1952 to 2009


usa Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Three

US Navy

HS-3 Tridents









Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Three
Tridents, tail code HW then HB

1954-1957 HO4S / H-19
1957-1962 HHS-1 / H-34
1962-1967 SH-3A
1967-1978 SH-3D
1978-1991 SH-3H
1991-2009 SH-60F / HH-60H

On 1 July 2009, was redesignated Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron NINE ( HSC-9 )




1959-1962, I served on HS-3. Soa2 Cruised on USS Valley Forge (CVS-45), USS Lake Champain (CVS-39) and the USS Intrepid. Love that time in my life

1959-1962 served in HS-3, home based at NAS Norfolk, Va, deployed on USS Valley Forge CVS-45 to the Med, North Atlantic, Caribbean, and Atlantic Ops Area.

Feb60-Jul61, I was in Norfolk HS3, cruised on USS Valley Forge, and transferred to Quonset Point to help form HS13 during the Cuban Crisis.

1960-1963 I was attached to HS-3 at NAS Norfolk. Cruised with the squadron aboard the USS Valley Forge CVS-45, the USS Intrepid CVS-11, and the USS Wasp CVS-18. Was sent to the Sikorsky HSS-2 Fleet Indoctrination Program in Key West. Was aboard the Intrepid when one of HS-3's HSS-2s picked up Astronaut Scot Carpenter. Participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis with HS-3 aboard the Wasp. -

1960-1963, I was in HS-3. We were out of NAS Norfolk & were on the Intrepid and Wasp during this period. We picked up Scott Carpenter & was active in the Cuban Crisis. I think we were the first Squadron on the East coast with the Sikorsky turbos. I received a rescue award in June of 1963

1961-1963, I was with HS-3. I also received a Sikorsky Winged S rescue award on June 10, 1963. Was in the retrieval of Scott Carpenter who came down 205 miles from the Intrepid. I was also on the Wasp for a short time, while the intrepid was in dry dock. I was on the bay of pigs and the Cuban blockade. I would love to know who the gentleman was that posted above me that also got a rescue award in June 19 63. I am wondering if it was my sidekick in HS/3. His name was Tom Lido, LYTLE.

1961-1965 this is Roy Smith, I was sonarman (AX2) AC. I was aircrew training Petty Officer, Sonar QC Inspector and NATOPS Evaluator. We had just received the HSS-2, with twin 1250HP Turbo jet engines. It could fly and land with one engine but could not hover on one engine. It could float in the water although I never knew of anyone who deliberately tried this. We operated out of Chambers Field in Norfolk, Va. and deployed on the Intrepid and the Wasp when the Intrepid went in the yard. We did crash one in the water, and it floated for 3 hours but we lost it while they were trying to hoist it aboard ship. I was on board the Intrepid when we picked up Scott Carpenter. We had a specially trained Marine Corp crew on board to pick Carpenter up, but he overshot his landing site by so far, their Helos. didn't have the range to retrieve him. With no special training they sent HS-3 Helos out to pick Scott up. All of our pilots and crew had hundreds of hours of doing personnel transfers, mail drops to other ships and submarines, but no specific training for astronaut pickups. It went well, very few people knew the helo. developed a severe transmission fluid leak, which was not uncommon in these helos., but it made it ok. Went on to the Cuban Crisis and wound up counting the missiles and taking pictures of them for identification. Lot of tiring work at sea. Sometimes flight ops would go for several days. Flight time was typically 4 hours, but with ready room time and debriefing it was a 5-hour stint. Ships company worked 8 hour shifts, Air squadrons worked 12 hour shifts and flew in non work hours, making for a very long day. No A/C, racks that hung by chains, mattresses 2 inches thick, not like todays ships. WOULD ENJOY HEARING FROM SOME OLD SHIPMATES.

1965 stationed at NAS Norfolk, then aboard the USS Intrepid for a short mission to pick up Gus Grissom on the Gemini 3 space mission. Great experience. -

1968-1969, We were based in NAS Norfolk, then we moved to Quonset Pt RI in 1970!

1968-1971, Was a rigger. Then went to pax river

1970-1973, Homeported at NAS Quonset Point with workups on WASP and INTREPID (1970) then transitioned to FORRESTAL (1971-). What a difference between CVS and CVA deployments.

1975-1978 I was in HS-3. During the first part of my enlistment the Forrestal (assigned ship) was in the yards being refitted and I was stationed with my squadron at NAS JAX. In early 1976 the Forrestal began "SHAKE DOWN" cruises in the Atlantic. The ship then transferred its port from Norfolk, VA to Mayport, FL. On July 4th,1976 the Forrestal was the "LEAD Ship" in the procession of old and new ships going up the East River in NYC for the Centennial Celebration. She went under the Verrazano Bridge and [past the Statue of Liberty. -

1977-1981 AF AMS 2 Tom kent

1985-89, USS Saratoga. Great time, tons of hard work

2000-2003, Homeported in at NAS Jacksonville FL deployed on cvn-65 when 9-11-2001 happened and that was the first ship to be weighting off the coast of Pakistan too bomb Afghanistan, and the next deployment was on cvn 73 and most of that time the carrier was all by it self NO friendly ships near off the coast of Lebanon




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  Locations


YearsLocationICAO/FAA
1957/09NAS JacksonvilleKNIP
1952/57Elizabeth CityKECG



helicopter   Models


Years Models
1991/09 S-70 H-60
1962/91 S-61 H-3
1957/62 S-58 H-34
1954/57 S-55 H-19



  Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Three Operations


Dates Operation
1974-jul1974-sep CY Partition of Cyprus
1958-jul-151958-aug-23 LB Operation Blue Bat






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