The White Falcon - 29.11.1991, Qupperneq 1

Vol. SO No. 48
HITE
FALCON
NATO Base, Keflavfk, Iceland
November 29,1991
56th Air Rescue Squadron
"These things we do that others may live"
They are ready to answer any request for aid.
Missions have been flown from Keflavfk far
into the Arctic Ocean and to all points of the
compass around Iceland. Since these distances
are sometimes hundreds of miles away, the
squadron is supported by HC-130 “Hercules”
aircraft. These aircraft are specially equipped
for search-and-rescue (S AR) missions and can
drop rescuers and supplies as well as provide
in-flight refueling for the helicopters.
A "Jolly Green Giant" helicopter hovers over the Soviet fishing vessel "Luga" during the rescue of a
fisherman made in April, 1986. (File photo)
In Dec. 1971 the first Icelandic request came
to airlift a nine-year-old boy who was having
epileptic convulsions from a snow-bound town
to a hospital. This mission was one of many
that the rescue unit was destined to perform in
the future. Some of the more unusual missions
have included lifting two bells, weighting 1,800
and 2,400 pounds respectively, into the bell
tower of the cathedral in Reykjavik in August
1972. Two helicopters assisted in the evacu-
ation of 275 sheep from Vestmannaeyjar after
the January 1973 volcanic eruption of Heimaey.
Although the pilots and aircrew seem to
receive the credit for the saves, the mechanics
of the aircraft deserve recognition too.
As one crew member stated, “The guys in
maintenance work in cold conditions and are
greasy and dirty all the time. They really do a
lot for us. We do the flying, but they provide
us with the aircraft.”
Often with the chill factor below zero, the
weather snowy and the flight line icy, the
maintenance men from ARS continue to tow
the helicopters, marshal the aircraft and repair
them.
According to MSgt. John R. Murray, Main-
tenance Superintendent, who was stationed
here in 1987-89, “The environment is harsh on
the helos with the wind as the biggest problem.
Our main concern with the new aircraft is
getting everyone trained. The opportunity to
do our job - what we are trained for - is here.
We have a feeling of great pride when the
aircraft returns from a successful mission,
because without our help the job could not
have been completed.”
In September the squadron received it’s first
of five new HH-60G Sikorsky “Pave-Hawk”
aircraft and will shortly begin a transition from
the ageless and ever-ready HH-3E “Jolly Green
Giant” aircraft.
On Tuesday, the 56th ARS will be joined by
the U.S. Ambassador to Iceland, Commander,
Air Rescue Service, headquartered in Califor-
nia, and representatives from the NATO Base,
Government of Iceland, and from Sikorsky
headquarters in Connecticut in a dual cere-
mony to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the
unit, and the roll-out of the new $7.5 million
aircraft.
For some, the whirling sound of the bladed
rotor of a helicopter is deafening. Yet, for
others it is a sound of life as 250 lives have been
saved in and around Iceland in the past 20 years
by members of the 56th Air Rescue Squadron
(ARS). (It was formerly known as Detachment
14,67th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron.)
Working in close cooperation with the Ice-
landic Life Saving Association (ILSA), Ice-
landic Coast Guard and Air Ground Rescue
Services, they are ready for action 24 hours-a-
day, every day of the year.
Their primary mission is to support the
military aircrews who operate over land and
sea in the vicinity of Iceland, often under poor
weather conditions. But the search and rescue
ability is not limited to rescuing only mili-
aircrews.
ccording to the 56th ARS Commander,
T.Col. Dale A. Kissinger, US AF, “The air res-
cue capability in Iceland has a 20 year tradition
of humanitarian service. We are proud of the
close relations we have with our Icelandic
hosts and their rescue agencies. As a service
organization it is extremely important for us to
respond to those in need. The men and women
of 56th will continue to uphold the squadron’s
logo - ‘these things we do that others may
live’.”
w
Captain Hannes Hafstein, ILSA Director,
“Almost impossible SAR missions have been
performed by these trained personnel. And,
for their success, we are thankful.”