943rd Rescue Group
The 943rd Rescue Group is a United States Air Force Reserve rescue organization headquartered at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The 943rd Rescue Group is a reserve component of the United States Air Force and a subordinate organization of the 920th Rescue Wing. It is assigned to Tenth Air Force within Air Force Reserve Command and is based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The group is the only Air Force Reserve rescue organization in the southwestern United States. Its principal role is to organize, train, standardize, and provide operational leadership for Air Force Reserve rescue assets. The group supports combat search-and-rescue missions, disaster response, humanitarian relief, and other operations requiring specialized aviation and rescue capabilities. When mobilized for wartime service, its assets can be directed by Air Combat Command for deployment into an operational theater. In domestic emergencies, assets may also be made available to United States Northern Command for search-and-rescue or disaster-relief missions following events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, and earthquakes. The group’s modern rescue organization includes three rescue squadrons at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and an additional rescue squadron at Portland Air Reserve Station, Oregon, together with supporting flights and headquarters functions. Its Davis-Monthan-based force is equipped with Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters. These aircraft support personnel recovery and rescue missions in difficult and hazardous environments, although the group’s operational effectiveness also depends on aircrew training, rescue specialists, maintenance, command-and-control, and coordination with other military and civil agencies. The organization has undergone several changes in mission and designation. It was originally established as the 943rd Troop Carrier Group during the post-1961 reorganization of the Air Force Reserve. The initial group provided headquarters and support functions for the 729th Troop Carrier Squadron and operated Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars from March Air Force Base, California. It later served in tactical and strategic airlift roles, using Lockheed C-141 Starlifters after relocating to Charleston Air Force Base and Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft after returning to March. The airlift group was inactivated in 1993. It was redesignated the 943rd Rescue Group in January 2005 and reactivated at Davis-Monthan on 12 February 2005 under the 920th Rescue Wing. Thus, the present organization preserves the numerical lineage of an older reserve transport group while carrying out a substantially different rescue mission. It is a military operational unit rather than a commercial consumer brand, and it does not sell products or services in the ordinary commercial sense.
History
The 943rd Rescue Group originated in the Air Force Reserve’s response to a structural problem exposed during the Berlin Crisis of 1961. At that time, reserve troop-carrier squadrons were distributed among numerous airfields under the Detached Squadron Concept, while support organizations remained concentrated at wing headquarters. This arrangement helped local recruiting but made it difficult to mobilize individual squadrons with the support personnel and equipment they needed. Continental Air Command therefore reorganized reserve wings by creating groups with their own support elements. The 943rd Troop Carrier Group was established on 28 December 1962 and organized in the reserve at March Air Force Base, California, on 17 January 1963. It served as the headquarters for the 729th Troop Carrier Squadron and included combat-support, materiel, and medical support functions. Equipped with Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars, the group conducted tactical airlift operations in the western United States as part of the 452nd Troop Carrier Wing. On 1 July 1967, the unit became the 943rd Tactical Airlift Group. It ceased operating the C-119 in 1969 and was inactivated at March on 25 April of that year. The organization was redesignated the 943rd Military Airlift Group (Associate) and reactivated at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina, on 25 September 1969. At Charleston it transitioned to the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter and supported worldwide strategic airlift through an associate relationship with Military Airlift Command units. Its crews participated in contingency and humanitarian missions and in strategic-mobility exercises. This incarnation was inactivated on 1 July 1973. The group was redesignated the 943rd Tactical Airlift Group and reactivated at March Air Force Base on 1 April 1985, operating Lockheed C-130 Hercules transports. It became the 943rd Airlift Group in February 1992. The group was inactivated on 30 June 1993, during a period of Air Force Reserve restructuring associated with the movement of C-141 aircraft from nearby Norton Air Force Base and the realignment of March. March was subsequently redesignated March Air Reserve Base in 1996. The numerical lineage returned to an operational rescue mission in 2005. The organization was redesignated the 943rd Rescue Group on 13 January 2005 and activated at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on 12 February 2005 as a geographically separated unit of the 920th Rescue Wing, headquartered at Patrick Space Force Base in Florida. The modern group provides leadership, planning, policy, training oversight, and standardization for Air Force Reserve rescue resources. Its assigned structure includes the 304th, 305th, and 306th Rescue Squadrons at Davis-Monthan and supporting rescue elements, with the 304th Rescue Squadron also associated with Portland Air Reserve Station. Under its current mission, the group supports combat rescue and personnel recovery while retaining the ability to assist with humanitarian relief and domestic emergency response. Its helicopters and associated rescue forces may be deployed worldwide for military operations. In the United States and its territories, the group can contribute to federal disaster-response efforts when catastrophic events require military search-and-rescue capacity. The unit remains assigned to the 920th Rescue Wing and operates within Air Force Reserve Command.
- 2005
Reactivated as the 943rd Rescue Group
[1]The organization was redesignated on 13 January and activated at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on 12 February under the 920th Rescue Wing.
- 1993
Airlift organization inactivated
[1]The 943rd Airlift Group was inactivated on 30 June 1993.
- 1985
Reactivated as a tactical airlift group
[1]The group returned to service at March Air Force Base on 1 April 1985 with C-130 Hercules transports.
- 1973
Military airlift group inactivated
[1]The 943rd Military Airlift Group was inactivated on 1 July 1973.
- 1969
Charleston strategic-airlift period begins
[1]After inactivation in April, the organization was redesignated and reactivated at Charleston Air Force Base in September as a C-141-associated military airlift group.
- 1967
Redesignated as a tactical airlift group
[1]The unit became the 943rd Tactical Airlift Group on 1 July 1967.
- 1963
Reserve organization activated at March Air Force Base
[1]The group was organized on 17 January 1963 at March Air Force Base, California, to support the 729th Troop Carrier Squadron and operate C-119 transports.
- 1962
Group established
[1]The 943rd Troop Carrier Group was established on 28 December 1962 as part of an Air Force Reserve reorganization, though it was not yet organized.
Products and positioning
A specialized Air Force Reserve combat-rescue organization providing trained personnel, helicopters, operational management, and deployable rescue capability for military, humanitarian, and domestic emergency missions.
Rescue helicopter
Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk
The HH-60 Pave Hawk is the group’s principal identified aircraft in its current rescue role. The helicopter supports combat search-and-rescue and personnel-recovery missions, including operations in austere or hazardous areas. The aircraft is operated as part of a broader system involving rescue aircrews, maintenance personnel, medical capability, command elements, and supported units.
Historical tactical transport
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
The C-119 was the aircraft used by the original troop-carrier group during its early reserve service at March Air Force Base. It supported tactical airlift missions in the western United States before the group’s 1969 transition and inactivation.
Historical strategic transport
Lockheed C-141 Starlifter
During its Charleston-based military-airlift period, the group operated in association with C-141 strategic airlift units. Its crews supported worldwide mobility, contingency operations, humanitarian missions, and training exercises.
Historical tactical transport
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
The C-130 Hercules equipped the group after its 1985 reactivation at March Air Force Base. In this period the organization performed reserve tactical-airlift duties before becoming an airlift group and being inactivated in 1993.
Brand decisions
2005
Conversion to a dedicated rescue organizationStrategyBackground
After the airlift group had been inactivated in 1993, the numerical lineage was assigned to a new Air Force Reserve rescue organization.
Action taken
The unit was redesignated as the 943rd Rescue Group and activated at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base under the 920th Rescue Wing.
Aftermath
The organization shifted from reserve transport operations to combat rescue, personnel recovery, humanitarian relief, and domestic disaster-response support.
Sources1 sources
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