The White Falcon - 12.11.1971, Blaðsíða 3

Air Force helos to assume SAR role

Three HH-3E "Jolly Green Gi-
f' helicopters arrived here
Tuesday and marked a new era in
search and rescue capabilities
for Iceland.
Beginning Dec. 1, the Air For-
ce helos will take over the SAR
role which the Navy has had the
responsibility for with its UH-34
helicopters for ten years.
In the past, fishing vessels
in distress or any other emergen-
cy cases had to be located by HC-
130 aircraft. Rafts, supplies or
medical personnel would then be
dropped or parachuted to the ship
or person requiring aid. With
the all-weather HH-3E helos, the
NATO base will have a greater ca-
pability for providing medical
aid on the scene and evacuating
emergency cases, whether they be
at sea or on land.
Each "Green Giant" is manned
by a crew of four. Life rafts,
radios, medical supplies and var-
ious types of rescue and survival
equipment are among the items
used for operations. In addition
to the pilot, co-pilot and flight
engineer, a para-medic is also a
ember of the crew. Equipped
th oxygen, life raft, medical
t, life preservers and other
equipment, the para-medic is pre-
Air Force HH-3E "Jolly Green Giant" helos will soon have Keflavik
search and rescue role.
pared to jump on land or into the
sea, wherever the call may be.
Helo crews maintain a 30 min-
ute alert during normal opera-
tional hours, and a 45 minute a-
lert at all other times.
The HH-3E's have mid-air re-
fueling capabilities and with
this, are able to fly almost un-
limited search and rescue
flights. To keep the "Green Gi-
ants airborne, HC-130P tanker
aircraft provide the additional
fuel supplies.
In charge of the helos and HC-
130's at the NATO base is the Air
Forces' Detachment 14, a unit of
the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Re-
covery Wing at Ramstein Air Force
Base, Germany.
Detachment 14 will be taking
over the search and rescue res-
ponsibilities for the NATO base
on Dec. 1.
Woodpeckers receive ASW
proficiency award
VP-49 received the Captain Ar-
nold Jay Isbell ASW Trophy Award
for their overall excellence and
superior performance in air Anti-
Submarine Warfare for the compet-
itive period from January 1970 to
June 1971.
The Isbell Trophy was estab-
* '......
lished in 1959 with the intent of
honoring the best ASW units in
each fleet. Named in memory of
the captain who lost his life in
World War II, the award is pre-
sented to those ASW units who
objectively prove their abilities
through operational readiness in-
spections and in-depth observance
from the assigned Fleet ASW Force
Commanders. The squadrons who
receive the award have their
names engraved on the overall
trophy which is kept in the of-
fice of the Director of Anti-Sub-
marine Warfare and Ocean Surveil-
lance Division of CNO. In addi-
tion, each squadron will receive
a plaque from the Lockheed Com-
pany honoring their selection.
Patrol Squadron 49 is current-
ly completing its second suc-
cessful deployment here with the
new P3C aircraft, and they are
scheduled to return to the United
States in December.