43d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron

The 43d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron is a unit of the 43d Operations Group, 43d Airlift Wing at Pope AFB, North Carolina. It is a component of Eighteenth Air Force and Air Mobility Command of the United States Air Force, and is part of the air force component of United States Transportation Command. It provides tactical aeromedical evacuation for U.S. troops and regional Unified Commands using C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III, and other opportune aircraft. The unit is manned by Flight Nurses, Medical Service Corps Officers, Aeromedical Evacuation Technicians, Medical Administration and Logistics Technicians, and Radio and Communications Operators.

On 1 April 1997, the 23d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron was deactivated and the 43 AES activated as part of the 43d Airlift Wing under Air Mobility Command.

In April of 1999, the 43 AES deployed to Tirana, Albania in support of Operation Noble Anvil. As part of Task Force Hawk, AES personnel provided support to Army V Corps. Twenty-seven missions were flown on opportune C-17 and C-130 aircraft resulting in the safe and timely transfer of service members to include one injured security police dog.

On 7 October 2001, The US began its war on terrorism and Operation Enduring Freedom began. Later that month, personnel from the 43 AES, were the first aeromedical forces to deploy overseas.

Since January 2003 members of the 43 AES have been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Members of the 43 AES also deployed in support of joint operations related to Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita in 2005.

History of Aeromedical Evacuation
First activated in 1951 as the 1st Medical Air Evacuation Squadron at Rhein-Main AB, West Germany, this unit provided medical air evacuation support of sick and injured personnel in areas under the jurisdiction of US Air Forces in Europe and European Command, July 1951 to August 1958. It processed patients in evacuation missions, including scheduled flights to Paris, Berlin, and Burtonwood and non-scheduled or emergency flights to France, England, Trieste, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, and Luxembourg. Among the notable missions was one on 24 August 1951, when two C-82s dispatched to Verdun and Metz, France, to evacuate dead and injured from the Frankfurt-Paris Express train crash near Metz. Another occurred during a mission to Tempelhof Air Base, Berlin. On 8 October 1952, two Soviet MiG aircraft buzzed and fired upon an aeromedical evacuation aircraft. The pilot evaded being shot down by maneuvering into cloud cover and evaded the fighters. The unit also presented numerous training demonstrations in aeromedical evacuation procedures.

In December 1952, the unit was redesignated the 1st Aeromedical Evacuation Flight, but did not change missions or assignment. It continued performing scheduled and emergency air evacuations from Europe and countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It also provided air evacuation demonstrations and participated in occasional tactical exercises. It regained squadron status in April 1957 and was inactivated on 8 August 1958.

The unit history then jumps to Donaldson AFB, South Carolina, where on 19 March 1957 the 1st Aeromedical Evacuation Group was activated under the USAF Tactical Medical Center and included the 21st and 22d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadrons. On 30 June 1957, the USAF Tactical Medical Center and subordinate units were assigned to the 464th Troop Carrier Wing and relocated to Pope AFB, North Carolina. The USAF Tactical Medical Center was deactivated on 16 September 1957, while at the same time, the 1st Aeromedical Evacuation Group and 21st Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron were reassigned to Pope AFB and the 22d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron was reassigned to Stewart AFB, Tennessee.

In 1965, the 1st Aeromedical Evacuation Group responded to the Dominican Republic Crisis by mobilizing a tactical aeromedical system. Hundreds of patients were safely evacuated to the United States. Part of the 21st Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron deployed to Vietnam in February 1967 in direct support of the 903d Aeromedical Evacuation Flight.

On 1 July 1970, the 21st Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and 22d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadrons were deactivated. All personnel and equipment were reassigned to the 1st Aeromedical Evacuation Group. The 1st Aeromedical Evacuation Group transferred from Tactical Air Command to Military Airlift Command’s 375th Aeromedical Airlift Wing as a part of the consolidated aeromedical evacuation system in December 1974. On 1 July 1975, the 1st Aeromedical Evacuation Group was deactivated and the 1st Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron was reactivated.

In October 1983, the 1 AES deployed to Grenada in support of Operation Urgent Fury. The squadron aeromedically evacuated numerous casualties during the operation. From December 1989 through January 1990, the 1 AES was deployed in support of Operation Just Cause. During this period, 1 AES personnel established and supported the Joint Casualty Collection Point at Howard AFB, Panama. In addition to providing life-saving intervention and treatment of combat casualties, 1 AES personnel aeromedically evacuated wounded soldiers to stateside medical treatment facilities.

On 10 August 1990, the 1 AES deployed personnel to the Middle East for support of theater aeromedical operations in Operation Desert Shield. During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, thousands of theater and strategic patient movements were managed by 1 AES personnel. Following these operations, the 1 AES deployed personnel in support of Operation Provide Comfort from May through October 1991. The squadron also provided support for US forces in Somalia in Operation Restore Hope. The 1 AES deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia, on 18 December 1992 and managed more patient movements on aeromedical evacuation missions.

The 1 AES was realigned under the 317th Airlift Wing, Air Mobility Command, on 1 July 1992 as part of an Air Force-wide reorganization, and on 16 July 1993, the 1 AES was realigned under Air Combat Command and assigned to the 23d Wing. Finally, the 1st Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1994 and on the same date, the 23d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron was activated.

Since its activation, the 23d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron has supported several major operations. On 11 September 1994, personnel deployed to Haiti, Cuba, and Puerto Rico in support of Operation Uphold Democracy. In preparation for the Operation, the squadron expanded in size by 300 percent, obtaining personnel from Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units, as well as some active duty medical units. Personnel established a first-ever Theater Patient Movement Requirements Center (TPMRC), employed an aeromedical evacuation liaison team (AELT) on the USNS Comfort (T-AH-20), and safely evacuated patients to destination hospitals. On 11 October 1994, command and control of aeromedical evacuation operations were transferred to Air Reserve Component units, allowing a rapid transition and redeployment of 23 AES assets in support of Operation Vigilant Warrior. Squadron members redeployed in less than 24 hours of their return from Operation Uphold Democracy.

In January 1995, the 23 AES deployed personnel in support of Operation United Shield and Operation Safe Passage. During Operation United Shield, a MASF, AELT and AECC were deployed to Mombassa, Kenya to aid in the withdrawal of US and UN forces from Somalia. An additional AELT was stationed on the USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) for 40 days to provide a link with USN medical assets.

Also in January of 1995, an Aeromedical Evacuation Operations Team was deployed to Howard AFB, Panama, for Operation Safe Passage. Over the course of 20 days, deployed personnel coordinated the safe transit of more than 7,400 Cuban migrants on 80 missions.

In December 1995, the 23 AES deployed personnel in support of Operation Joint Endeavor. Four TAES elements were deployed into the European Theater. Working jointly with the 86 AES, squadron personnel were responsible for all patient aeromedical evacuation within and out of the contingency area.

Most recently, on 1 April 1997, the 23 AES was deactivated and the 43 AES activated as part of the 43d Airlift Wing under Air Mobility Command.