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Helicopter Combat Support Squadron SEVEN (HC-7) served the Navy and the United States faithfully and honorably for seven years and ten months in the war to preserve the independence of the Republic of Vietnam. From North Sar (20N 107E) to South Sar (19N 106E) supporting the fleet aboard a variety of ships, from Combat to Supply Ships.
Active from 1 Sep 1967 until 30 Jun 1975, it provided combat support, combat search and rescue, and vertical replenishment support to ships of the Seventh Fleet and shore based activities in the Republic or Viet Nam, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the Philippines. It counted no less than one Medal of Honor, five Navy Cross, three Silver Star, two Bronze Star (Combat V), six Distinguished Flying Cross and numerous Air Medals, Commendation Medals (V) and Achievement Medals (V) recipients during its short existance. It flew the Sikorsky SH-58J Sea Bat, Kaman HH-2A/D Sea Sprite, Sikorsky HH-3A Sea King, and UH-46A/D Sea Knight helicopters. Their tailcode was VH. 
HC-7 formed on 1 Sep 1967 as the US Navy first dedicated SAR unit.
Supposedly the most decorated Naval Air Unit during the Vietnam conflict. In Sept 1967 through the end of the war they took over all combat search
Correction on the most decorated Naval Air Unit, that distinction belongs to the Seawolves of HA(L)-3
Correction to the HAL-3 correction, No disrespect to our fellow HAL-3 squadron mates, but HC-7 is the most "highly" decorated Navy Helicopter Squadron in the history of the world, with the distinction of having LT Clyde Lasson's MOH mission in our history. Very Respectfully, Joe Skrzypek, Naval Helicopter Association Historical Society, Secretary and World Famous HC-7 helo pilot.
I was there at the beginning, but only as a civilian. My dad was the first CO. Im sure he would be happy to chat with any of you guys. Lyle Parthemer
Did not realize I was one of the original HC-7 crew until I began reading our history. Was 17 when I went to Atsugi as an AT striker. Turned 18 while on detachment in Tonkin Gulf. Great Group from officers down. I remember Joe as a rather large fella. Someone let me know of any reunions. Dave Johnson
01jul67-23feb70, Named the new cat CLEMENTINE after our Tonkin Gulf H2 call sign. Bill (CLEM) Kleimenhagen
Oct67-Sep69, I served with HC-7 both in Atsugi, Japan and Det Cubi, Philippines. Most of my time I worked as a mail orderly because they were shorthanded when I got there ans was asked to do it, even though I was an airedale. They have been having reunions every two years. 2012 it was in Tucson, AZ. Joe Klimkowski
Terry Larson HC7 NAS Cubi Pt Subic Bay Philippine Danang Vietnam
Nov67-Mar72, served in HC-7. Started out in H-2s then went over to the H-46s. Best squadron I have ever been in in my 28 years of United States Naval service. Checked in as an ADJ2 abd left as a CPO selectee. Jerry Crick
Jun68-Jun70, HC-7 Atsugi;
