56th Rescue Squadron

Tail Codes IS 1988/06 LN 2006/18 AV 2018/

The 56th Rescue Squadron is the Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) helicopter unit of the US Air Force Europe (USAFE) and operates as a team with the 57th Rescue Squadron (57 RQS) PJs (Pararescuemen or Parajumpers ). Reformed in the 1980s as 48th Group based at Keflavik, Iceland. Moved to RAF Lakenheath, England as part of the 48th Fighter Wing in 2006. In 2018 relocates to Aviano, Italy as part of the 31st Fighter Wing.

Lineage:
1952 - 1962 : 56th Air Rescue Squadron (56 ARS)
1972 - 1975 : 56th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (56 ARRS)
1989 - 1993 : 56th Air Rescue Squadron (56 ARS)
From 1993 : 56th RQS

From late Jun to early Oct 2011, 3x HH-60G were detached to operate from HMS Ocean as NATO contingency CSAR assets for 656 Sq Apache operations in Libya.

On January 7, 2014 a Lakenheath-based Pave Hawk helicopter crashed during a night low-level training exercise between a beach car park at Cley and Eastbank, near Salthouse.

On November 2015 was announced that the Squadron and its associate PJs unit, the 57th RQS will move to Aviano, Italy which was completed on May 15, 2018 after a farewell ceremony.