Return to the Helicopter Research Page
The following information has been developed from research of ARRS unit histories, SEA aircraft loss records, and accounts of Air Force Cross and Medal of Honor actions in SEA. If you have information relevant to this list please contact:
Ron Thurlow
2689 Richmar Dr.
Beavercreek, OH 45434Email: tlow52@hotmail.com
Thank you.
| MDS | S/N | Event | Date of Occurance | Crew Member/Details | Disposition |
| HH-53B | 66-14428 | First Flight | 15 Mar 67 | Wright/At Sikorsky, Stratford, Ct | Active |
| HH-53B | 66-14430 | SEA attrition | 18 Jan 69 | Darghty/"JG 67" Sest by FA, Tchepone | Dest during msn |
| HH-53 | 66-14431 | First H-53s carried C-S | 28 Jul 71 | NA/Two helos loaded at Udorn, to U.S. | Active |
| HH-53 | 66-14431 | Yarrawonga SAR | Jan 89 | Unk/Saved 35 from ship near Ireland | Active |
| HH-53 | 66-14432 | First H-53s carried C-S | 28 Jul 71 | NA/Two helos loaded at Udorn, to U.S. | Unk |
| HH-53H | 66-14433 | Prototype -53H rollout | 18 Sep 75 | NA/At Wright-Patterson Mod Center | Unk |
| HH-53B | 66-14434 | Shot down by MiG-21 | 28 Jan 70 | Bell/"JG 71" Over Laos on F-105 SAR | Crashed during msn |
| HH-53B | 66-14434 | SEA attrition | 28 Jan 70 | Bell/"JG 71" | Dest during msn |
| MH-53J | 67-14994 | First MH-53J rollout | 17 Jan 87 | Unk/ | Active |
| HH-53C | 68-8283 | Air Force Cross | 30 Jun 70 | Schaneberg/"JG 54" Laos SAR effort | Crashed during msn |
| HH-53C | 68-8283 | SEA attrition | 30 Jun 70 | Schaneberg/"JG 54" Nail 44 SAR | Crashed during msn |
| HH-53C | 68-8285 | Silver Star x 3, Son Tay | 21 Nov 70 | Brown, Wellington,Lebarre/"Apple 4" | Cmbt loss 21 Jul 71 |
| HH-53C | 68-8285 | SEA attrition | 21 Jul 71 | Bennet/"JG 54" Shot down, drone recvy | Crashed during msn |
| HH-53C | 68-8286 | Air Force Cross | 21 Nov 70 | Donohue/"Apple 3", took out gun towers | Active |
| HH-53C | 68-8286 | Silver Star x 4, Son Tay | 21 Nov 70 | Waldron, Hodges, Rogers, Sowell | Active |
| MH-53J | 68-10356 | Task Force Normandy | 17 Jan 91 | Classified/4acft - led AH-64 raid in Iraq | Active |
| MH-53J | 68-10356 | First Coalition acft Kuw | 1991 | Unk/Landed at Kuwait lntnl Airport | Active |
| HH-53C | 68-10357 | Air Force Cross | 21 Nov 70 | Britton/Apple 1" - Simons' Assault Gp | Active |
| HH-53C | 68-10357 | Silver Star x 3, Son Tay | 21 Nov 70 | Montrem, Harvey, Tasker | Active |
| HH-53C | 68-10358 | Wing, last H-53s NKP | 18 Sep 75 | Nickerson/"JG 60" 2-ship to Korat | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-10359 | Silver Star x 3, Son Tay | 21 Nov 70 | Murphy, MacLeod, Glade ?'Apple 5" | Cmbt loss 27 Mar 72 |
| HH-53C | 68-10359 | SEA attrition | 27 Mar 72 | Pannabecker/"JG 61" Cambodia | Crashed during msn |
| HH-53C | 68-10361 | Air Force Cross | 21 Nov 70 | Allison/Apple 2" - Sydnor's Cmd Gp | Destroyed 18 Aug 72 |
| HH-53C | 68-10361 | Silver Star x 2, Son Tay | 21 Nov 70 | Lester, Montgomery/ Son Tay raid | Destroyed 18 Aug 72 |
