40th Helicopter Squadron
A United States Air Force helicopter squadron that evolved from a Vietnam-era combat search-and-rescue unit into a missile-support and helicopter-operations unit supporting intercontinental ballistic missile forces.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The 40th Helicopter Squadron is a United States Air Force flying unit based at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. Its present mission is associated with helicopter support for the Air Force’s intercontinental ballistic missile enterprise, including operations connected with missile-field security, maintenance, logistics, and emergency response. The squadron’s modern identity is the result of several redesignations and mission changes, but its lineage reaches back to the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, a combat search-and-rescue formation created during the Vietnam War. The unit was activated in March 1968 at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. It initially operated Sikorsky HH-3E helicopters and inherited personnel and aircraft from a detachment of the 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. The squadron’s crews, commonly associated with the “Jolly Green Giant” rescue force, flew in support of downed-aircrew recovery across Laos, North Vietnam, Cambodia, and South Vietnam. Its aircraft included the HH-3, Sikorsky HH-53B and HH-53C, and Kaman HH-43 Huskie. These missions frequently involved hostile ground fire, difficult weather and terrain, and coordination with fighter, attack, and forward-air-controller aircraft. During the later Vietnam War period, the 40th expanded its network of detachments across Thailand and South Vietnam. It moved from Udorn to Nakhon Phanom in 1971 and absorbed additional local rescue detachments in 1972. The squadron participated in major operations including the Son Tay raid, the rescue of isolated aircrew in North Vietnam and Laos, Operation Linebacker II support, Operation Eagle Pull, Operation Frequent Wind, and the recovery of the SS Mayaguez. Several of its aircraft were lost in combat or operational accidents, and members of the unit received high-level decorations for rescue actions conducted under fire, including the Air Force Cross and Silver Star. The Vietnam-era rescue squadron was inactivated at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base on 31 January 1976. It was reactivated in 1978 and operated through a network of United States bases and detachments until another inactivation at the end of 1987. The lineage returned to active status in 1993 as the 40th Rescue Flight, was redesignated the 40th Helicopter Flight in 1998, and became the 40th Helicopter Squadron in 2005. Since its reactivation in the 1990s, the unit has been based at Malmstrom Air Force Base. It has operated Bell UH-1N Iroquois helicopters in support of the missile mission and, beginning in the 2020s, transitioned toward the Boeing MH-139A Grey Wolf. The squadron is therefore not a commercial brand or manufacturer; it is an operational military organization whose identity is defined by lineage, mission assignment, aircraft, and service to the United States Air Force.
History
The squadron was constituted and activated as the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on 21 March 1968 at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. Its initial organization included personnel and aircraft transferred from Detachment 2 of the 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. The unit flew Sikorsky HH-3E helicopters, later supplemented and largely replaced by Sikorsky HH-53B and HH-53C aircraft. The HH-3 crews used the nickname “Nitnoy,” while the HH-53s were associated with the name “BUFF.” The 40th conducted combat search-and-rescue operations across the Southeast Asian theater. Its missions included attempts to recover pilots and aircrew shot down over Laos, North Vietnam, Cambodia, and South Vietnam. Rescue operations were often carried out in contested areas and required coordination with fighter escorts, attack aircraft, forward air controllers, and pararescue specialists. Several members received the Air Force Cross for exceptional courage, including Sergeant Thomas A. Newman, Airman First Class Charles Douglas King, Captain Leroy C. Schaneberg, Captain Bennie D. Orrell, Captain Dale E. Stovall, and Sergeant Charles D. McGrath. Some of the squadron’s aircraft and crews were lost to hostile fire, missile attack, mechanical failure, or crash during these missions. The squadron moved to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base in July 1971. In August 1972, it absorbed several local rescue detachments that had previously been associated with the 3d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group. These detachments operated from bases including Takhli, Ubon, Korat, Udorn, U-Tapao, and Tan Son Nhut. After the inactivation of the 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Da Nang in November 1972, additional HH-53 aircraft and a Da Nang-based HH-43 detachment joined the 40th. The unit continued to support combat search and rescue during Operation Linebacker II and later operations in Cambodia. Following the Paris Peace Accords and the withdrawal of United States forces from South Vietnam, the squadron’s forward detachments were progressively reduced or inactivated. The United States continued combat operations over Cambodia until August 1973, and the 40th retained rescue alert coverage at Nakhon Phanom after the end of major combat operations. It moved to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in October 1975 and received four HC-130P Hercules aircraft when the 56th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron was inactivated. The 40th was itself inactivated at Korat on 31 January 1976. The unit was reactivated on 1 July 1978 under the 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing. During this period it operated through detachments at several United States bases, including Hill, Edwards, Holloman, Plattsburgh, Mountain Home, and Fairchild, as well as earlier locations in Florida. It was inactivated again on 31 December 1987. The lineage was revived on 1 April 1993, when the unit was redesignated the 40th Rescue Flight and activated on 1 May of that year. It became the 40th Helicopter Flight in 1998 and the 40th Helicopter Squadron on 11 October 2005. Since the 1993 reactivation it has been based at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, and has been associated with helicopter support to the Air Force’s intercontinental ballistic missile mission. The 341st Operations Group was an early post-reactivation assignment, followed by the 582d Helicopter Group from January 2015. The post-Vietnam unit operated Bell UH-1N Iroquois helicopters for many years. The aircraft provided transportation, security, emergency response, and support to missile-field operations. The squadron began transitioning to the Boeing MH-139A Grey Wolf in the 2020s. The Grey Wolf is intended to improve range, speed, survivability, and carrying capacity for helicopter support of the United States nuclear deterrent. The squadron’s current identity thus combines a combat-rescue lineage with a contemporary strategic-support mission.
