Photo caption: MH-53 Pave Low helicopters prepare to take off for their final combat mission Sept. 27 in Iraq. The MH-53 was retired from the Air Force inventory Sept. 30. It was the largest and most technologically advanced helicopter in the Air Force, with a service record dating back to the Vietnam War. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jason Epley)
A Great Air Force News article on the retirement here.
A week or so ago, the Air Force flew its last missions in the MH-53 “Pave Low” helicopters. I have fairly extensive experience with “Pave’s” and their aircrew and count many of their pilots as some of my very good friends. I read about them first in high school and I will never forget when my late partying college roommates woke me and told me that the US tried to rescue the hostages in Tehran Iran in 1979 and then the next morning, many of us ROTC cadets gathered around the TV in the beak room of the ROTC building to hear the press conference. As we watched and the briefers described the rescue attempt, I whispered to the gal next to me that they used MH-53’s from the Air Force and when they said minesweeper Navy H-53’s she looked at me and said “well, I guess you DON’T know it all do you!”
Of course, the main investigation (Holloway Commission) faulted the planners for NOT using the Pave and their superior aircraft and better trained aircrews. My actual introduction to the Pave was when I was going through HC-130 training and refueled them in New Mexico. Then, my real experience began when I flew the HC-130 (later renamed MC-130) in Okinawa refueling them all over the Pacific and later serving as a planner where I had to go and prepare exercises in countries like South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia. Most notably, I was the first planner to ever take them to Australia, in fact, the first time they ever went south of the Equator. We actually weren’t exactly sure the computers would work (sorta Y2K meets the problems the F-22 had crossing the date line, in fact, they worked fine)
After my Pacific time, I worked with Pave’s in various world hot spots and most recently, saw them flying overhead in Iraq where they flew their final sorties. One is already in the USAF Museum and I hope more are placed in other air museums. The MH-53 was a very maintenance intensive aircraft and broke down a fair amount, but overall, it was a great asset and the folks that flew it really understood their mission, although there was the standard tension between the “operators” they carried and the fliers and planners. I sure hope the CV-22’s and their crews and maintainers can carry the torch forward. To the men who flew the Pave and the men and women who maintained them, thanks from a grateful nation!