| HH-53C | 68-10361 | US Army x 7 saves | 31 Dec 71 | Griffith/"JG 21" Crash or grnd team? | Destroyed 18 Aug 72 |
| HH-53C | 68-10361 | Quang Tri Evac, 3 of 4 | 1 May 72 | Weimer/"JG 21" Recov'd 50 individuals | Destroyed 18 Aug 72 |
| HH-53C | 68-10361 | 800th "save" for 37th | 1 May 72 | Weimer/"JG 21" Actually #791 - #837 | Destroyed 18 Aug 72 |
| HH-53C | 68-10361 | SEA attrition | 18 Aug 72 | NA/Dest on gnd at DaNang, rkt attack | Destroyed on grnd |
| HH-53C | 68-10362 | Purple Heart x8 (3 acft) | 13 Mar 71 | Brown/"JG 64" Battle Cry 315 SAR | Crashed 14 Jun 73 |
| HH-53C | 68-10362 | Silver Star, Tchepone | 13 Mar 71 | Curtis-PJ/"JG 64" Battle Cry 315, WIA | Crashed 14 Jun 73 |
| HH-53C | 68-10362 | SEA attrition | 14 Jun 73 | Rovito/"JG 64" lost tail rotor, Tonle Sap | Crashed during msn |
| HH-53C | 68-10363 | US Army x 10 saves | 1 Jun 70 | Brown/"JG 65" Chatterbox 7, CH-46 | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-10363 | Silver Star (right date?) | 11 Jul 70 | Holcomb/"JG 65" Playboy 45B, A-4 | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-10363 | ARVN x 5 saves | 6 Feb 71 | Drebelbis/"JG 65" UH-1 in SVN | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-10363 | Silver Star x 4, Khe Sanh | 26 Feb 71 | Weimer-CP, McKinney, Nardi, Curtis | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-10363 | US Army x 8 saves | 26 Jul 71 | Heiges/"JG 65" 45th Eng Btn | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-10363 | US Army x 8 saves | 9 Sep 71 | Martin/"JG 65" Woodstock 40, UH-1 | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-10363 | ARVN x 8 saves | 8 Nov 71 | Griffith/"JG 65" Assume UH-1 crash | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-10363 | ARVN x 7 saves | 12 Nov 71 | Griffith/"JG 65" Assume UH-1 crash | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-10363 | 700th "save" for 37th | 30 Jan 72 | Colgrove/"JG 65" Near Phu Bai, Laos | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-10363 | Quang Tri Evac, 2 of 4 | 1 May 72 | Griffith/"JG 65" Recov'd 45 individuals | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-10364 | Air Force Cross | 15 May 75 | Backlund/Actions at Koh Tang Island | Crashed 2 Jun 99 |
| HH-53C | 68-10364 | 1976 Schilling Award | 15 May 75 | Backlund/Actions at Koh Tang Island | Crashed 2 Jun 99 |
| HH-53C | 68-10365 | BAT-21 SAR loss | 6 Apr 72 | Chapman/"JG 65", attmp p/u,shotdown | Crashed during msn |
| HH-53C | 68-10365 | SEA attrition | 6 Apr 72 | Chapman/"JG 65", attmp p/u,shotdown | Crashed during msn |
| HH-53C | 68-10366 | 600th "save" for 37th | 20 Jan 71 | Mudd/"JG 70" | Cmbt loss 25 Nov 71 |
| HH-53C | 68-10366 | Unk unit x 14 saves | 25 Nov 71 | Swenk/"JG 70" Unknown action | Crashed during msn |
| HH-53C | 68-10366 | SEA attrition | 25 Nov 71 | Swenk/"JG 70" Song Na River, SVN | Crashed during msn |
| MH-53J | 68-10367 | First Pave Low combat | Dec 89 | Unk/Operation Just Cause (Panama) | Active |