Feb69-May70, line swings to Tonkin Gulf aboard USS Niagara Falls (AFS-3) for VERTREP, most of my line swings were with crew leader Jerry Crick. George Burtz aka Peaches
1969-70 HC-7 Atsugi, Japan- Who remembers what the red sauce we used on the pizza's at IG's (Italian Gardens) Yokohama? Mike Huot
1969-71, Anyone remember my Dad ATC Jim Hammack we were in Atsugi. Brian Hammack ( bhammack at yahoo com )
Jan69-Jun70 at Det Cubi and Det 110. I can still taste the San Magoo beer and monkey meat on a stick in Alongapo City. Louis Voorhies ADJ3
Jan69-Feb71, Cdr Hipp was my first CO. Worked on the flight line with Chief Bill Stern's then Shorty Long and Jerry Crick. Det 110 w/ H3's and Det 102 w/46's. Great bunch of guys. When 46's went back to IB I stayed in Atsugi with Crick. Great guy. Sorry I left HC-7. Did my last year with HC-1 Det 8. Lots of great memories. Pat Taddeo (Tad) ADJ 3
1969-1971, served with HC-7 as a ATN/ATR, stationed in Atsugi, Japan, with 2 tours in Vietnam, 7 aircraft carriers in total. Climbed Mt. Fuji which you could see from the hangar. Jack Ferlise
1970-71 HC-7 Det.110 CUBI. AE2 Jason Taylor. I knew Lou Vohrees
May70-Aug73, I was with the squadron. Managed time on ten diff Carriers, Cubi, Danang, Atsugi, Imperial Beach. A lot of memories. Jeffory Field
1972-1974, I served with this outfit, Shipped out of NAS Ream Field, NAS Imperial Beach Calif. We flew the HH3 alphas and golf Sikorsky, We operated out of Subic Bay Phillippines at Det Cubi Pt. I served as an AME3 attached to the Parachute Loft ( oxymoron ). I have not been able to locate my information from the roster of the squadron. Ron Sandlin
1972-1974, AE3 Jack Hart. Did 3 details Caz 110 . Was on the last det. 110
1973-1974, served with one detachment to Det Cubi and served on five different carriers during the deployment to sea. Enterprise, Ranger, Corral Sea, Constellation and Hancock. First time deployed the crew and equipment rode out on an ammo ship Haleakala I believe. Monte Seymour AO2
HC-7 Has reunions every two years. In April 2016 it was in Cocoa Beach, FL. Had a great time. Next one is in San Antonio, Texas in 2018
Locations | |
| Years | Location | ICAO/FAA |
| 1967/75 |  Atsugi Kaigun-hikōjō  | RJTA |
Models | Login to Edit | |
| Years | Models |
| 1967/70 | S-58 H-34 |
| 1967/75 | Seasprite  |
| 1967/75 | S-61 H-3 HH-3A Big Mother |
| 1967/75 | 107M H-46 Sea Knight |
HC-7 List of helicopters | Help Us | |
| C/N | Version | Built | In this Org | In other Org | |||
| 61-002 | hss-2 | 1959 | 147138 : redesig RH-3A 1968 for Mine Countermeasures mission of HC-7 Dets 112 and 1+ | ||||
61-003  | hss-2 | 1959 | 147139 : redesig RH-3A 1968 for Mine Countermeasures mission of HC-7 Dets 112 and 1+ : 09jan69 deployed aboard USS Catskill (MCS-1) to HC-7 Det 113, Atsugi Japan+ | ||||
| 61-004 | hss-2 | 1959 | 147140 : Sikorsky S-61A c/n 61-004 ff 1959; del USN as XHSS-2 147140 unk; redesig + | |||
