil 296 Proven Force 301 21st Special Operations Squadron 302 Somalia 303 Proven Force 304 Eve of Combat 305 Stroke 65 309 Corvette 03 312 Slate 46 315 Special Operations Missions 320 21st Special Operations Squadron 330 Provide Comfort 331 10 Interim Years—Volcanoes, Challenge, ~ and Change: 1991–93 337 31st Special Operations Squadron 337 Mount Pinatubo 338 Kirtland AFB, New Mexico 344 Air Force Reorganization 350 Air Force Special Operations Command 352 20th Special Operations Squadron 356 21st Special Operations Squadron 358 31st Special Operations Squadron 359 Air Force Special Operations Command 363 21st Special Operations Squadron 364 ~ 11 Into the Balkans: 1993–96 369 RAF Alconbury 369 Air Force Special Operations Command 372 31st Special Operations Squadron 373 20th Special Operations Squadron 374 Air Rescue Service 377 viii CONTENTS Kirtland AFB 377 Clear and Present Danger 379 Air Force Special Operations Command 379 Commando Vision 380 Haiti 381 The Balkans 384 20th Special Operations Squadron / 16th Special Operations Wing 388 Air Force Special Operations Command 390 A Joint Special Operations Aviation Command? 391 21st Special Operations Squadron 392 31st Special Operations Squadron 398 58th Special Operations Wing / 551st Special Operations Squadron 400 Air Force Special Operations Command 401 21st and 20th Special Operations Squadrons 402 Operation Assured Response 405 20th Special Operations Squadron 408 58th Special Operations Wing / 551st Special Operations Squadron 411 ~ 12 Combat Search and Rescue: 1997–98 419 Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field 419 21st and 20th Special Operations Squadrons 421 Hurlburt Field 423 31st Special Operations Squadron 428 58th Special Operations Wing / 551st Special Operations Squadron 429 Air Force Special Operations Command 432 20th Special Operations Squadron 438 21st Special Operations Squadron 440 31st Special Operations Squadron 441 551st Special Operations Squadron 441 ~ 13 A Mature Force: 1999–2000 445 Back to the Balkans 445 Vega 31 448 Hammer 34 455 ix
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