31st Rescue Squadron
The 31st Rescue Squadron is part of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan. It trains, equips and employs combat-ready pararescue specialists.History
The 31st Rescue Squadron was constituted as the 31st Air Rescue Squadron on 17 October 1952. They made combat rescues in Southeast Asia, 1965–1966 and also operated the Joint Rescue Coordination Center for Thirteenth Air Force, Apr 1967 – July 1975. They took part in disaster relief missions in the Philippines between 16–31 July 1990. As a USAF Special Operations Squadron the 31st was forward deployed at Osan Air Base, Korea from 1992–2001, while its headquarters at the 353d Special Operations Group was stationed at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. Inactivated for a couple of years, in 2003 the squadron was redesignated the 31st Rescue Squadron under the 18th Wing and stationed at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan.Lineage
- Constituted as the 31st Air Rescue Squadron on 17 October 1952
- Organized on 8 July 1963
- Activated on 8 January 1981
- Redesignated 31st Rescue Squadron on 16 May 2003
Assignments
- 2d Air Rescue Group, 14 November 1952
- Air Rescue Service, 24 June 1958 – 18 September 1960
- Air Rescue Service, 8 July 1963
- Pacific Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Center, 1 April 1967 – 1 July 1975
- 41st Rescue and Weather Reconnaissance Wing, 8 January 1981
- 353d Special Operations Wing 6 April 1989 – 31 August 2001
- 18th Operations Group, 31 July 2003 – present
Stations
- Clark Air Base, Philippines, 14 November 1952
- Naha Air Base, Okinawa, 12–18 September 1960
- Clark Air Base, Philippines, 8 July 1963 – 1 July 1975
- Clark Air Base, Philippines, 8 January 1981
- Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, 29 June 1991
- Osan Air Base, South Korea, July 1992 – 31 August 2001
- Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, 31 July 2003 – present
Aircraft
- Grumman SA-16 Albatross, 1952–1960
- Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw, 1952–1955
- Sikorsky SH-19, 1955–1960, 1963–1964
- Douglas HC-54, 1964–1965
- Kaman HH-43 Huskie, 1964–1970, 1971–1972
- Boeing HC-97, 1965–1966
- Lockheed HC-130 Hercules, 1966–1975
- Sikorsky HH-3, 1968–1975, 1981–1990
- Sikorsky CH-3, 1981–1990
- Sikorsky MH-53, 1990–2001
- Boeing MH-47 Chinook, 2001