| MH-53J | 68-10367 | Task Force Normandy | 17 Jan 91 | Classified/4acft - led AH-64 raid in Iraq | Active |
| HH-53C | 68-10368 | Trans-Atlantic flight | 6 Nov 75 | Maratos?/Pease-Woodbridge, 2 stops, AAR | Crashed Jun 77 |
| MH-53J | 68-10369 | Task Force Normandy | 17 Jan 91 | Classified/4acft - led AH-64 raid in Iraq | Active |
| CH-53C | 68-10922? | First CH-53 to USAF | 1964 | Unk/ | Crashed Nov 71 |
| CH-53C | 68-10925 | Oper Frequent Wind | 29-30 Apr 75 | Unk/Evac U.S. Embassy in Saigon | Cmbt loss 15 May 75 |
| CH-53C | 68-10925 | Air Force Cross | 15 May 75 | Harston-FE/"K 31" Actions at Koh Tang | Crashed during msn |
| CH-53C | 68-10925 | SEA attrition | 15 May 75 | Carson/"K 31" shot down at Koh Tang | Crashed during msn |
| CH-53C | 68-10926 | Mayaguez Incident | 15 May 75 | Denham/"K 21" Led west beach insert | Crashed during msn |
| CH-53C | 68-10926 | SEA attrition | 15 May 75 | Denham/"K 21" Led west beach insert | Crashed during msn |
| CH-53C | 68-10927 | Air Force Cross | 15 May 75 | Brims/"K 51"Actions at Koh Tang | Crashed 17 Mar 76 |
| CH-53C | 68-10928 | Mayaguez Incident | 15 May 75 | Ohlemeier/"K 22" West beach insert | Active |
| CH-53C | 68-10929 | SEA attrition | 18 Feb 71 | Unk/"K 47" Crashed on landing in Laos | Crashed during msn |
| MH-53J | 68-10930 | 1991 Mackay Trophy | 21 Jan 91 | Trask+crew/Pickup Navy pilot in Iraq | Active |
| CH-53C | 68-10931 | SEA attrition | 1 Mar 71 | Ramsey/"k 34" Crashed on lndg, LS 20 | Crashed during msn |
| CH-53C | 68-10932 | 1975 Aviator Valor Awd | 15 May 75 | Lackey/"Knife 32" 75 hits at Koh Tang | Crashed Jun 95 |
| CH-53C | 68-10933 | Crash enrout Mayagz | 13 May 75 | Kayes/Mech fail enroute UT w/SPs | Crashed during msn |
| CH-53C | 68-10933 | SEA attrition | 13 May 75 | Kayes/Mech fail enroute UT w/SPs | Crashed during msn |
| HH-53C | 68-5784 | 1971 Aviator Valor Awd | 6 Mar 71 | Mudd/"JG 71" Cmbt Resc of Spad 04 | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-5784 | Purple Heart x 8 (3 acft) | 13 Mar 71 | Jensen/"JG 71" Battle Cry 315 SAR | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-5784 | Quang Tri Evac, 1 of 4 | 1 May 72 | Scott/"JG 71" Recovered 37 individuals | Unk |
| HH-53C | 68-5784 | US Army x 7 saves | 7 Nov 72 | Bruner/"JG 71" crash or grnd team? | Unk |
| HH-53C | 69-5785 | Mayaguez Incident | 15 May 75 | Pacini/"JG 42" West beach insert | Active |
| HH-53C | 69-5785 | Silver Star | 15 may 75 | Pacini/"JG 42" For actions at Koh Tang | Active |
| HH-53C | 69-5786 | 1972 Helo Heroism Awd | 10-11 Dec 71 | Ernext/"JG 30" Ashcan 01 SAR | Crashed Jul 80 |
| HH-53C | 69-5786 | Air Force Cross | 1-2 Jun 72 | Stovall/"JG 30" NVN SAR, p/u Locher | Crashed Jul 80 |
| HH-53C | 69-5786 | Mayaguez Incident | 15 May 75 | Blough/"JG 44" Night combat extract | Crashed Jul 80 |
| HH-53C | 69-5787 | First Trans-Pac helo fit | 15-24 Aug 70 | Williams/#2, 8,739 mi Eglin - Saigon flight | Crashed Feb 79 |
