BIRTH OF THE 129TH (1955 - 1975)
In April 1955, the 129th Air Resupply Group, California Air National Guard, was activated at Hayward Airport, California. Its initial mission was to airlift personnel and material using C-46 aircraft. Later that year, the Group transferred from U.S. Continental Air Command to U.S. Tactical Air Command (TAC).
Between its activation in 1955 and April 1975, the 129th, while maintaining its airlift mission, underwent three name changes and several aircraft conversions. It was renamed the Troop Carrier Group and subsequently redesignated the 129th Air Commando Group upon receiving SA-16 Albatross seaplanes. The 129th later acquired C-119 Flying Boxcars and was renamed the Special Operations Group. During this period, the wing also utilized small observation planes (U-10s, U-6s, and U-3s) as ancillary aircraft.
CHANGES IN MISSION, AIRCRAFT AND LOCATION (1975 - 1991)
As the needs of the Air Force evolved, the 129th also adapted its mission. In April 1975, the 129th received a new mission, designation, and Air Force command. The wing was renamed the 129th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group and placed under the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service of Military Airlift Command. Its flying mission shifted to combat and civilian rescue, employing HC-130 Hercules cargo aircraft and HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopters. On March 1977, the unit recorded its first save, rescuing an A-10 pilot who crashed during a Red Flag exercise.
Faced with an acute shortage of facilities due to its expanded mission, the 129th moved to Moffett Field in 1984. During the 1986 flooding in Sonoma, Sutter, and Yuba counties in Northern California, the unit saved 33 lives in five days, contributing to a record total of 44 lives saved that year. Following the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, the 129th established Command Post operations and coordinated all military aircraft activities within the Bay Area.
In October 1989, the unit was designated the 129th Air Rescue Group (ARG). Between then and 1991, its operations transitioned from the HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopter to the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter.
129TH RESCUE WING AT MOFFETT FIELD (1991 – PRESENT)
While the search and rescue mission has remained constant, the Group has continued to reflect reorganizations within the USAF. In March 1992, the 129th Air Rescue Group's name was shortened to the 129th Rescue Group. It joined the new Air Mobility Command in June 1992, followed by a transfer to Air Combat Command in February 1993 as part of an Air Force-wide reorganization of search and rescue forces. On October 1, 1995, the 129th Rescue Group was redesignated as the 129th Rescue Wing, its current name. In 2003, the wing became part of Air Force Special Operations Command, but returned to Air Combat Command on April 3, 2006, resuming its global search and rescue operations. In 2018, the wing converted from the MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft to the HC-130J Combat King II, gaining an enhanced cargo handling system, improved sensors, and air-refuellable capability. Building on these advances, the 129th Rescue Wing is currently upgrading its helicopter fleet with the HH-60W Jolly Green Giant, replacing the HH-60G Pave Hawk. The HH-60W boasts increased range, payload capacity, and advanced avionics, enabling the unit to conduct more effective search and rescue missions in a wider variety of environments.
Global Deployments and Combat Rescues
Following the events of September 11, 2001, Guard units across the country responded to the nation’s call to oppose terrorism. In August 2002, the 129th deployed to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, for an extended tour supporting Operation Northern Watch, and soon after, participated in the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
On April 15, 2003, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 129th executed its first combat rescue, medevacing a soldier injured in a fall to a field trauma unit. This marked the first combat save for an Air National Guard or Reserve unit. Continuing its overseas deployments, from September 2005, the 129th executed multiple high-altitude combat saves and provided three assists in severely dark conditions in contested territory in Khandahar, Afghanistan. During deployments to Afghanistan from May to September 2009 and continuing into 2010, the unit accumulated a total of 347 combat saves.
Even while deployed overseas, the 129th demonstrated its commitment to domestic support. In 2005, the unit aided rescue efforts in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, saving 212 lives.
Domestic Operations and Milestones
The 129th demonstrated its adaptability and commitment to serving the people of California and the nation in 2008. During Operation Lightning Strike, the 129th supported the Northern California firefight by sending key personnel to the Joint Forces Headquarters in Sacramento. The wing mobilized personnel to provide direct ground support to help CAL FIRE, and two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and aircrews were certified to perform water bucket drops on the fires for the first time in unit history, dropping more than 150,000 gallons of water. Additionally, crews stationed in Redding landed in rugged Northern California terrain to medevac injured firefighters. After assisting in fighting fires in Northern California, 129th Airmen deployed to the Gulf Coast to perform search and rescue operations during Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, saving 34 people and 11 dogs.
The unit continued its global impact, reaching a significant milestone on May 18, 2013, when it recorded its 1000th save.
Demonstrating its long-range reach and interoperability, the 129th executed a complex over-water rescue in April 2014, saving a seriously ill one-year-old child and three family members from the sailing vessel REBELHEART approximately 900 nautical miles off the coast of Mexico; the Guardian Angel team and family were safely recovered by the USS Vandegrift , a United States Navy frigate, highlighting the life-saving impact of the unit's capabilities.
More recently, from August 30 to September 2, 2017, the 129th played a crucial role in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, saving 113 lives along the Texas Gulf Coast.
Responding to Crises at Home
In 2020, the 129th responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest in California. On March 5, 2020, HH-60G helicopter crews delivered COVID test kits to stranded passengers aboard the Grand Princess Cruise ship off the coast of California. A Guardian Angel Pararescue Team, along with a CDC health official, hoisted down to the cruise ship to administer the test kits to passengers and crew. For many, this event marked the visual beginning of the global pandemic. Later in 2020, in response to Governor Newsom’s COVID relief efforts, members of the 129th were activated throughout California to support food bank operations, mass vaccination sites, field hospitals, and morgue operations. That same year, approximately 100 guardsmen were also activated in response to the civil unrest that affected the State of California following the death of George Floyd.
FEDERAL MISSION
The federal mission of the 129th is to “rapidly deploy worldwide to conduct combat search and rescue operations, over land or water, in both hostile (areas with active combat) and permissive environments (areas without active combat).”
The weapon systems that perform these missions are the HC-130J Combat King II aircraft, the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and the Guardian Angel Pararescue system. Aerial refueling capability from the HC-130P to the HH-60G allows for longer range missions and makes these two aircraft an outstanding search and rescue team. As a result, the 129th RQW is often tasked to utilize its refueling capability to perform long-range search and rescue missions over land and/or water. While performing civilian search and rescue missions, 129th crews are honing their combat mission skills.
STATE MISSION
In addition to its federal mission, the 129th Rescue Wing plays a vital role in supporting the state of California during times of emergency. As part of the California Air National Guard, the 129th is often called upon by the Governor's Office to provide assistance during natural disasters, civil unrest, and other crises. This includes conducting search and rescue operations in diverse environments, from the Pacific Ocean to the Sierra Nevada mountains; providing medical evacuation for civilians; and offering logistical support to state agencies. The 129th's unique combination of skilled personnel and specialized equipment makes it a crucial asset for protecting the lives and well-being of California's citizens.
The Air Force Rescue Community motto “that others may live” is the motivating force of those involved in the mission, the inspiration to be a part of what now will forever be known as a legacy, In peace and war during night and day…. A commitment to serve at all times and in all circumstances.