| 61-008 | hss-2 | 1959 | 147144 : 09jan69 deployed aboard USS Catskill (MCS-1) to HC-7 Det 113, Atsugi Japan+ | ||||
| 61-014 | hss-2 | 148036 : USN, redesig SH-3A Oct62; conv HH-3A, to HC-7 : Jan70 It is believed was received by HC-7 Atsugi Japan as a HH-3A; 30jun7+ | |||||
| 61-018 | hss-2 | 148040 : 09jan69 deployed aboard USS Catskill (MCS-1) to HC-7 Det 113, Atsugi Japan+ | |||||
| 61-027 | hss-2 | 148049 : date unk, as SH-3A in HC-7 Atsugi Japan inventory : with HC-7 3nov68 to 12nov70 | |||||
| 58-1410 | hus-1 | 148821 : Aug69 as HC-7 Det.115 /62 on USS Maury (AGS-16) |  148821 : Sikorsky HUS-1, cn 58-1410, ff:? del USMC as HUS-1, 148821, unk; redesig U+ | ||||
| 61-076 | hss-2 | 149002 : USN; conv SH-3G; HC-7 Cubi Point w/o 29dec71 | |||||
| 28 | UH-2A | 149024 : known UH-2A type asg HC-7 |  N29-149024 : Rebuilt as SH-2G(A). RAN 841 | ||||
| 32 | UH-2A | 149028 : UH-2A type gear up landing in Thailand with HC-7 | |||||
| 34 | UH-2A | 149030 : HC-7 /VH-3 | ||||
| 37 | UH-2A | 1959 | 149033 : HH-2C type as HC-7 /VH-20 | ||||
| 40 | UH-2A | 149036 : UH-2A type as HC-7 /VH-8 | |||||
| 45 | UH-2A | 149743 : Kaman K-20 Seasprite, c/n 45, ff?; del USN as UH2K-1, 149743 unk; redesig + : UH-2A type as HC-7 /VH-6 : Helo assisting departing detachment from HC-7 Det Cubi. Loaded with 10,00+ | |||||
| 46 | UH-2A | 149744 : UH-2A type as HC-7 /VH-7 | |||||
| 50 | UH-2A | 149748 : Nov67 HC-7 /VH-3;
Jan68 HC-7 VH-3 NAF Atsugi, Japan;
19feb69 HC-2 Det+ : UH-2B type as HC-7 /VH-3 crashed at Atsugi, Japan | ||||
| 63 | UH-2A | 149761 : UH-2A type asg HC-7 : 28may/28oct 1966 UH-2A type and flown by LT LaRon Stoker USN aboard the US+ | |||||
| 66 | UH-2A | 149764 : Kaman K-20 Seasprite, c/n 66, ff?; del USN as UH2K-1, 149764 unk; redesig + : MOH flight was 19jun68. ALL four crew were rescued by HC-7 H-3 Big Mother+ : known HC-7 /VH-14 | |||||
| 75 | UH-2A | 149773 : HH-2C type as HC-7 /VH-20 unk | N29-149773 : RAN SH-2G(A) /842 from Feb01; 20mar08 rtn to Kaman N318KA : Kaman from Mar14, conv to SH-2G(I)  NZ3620 : SH-2G(I) type;
Nov15 RNZAF 6Sqn | ||||
| 76 | UH-2A | 149774 : known UH-2A type asg HC-7 | |||||
| 81 | UH-2A | 149779 : known UH-2A type as HC-7 /VH-1, /VH-2 and /VH-5 | |||||
| 61-177 | hss-2 | 149908 : USN; SH-3A HC-7 110det w/o 20feb70 : While on approach to USS Constellation (CV-64), Yankee Station, helo lost + | |||||
| 92 | UH-2B | 150142 : HH-2C type as HC-7 /VH-23 | |||||
| 102 | UH-2B | 150152 : UH-2B type as HC-7 /VH-55 | 150152 : redesig UH-2B in 1962; xfer MCAS SO&ES Cherry Point, 23Oct64 | ||||
| 103 | UH-2B | 150153 : w/o 04oct67 UH-2B type asg HC-7 | |||||
| 104 | UH-2B | 150154 : UH-2C type asg HC-7 /VH-26 | NZ3444 : RNZN, SH-2F type, ex BuNo 150154. prob spares | |||
| 114 | UH-2B | 150164 : HH-2C type as HC-7 /VH-21 | 150164 : redesig UH-2B in 1962; xfer MCAS Beaufort, 22Oct65; | ||||
| 129 | UH-2B | 150179 : HH-2C type as HC-7 /VH-24 | 150179 : 1964 to MCAS Yuma from 08oct to 02dec | ||||
