First Helicopter Rescue by the U.S. Military
From OnAirpower.org
The first recorded helicopter rescue by U.S. military forces was completed by Army Air Force pilot Lt. Carter Harmon, flying a YR-4 helicopter in Burma during World War II.
Lt. Harmon was part of the 1st Air Commandos, which was supporting British troops operating behind Japanese lines in Burma. The 1st Air Commandos had brought six of the Army's first YR-4 helicopters to Burma for use in picking up wounded troops from the difficult jungle terrain and evacuating them to safety[1].
On April 21, 1944, an L-1 light plane carrying three wounded soldiers had to make a forced landing in Japanese-held territory. Harmon departed for Burma to rescue the four stranded soldiers on the 21st, but was forced to fly in stages due to the YR-4 engine's tendency to overheat. He finally arrived at a jungle landing strip in Burma named "Aberdeen" on April 23rd[1].
On April 24th, 1944 Harmon first made contact with the men, but was forced to evacuate them one at a time due to the YR-4's limited lift capabilities. He successfully evacuated all of the passengers of the downed plane to a waiting L-1 airplane that was waiting nearby[1].
Harmon continued to fly rescue missions from the "Aberdeen" airstrip until May 4, 1944. He completed a total of twenty-three sorties, rescuing a total of eighteen soldiers and demonstrating the value of rotary-wing aviation[1].
[edit] Sources
- First AAF Helicopter Rescue at National Museum of the USAF
[edit] References
Categories: USAF | WWII | Firsts | DYK