- 2024
MH-139A era
[1]The Boeing MH-139A Grey Wolf entered the squadron’s listed aircraft inventory as part of modernization of missile-support helicopter operations.
- 2005
Redesignation as the 40th Helicopter Squadron
[1]The unit adopted its current squadron designation on 11 October.
- 1993
Return as the 40th Rescue Flight
[1]The lineage was redesignated as the 40th Rescue Flight and activated in May at Malmstrom Air Force Base.
- 1987
Second inactivation
[1]The unit was inactivated on 31 December after a period operating detachments from several United States bases.
- 1978
Reactivation
[1]The squadron was reactivated on 1 July under the 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing.
- 1976
First postwar inactivation
[1]The 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron was inactivated at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base on 31 January.
- 1975
Support for final evacuations and Mayaguez recovery
[1]The squadron supported the evacuation of Phnom Penh and Saigon and took part in the recovery of the SS Mayaguez.
- 1972
Expansion of rescue detachments
[1]Multiple local rescue detachments transferred to the 40th, expanding its coverage of Thailand and South Vietnam during intensive air operations.
- 1971
Move to Nakhon Phanom
[1]The squadron relocated from Udorn to Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, consolidating its Southeast Asian rescue operations.
- 1970
Participation in Operation Ivory Coast
[1]Five of the squadron’s HH-53 helicopters supported the Son Tay prisoner-of-war camp raid in North Vietnam.
Products and positioning
A specialized United States Air Force helicopter unit supporting the national strategic deterrence mission, with a distinguished historical role in combat search and rescue.
Combat search-and-rescue helicopter
Sikorsky HH-3E
The HH-3E was the squadron’s principal early Vietnam-era rescue helicopter. It provided long-range recovery capability and could deploy a rescue specialist by hoist or forest penetrator into difficult terrain. The aircraft served with the 40th during the unit’s initial operations from Thailand before being supplemented by the larger HH-53.
Combat search-and-rescue helicopter
Sikorsky HH-53B/C
The HH-53B and HH-53C were heavy rescue helicopters used extensively by the 40th during the Vietnam War. Their size, range, refueling capability, armor, and rescue equipment made them suitable for high-risk recovery missions deep inside hostile territory. The type supported major operations including the Son Tay raid and later evacuations from Southeast Asia.
Local rescue helicopter
Kaman HH-43 Huskie
HH-43 helicopters transferred from local base rescue detachments provided short-range fire suppression and rescue coverage at several Southeast Asian air bases. They complemented the 40th’s heavier HH-53 force and remained associated with detachments supporting base-level combat rescue.
Utility and missile-support helicopter · 1973
Bell UH-1N Iroquois
The UH-1N served the modern 40th Helicopter Squadron in support of the United States ICBM mission. Its roles included movement of personnel and equipment, emergency response, security support, and operations across dispersed missile fields. It connected the squadron’s post-1993 identity with the broader Air Force strategic deterrence enterprise.
Strategic-support helicopter · 2024
Boeing MH-139A Grey Wolf
The MH-139A Grey Wolf is the squadron’s modern helicopter platform for support of the ICBM force. Derived from the commercial AW139 design and militarized for Air Force requirements, it is intended to provide greater speed, range, payload, and survivability than the UH-1N. The aircraft supports the modernization of helicopter operations at missile bases.
Marketing campaigns
- 1975Operation Eagle Pull
Cambodia
The squadron supported the evacuation of United States personnel and selected Cambodian nationals from Phnom Penh.
Outcome. The evacuation was completed before the Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh.
- 1975Operation Frequent Wind
South Vietnam
Two squadron HH-53 helicopters operating from USS Midway participated in the evacuation of Saigon on 29–30 April.
Outcome. The operation evacuated personnel during the collapse of South Vietnam.
- 1975SS Mayaguez recovery
Cambodia
Seven of the squadron’s HH-53 helicopters participated in the United States operation to recover the seized merchant vessel SS Mayaguez and its crew.
Outcome. The ship and crew were recovered, although the operation involved significant combat losses among participating forces.
- 1972Operation Linebacker II support
North Vietnam · Southeast Asia
The squadron provided combat search-and-rescue coverage during the intensive December air campaign.
Outcome. The unit continued rescue operations despite aircraft losses and severe threats to recovery crews.
- 1970Operation Ivory Coast
North Vietnam
Five HH-53 helicopters from the squadron supported the attempted rescue of prisoners of war from the Son Tay camp.
Outcome. The camp was found empty, but the operation demonstrated the squadron’s ability to conduct complex long-range combat-recovery missions.
Brand decisions
2024
Transition toward the MH-139A Grey WolfGeneration changeBackground
The Air Force began replacing aging UH-1N helicopters used in support of the ICBM force.
Action taken
The MH-139A Grey Wolf was added to the squadron’s listed aircraft inventory.
Aftermath
The transition is intended to improve the squadron’s range, speed, payload, and survivability while sustaining missile-field support.
2005
Redesignation as a helicopter squadronStrategyBackground
The unit’s post-Vietnam lineage had already shifted from combat rescue toward helicopter support for the Air Force missile mission.
Action taken
The 40th Helicopter Flight was redesignated the 40th Helicopter Squadron on 11 October.
Aftermath
The redesignation formalized the unit’s continuing identity as an operational helicopter squadron.
Sources1 sources
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