| 2021 | CH-46A | 1964 | 150938 : xfer USN HC-7 09Jan70; xfer HC-3 24Sep70; stor MASDC DMAFB as 1J0002 05Aug+ | 150938 : BV-107M, c/n 2021, ff?; del USMC as CH-46A 150938, asgd Boeing FR Morton, + | |||
| 2027 | UH-46A | 1964 | 150966 : This bird was with HC-7 in Atsugi Japan and used for VertRep in Tonkin Gul+ | |||
| 139 | UH-2B | 151302 : UH-2B type asg HC-7 as /VH-1, /VH-5 and /VH-9 | |||||
| 143 | UH-2B | 151306 : HC-7 /VH-13 | 151306 : redesig UH-2B in 1962; xfer MCAS Yuma, 30Jul64 to 19Nov64 | ||||
| 145 | UH-2B | 151308 : known UH-2B type as HC-7 /VH-1 | 151308 : redesig UH-2B in 1962; xfer MCAS Cherry Point, 8Nov66 to 20Jun67; xfer MCA+ | ||||
| 146 | UH-2B | 151309 : known UH-2B type asg HC-7 /VH-4 | |||||
| 151 | UH-2B | 151314 : UH-2C type asg HC-7 /VH-22 | |||||
| 152 | UH-2B | 151315 : Kaman K-20 Seasprite, c/n 152, ff?; del USN as HU2K-1U 151315 unk;
redes+ : UH-2B type in HC-7 | |||||
| 153 | UH-2B | 151316 : 23jan68 thought to be UH-2B type asg HC-7 | |||||
| 168 | UH-2B | 151331 : w/o 19jan68 asg HC-7 | |||||
| 170 | UH-2B | 151333 : asg HC-7 | |||||
| 172 | UH-2B | 151335 : unk date pictured as HH-2C SAR type HC-7 /VH-25 during Vietnam War | ||||
| 61-272 | hss-2 | 1964 | 151552 : conv HH-3A type Combat Search and Rescue; asg HC-7 in Viet Nam; transf to + | N81661 : Carson Helicopters from Apr96; conv S-61A type with a modified landing gea+ N561SC : Sky Cats Puma Corp at Billings, MT from Jul07; firefighting; Jul14 picture+ N624CK : Croman Corp at White City, OR from Mar16 : purchased from Billings Flying Service by Croman sometime after May 2012; + | ||
| 61-292 | hss-2 | 151556 : Sikorsky HSS-2 c/n 61-292, ff:?; del USN as SH-3A 151556, 15Dec64; units u+ | |||||
| 2057 | UH-46A | 1965 | 151903 : 1965/66 pictured as VH-51 with HC-7 at Atsugi Japan | |||
| 2062 | UH-46A | 1965 | 151904 : 1969 pictured (top) during WestPac cruise as HC-7 /VH-53 from USS Niagara + | |||
| 2099 | CH-46A | 1965 | 151949 : 01 HC-7 tsfr this bird to HC-3 NAS Imperial Beach, CA | 151949 : BV-107M, c/n 2099, ff?; del USMC 30Sep65 as CH-46A 151949; asgd Noeing FR + | |||
| 175 | UH-2B | 152191 : UH-2B type asg HC-7 | |||||
| 185 | UH-2B | 152201 : UH-2C type asg HC-7 | |||||
| 2112 | UH-46A | 1965 | 152490 : BV-107M, c/n 2112, ff?; del USN 21Dec65 as UH-46A 152490; xfer HC-7, Det 1+ | ||||
| 2137 | UH-46A | 1966 | 152494 : BV-107M, c/n 2137, ff?; del USN 24Mar66 as UH-46A 152494; xfer HC-1, Det U+ : 1989 pictured vertrep operation from personal collection operational photo+ : w/o 08apr69 HC-7 Det 102, vertrep, aboard USS Mars (AFS-1) night flight t+ | |||
| 2144 | UH-46A | 1966 | 152495 : 27nov67 HC-7 Det 102 aboard USS Mars (AFS-1) - off loading ammo from grou+ | |||
| 2259 | UH-46D | 1967 | 153410 : BV-107M, c/n 2259, ff?; del USN as UH-46D, 153410, 27Feb67; xfer HC-7, VH-+ : 1965/66 pictured as VH-61 with HC-7 at NAS Atsugi, Japan during a SAR miss+ | |||
|  | mh-60s | 167874 : as HC-7 /AC-615 pictured in Easterwood, Texas during Hurricane Harvey re+ | ||||