33 RQS

An HH-60 Pave Hawk from the 33rd Rescue Squadron at Kadena Air Base, flies over Okinawa, after an air refueling mission off the coast of Okinawa, Japan as part of exercise Cope Angel 09-1. Cope Angel is a joint rescue exercise between members of the U.S. Air Force and the Japanese Air Self Defense Force. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt Chrissy Best)

Jolly Green Giants deploy

Published Aug. 31, 2009
By 18th Wing Public Affairs

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- The 33rd Rescue Squadron and 33rd Helicopter Maintenance Unit deployed over 75 personnel and 3 HH-60G's this past weekend.

The team will spend six months conducting rescue missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Since 1998, the 33rd RQS has been credited with saving more than 400 civilian and military lives. More than 240 of these saves have occurred during contingency operations and include traditional combat search and rescue saves, as well as Medevac operations.