| HH-53C | 69-5787 | Army/ARVN x 13 saves | 20 Aug 71 | Lange/"JG 72" Blue Star 790 crash | Crashed Feb 79 |
| HH-53C | 69-5788 | First Trans-Pac helo fit | 15-24 Aug 70 | Donohue/Lead acft, 13 AAR from -130s | Cmbt loss 27 Dec 72 |
| HH-53C | 69-5788 | Purple Heart x 8 (3 acft) | 13 Mar 71 | Copperthite/"JG 73" Battle Cry 315 SAR | Cmbt loss 27 Dec 72 |
| HH-53C | 69-5788 | Silver Star, Tchepone | 13 Mar 71 | Rhody/"JG 73" Battle Cry 315 SAR | Cmbt loss 27 Dec 72 |
| HH-53C | 69-5788 | Air Force Cross | 27 Jun 72 | McGrath/"JG 73" Lowered to find pilot | Cmbt loss 27 Dec72 |
| HH-53C | 69-5788 | Silver Star, Thailand | Dec 1972 | Caldwell-PJ/"JG 01", B-52 SAR | Cmbt loss 27 Dec72 |
| HH-53C | 68-5788 | Silver Star x 5, NVN | 27 Dec 72 | Shapiro, Pereira, Rouhier, Jones, Carlson | Dest by A-7s in Laos |
| HH-53C | 68-5788 | SEA attrition | 27 Dec 72 | Shapiro/"JG 73" Jackal 33B SAR, dmg'd | Dest by A-7s in Laos |
| HH-53H | 69-5791 | First prod -53H roll out | 13 Mar 79 | NA/Pensacola NARF, "Black Knight" | Active |
| HH-53C | 69-5792 | Single eng in SEA | 5 May 71 | Strayer/Jett tanks, settled below trees | Crashed 27 Jul 82 |
| HH-53C | 69-5792 | DFC x 5, Laos | 13 Apr 72 | Stovall+four crew/"JG 62", Bengal 505 | Crashed 27 Jul 82 |
| HH-53C | 69-5792 | Air Force Cross | 15 May 75 | Purser/Actions at Koh Tang Island | Crashed 27 Jul 82 |
| HH-53C | 69-5792 | 1976 Schilling Award | 15 May 75 | Purser/"JG 43" Actions at Koh Tang | Crashed 27 Jul 82 |
| HH-53C | 69-5792 | Lead, last H-53s NKP | 18 Sep 75 | Sheffield/"JG 62" 200 ft 2-ship flyby | Crashed 27 Jul 82 |
| HH-53C | 69-5793 | Air Force Cross | 13 Apr 72 | Orrell/"JG 32" Pickup Bengal 505 | Active |
| HH-53C | 69-5793 | First night SAR w/ NRS | 21 Dec 72 | Shipman/"JG 32" Pickup Spectre 17 crew | Active |
| HH-53C | 69-5793 | Mayaguez Incident | 15 May 75 | Jacobs, Walls/"JG 12" Two crews | Active |
| HH-53C | 69-5793 | Silver Star | 15 May 75 | Jacobs/"JG 12" Actions at Koh Tang | Active |
| HH-53C | 69-5793 | Silver Star | 15 May 75 | Walls/"JG 12" Separate msns Koh Tang | Active |
| HH-53C | 69-5794 | Mayaguez Incident | 15 May 75 | Greer/"JG 13" 35 hits during rescue | Active |
| HH-53C | 69-5794 | Last H-53 flight fm NKP | 21 Sep 75 | Unk/"JG 53" P/U maint, Hog closes.log | Active |
| HH-53C | 69-5795 | Mayaguez Incident | 15 May 75 | Cooper/"JG 41" 5 land atmpts west bch | Active |
| MH-53J | 69-5795 | Static display, 1994 IAT | 30-31 Jul 94 | Unk/From Alconbury/21st SOS | Active |
| HH-53C | 69-5797 | Trans-Atlantic flight | 6 Nov 75 | Maratos?/Pease-Woodbridge, 2 stops, AAR | Active |
| CH-53C | 70-1626 | Mayaguez Incident | 15 May 75 | Rakitis/"K 52" Driven off by intense AAA | Active |
| CH-53C | 70-1627 | Mayaguez Incident | 15 May 75 | Schramm/"K 23" Led east beach insert | Destroyed on beach |
| CH-53C | 70-1628 | SEA attrition | 24 Jan 75 | Hall/Unknown circumstances | Crashed during msn |
