23rd Flying Training Squadron

The 23rd Flying Training Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force, currently assigned to 58th Operations Group performing helicopter training at Fort Novosel, Alabama.

Since January 1994, the 23d Flying Training Squadron is the United States Air Force's primary source of helicopter pilots for special operations, combat search and rescue, missile support, and distinguished visitor airlift missions. Its mission is providing Air Force helicopter flight training for all undergraduate pilots proceeding to flying careers in the Air Force's UH 1N Huey, HH 60G Pave Hawk or CV 22 Osprey fleets. Tactical training includes alternate insertion and extraction (AIEs) but specialized training like hoists and gunnery is saved for type qualification in post graduate flight training at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico to smooth their transition in more complicated aircraft and missions. USAF rotary wing students receive their wings when their Fort Novosel pilot training class is completed.

The 23d's first predecessor is the 76th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) which was activated at Salt Lake City Army Air Base, Utah on 15 January 1941. It was redesignated the 23d Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) on 3 March 1943, and assigned to the 26th Antisubmarine Wing and moved to Imeson Field, Jacksonville, Florida with a variety of aircraft (North American B 25 Mitchell, Douglas O 43 and a Douglas B 18 Bolo). Coastal patrols were flown over the southeast coast looking for German U boats. It deployed to Batista Field, Cuba on 28 February 1943, where it conducted antisubmarine operations until 24 April, then moved to Edinburgh Field, Trinidad on 5 August 1943 and was attached to Antilles Air Command. From Trinidad, was moved to Zandrey Field, Surinam between 15 August 1943 and December. The unit also had elements at NAS Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and rotated its crews to and from Florida to its far flung operating elements about every 10 weeks. One flight of the squadron was temporarily stationed at Caracas Airport, Venezuela. With the Navy taking over the antisubmarine mission in mid 1943, the squadron returned to the United States via Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico, where unit personnel were reassigned to other units. It was disbanded on 6 February 1944.

The second predecessor of the unit was activated as the 23d Troop Carrier Squadron on 21 November 1944 at Pope Field, North Carolina and equipped with Douglas C 47 Skytrains. Assigned to the 349th Troop Carrier Group of IX Troop Carrier Command in England, at RAF Barkston Heath, the unit transported cargo and personnel throughout the European Theater of Operation. Later operated from Advanced Landing Grounds in France, primarily resupply and casualty evacuation airfields, many times unsurfaced close to the front lines. Was upgraded to the Curtiss C 46 Commando in early 1945. Inactivated on 7 September 1946 after serving with the United States Air Forces in Europe as an intra theater transport squadron supporting the occupation forces in Germany.

The activation of the 23d Helicopter Squadron on 9 July 1956, was the result of the inactivation of the 516th Troop Carrier Group (Assault, Rotary Wing). The 516th had been a victim of an Air Force and Army dispute over control of assault helicopters. The squadron was activated at Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee, and assigned to Eighteenth Air Force. The squadron was formed by absorbing the personnel, aircraft, and equipment of the 345th Troop Carrier Squadron (Assault, Rotary Wing). The squadron moved to Phalsbourg Bourscheid Air Base France, the squadron arrived at the new base between 7 and 15 November 1956, equipped with Piasecki H 21 helicopters. Built for a tactical fighter wing, Phalsbourg had plenty of hangar space and quarters for the 23d Squadron. It could keep all its H 21Bs indoors. The 23d Helicopter Squadron provided useful general airlift support throughout France. Standard helicopter missions included: Special Airlift Missions, Administrative Support Mission, and Emergency Air Evacuation Missions. It transferred injured U. S. personnel and dependents that required major medical attention to full service hospitals from remote military sites across Europe. It was assigned to the 322d Air Division at Évreux Fauville Air Base, France for operational control, mission scheduling, and airlift priorities. The 322d recommended that the 23d Helicopter Squadron be divided into four detachments for greater utilization. Detachments #1 and #4 remained at Phalsbourg with ten aircraft. Major maintenance was performed by teams dispatched from Phalsbourg, and all H 21B peculiar spare parts were stocked at Phalsbourg. Detachment #2 flew four H 21s to RAF Wethersfield, England. These four H 21Bs were equipped with air sea hoist provisions for rescue flights. Detachment #3 relocated four H 21s to Wheelus Air Base, Libya in December 1956 to support gunnery range operations at El Uotia and Tarhuna, and to assist the Martin TM 61 Matador missile launches and flight test programs. After a year of operation, USAFE felt the limitations of helicopter airlift were not worth the costs, and decided to eliminate the 23d Helicopter Squadron from its force structure after fourteen months in Europe. Also during this same time, the United States Army in France was obtaining similar helicopter airlift capabilities, and the mission of the 23d could be transferred to USAREUR. The squadron was inactivated on 8 January 1958. However, the Detachment at Wheelus was so successful that after the 23d departed France, six of their H 21Bs continued to operate, as part of the 7272d Flying Training Wing. During 1960 the Wheelus helicopters participated in an ongoing long distance rescue mission when they evacuated American and European civilians from the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville), where they were being threatened by rioting native troops.