PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --
The 920th Rescue Wing's 39th Rescue Squadron performed two flyover events for the Daytona 400 NASCAR races at Daytona International Speedway in August with their HC-130J Combat King II aircraft.
Flyovers are a way for the U.S. Air Force to showcase the capabilities of aircraft while at the same time inspiring a future generations to serve their country.
Based at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, the 920th Rescue Wing is the only Air Force Reserve Command that trains and equips approximately 2,000 Airmen who carry out its mission, to search for, locate and recover U.S. Armed Forces personnel during military operations. Air Force rescue is the only DoD entity specifically organized, trained and equipped to conduct personnel recovery operations into hostile or denied areas as a primary mission.
The 920th Rescue Wing is comprised of 23 subordinate groups and squadrons, including three geographically separated units; one at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, one at Portland, Oregon, and one at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
The wing is responsible for a demanding and compelling array of missions, and the men and women who serve here must maintain a high level of proficiency and be ready to deploy at moment’s notice. In addition to supporting the space program, the unit’s other peacetime missions include search-and-rescue support for civilians in distress at sea, in the desert or upon mountains. The wing also provides worldwide humanitarian relief, supporting rescue efforts in the aftermath of disasters such as hurricanes, floods and earthquakes.
The 920th was originally the 301st Rescue Squadron, which was activated in 1956, becoming the Air Force Reserve’s first and only rescue squadron. The unit was based at Miami International Airport and made its first rescue in January 1957. In 1960, the unit relocated to Homestead AFB, Florida. The following year, the wing began a relationship with NASA and the U.S. space program, providing rescue-contingency operations for the first Mercury launch.
"These Things We Do That Others May Live"