| MH-53J | 70-1630 | Task Force Normandy | 17 Jan 91 | Classified/4acft - led AH-64 raid in Iraq | Active |
| HH-53H | 73-1650 | 1984 Kolligian Trophy | 14 Nov 84 | Kelly/First ever landing without tail rotor | Unk |
| HH-53H | 73-5791 | "Black Knight" rollout | 13 Mar 79 | NA/First production Pave Low III H-53 | Unk |
| HH-53C | "JG 03" | Pickup helo, AFC action | 18 Nov 72 | Gillespie/Pickup F-105 crew, Clark AFC | Unk |
| CH-53A | Unk | First CH-53 to USAF | 28 Nov 66 | Unk/Delvd to Eglin / 48ARRS | Unk |
| HH-53B | Unk | First HH-53B to USAF | 18 Jun 67 | Unk/ | Unk |
| HH-53C | Unk | First HH-53C to USAF | 30 Aug 68 | Unk/ | Unk |
| MH-53J | Unk | First MH-53 to USAF | 1987 | Unk/ | Unk |
| HH-53B | Unk | First HH-53 to SEA | 15 Sep 67 | Unk/To Udorn | Unk |
| CH-53C | Unk | First CH-53C to SEA | Aug 70 | Unk/Delvd to 21HS | Unk |
| HH-53C | 37, Danang | First HH-53 to 37 ARRS | 18 Apr 70 | Unk/Delved to DaNang | Unk |
| HH-53C | 37, Danang | First HH-53 "save" 37th | Unk | Thompson | Unk |
| HH-53C | 37, Danang | Quang Tri Evac, 4 of 4 | 1 May 72 | Sutton/Landed to ensure all evac | Unk |
| MH-53 | 20/Hurib | l988 TunnerAward | 1 Dec 87 | Schumacher+crew/Hurlburt, 20HS | Unk |
| MH-53J | 21/Milden | 1995 Cheney Award | 6/7 Sep 95 | Harmon+crew/Attmpt SAR, French plt | Unk |
| MH-53J | 21/Milden | 1995 Cheney Award | 6/7 Sep 95 | Moncrief+crew/Attmpt SAR, French plt | Unk |
| MH-53J | 21/Milden | 1997 Tunner Award | Apr 96 | Harmon+crew/Evac emb at Monrovia | Active |
| MH-53J | 21/Milden | 1996 Cheney Award | Apr 96 | Webb/CT-43 rescue efforts | Active |
| MH-53J | 21/Milden | 1996 Cheney Award | Apr 96 | Webb/Evac 350 at Monrovia, Liberia | Active |
| HH-53 | 3 Acft? | Operation Eagle Pull | 11-l3Apr75 | Var/Phnom Penh evacuation | Unk |
| CH/HH-53 | 10 Acft? | Oper Frequent Wind | 29-30Apr 75 | Var/Saigon evac, 82 sorties, 40th/2lst | Unk |
| MH-53J | 5 Acft? | Operation Just Cause | Dec 89 | Var/Panama invasion | Unk |
| MH-53J | Unk | Flew Noriega to Howard | Dec89 | Unk/Then flown to U.S. by MC-130 | Unk |
| MH-53J | 3 Acft | Several notable msns | Dec 89 | O'Boyle/Night urban assault, others | Unk |
| HH-53 | 3 Acft | Jonestown Massacre | Unk | Prince?/911 bodies to Georgetown | Unk |
| HH-53H | Unk | First Pave Low SAR | 11 Jan 80 | Walls, Connelly/Night rescue near Albq | Unk |
| HH-53 | Unk | Notable flight | Oct 71 | Montreus/First 2,000 hour HH-53 pilot | Unk |
| HH-53C | 40, NKP | Silver Star msn (PJ) | 21 Dec 72 | Bradley, Salome PJ/"JG 02", at night | Unk |
| HH-53 | 40, NKP | Silver Star msn - PJ | 20 Dec 72 | Stephan L. Caldwell/ Ban Ban, Laos | Unk |
| HH-53 | 37 | Silver Star msn x 2 | Unk | Lt Col Royal A. Brown/Unk action | Unk |
| HH-53 | 40 | Silver Star msn x 2 | Unk | Capt. Dale E. Stovall | Unk |
| HH-53 | 40? | Silver Star x 2 | Unk | Maj Mel Gillespie/Unk action | Unk |
| HH-53C | 37 ARRS | Named "Big Bertha" | Unk | Var/ | Unk |
Ron Thurlow As of: 25 Jun 99
Return to the Helicopter Research Page