The 129th Rescue Squadron is a unit of the California Air National Guard

California Air National Guard

The California Air National Guard is the air component of the California National Guard. The California Air National Guard is headquartered at Sacramento, California.One of the duties of the California Air National Guard is defense of the United States...

. It flies the HH-60G Pavehawk and MC-130P Combat Shadow for its missions. Its parent unit is the 129th Rescue Wing

129th Rescue Wing

The 129th Rescue Wing is an Air National Guard combat search and rescue unit operationally gained by the Air Combat Command . The unit's history dates to April 1955, when it was activated as the 129th Air Resupply Group of the California Air National Guard...

.

Mission

The primary mission is to prepare for wartime taskings as specified by applicable gaining commands. The peacetime mission is under the control of the Governor of California

Governor of California

The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...

. Upon mobilization, primary specified mission is combat search and rescue (CSAR). When directed by the California State Office of Emergency Services (OES) and/or the Department of Defense

United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...

 (DoD), the mission is to provide disaster

Disaster

A disaster is a natural or man-made hazard that has come to fruition, resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the environment...

 relief support as required. This includes search and rescue (SAR) assistance to civil authorities, including International Civil Aeronautics Organization (ICAO) signatories, and foreign governments.

Federal Mission (United States Air Force): To provide manpower, material and equipment resources to conduct and complete combat search and rescue operations on a worldwide basis. To provide manpower, material and equipment to conduct and complete peacetime search operations.

State Mission (California Air National Guard): To furnish trained personnel to respond to state emergencies, such as natural disasters, and to assist civil authorities in the enforcement of the law.

The 129th has been assigned to support operation Iraqi Freedom.

Major Command

• Air National Guard
  Air National Guard
  The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
  
  /Air Combat Command
  Air Combat Command
  Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
  
   (1992–present)
• Air National Guard
  Air National Guard
  The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
  
  /Tactical Air Command
  Tactical Air Command
  Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
  
   (1956–1992)
• Air National Guard
  Air National Guard
  The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
  
  /Continental Air Command
  Continental Air Command
  Continental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.-Lineage:...
  
   (1956)

Previous Designations

• 129th Rescue Squadron (1 October 1995–present)
• 129th Rescue Squadron, 16 March 1992
• 129th Air Rescue Squadron, 1 October 1989
• 129th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, 3 May 1975
• 129th Special Operations Squadron, 8 August 1968
• 129th Air Commando Squadron, 1 July 1963
• 129th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium), 28 January 1962
• 129th Troop Carrier Squadron, 1 November 1958
• Allocated to the National Guard Bureau (NGB), 3 April 1955
• 129th Air Resupply Squadron, 3 April 1955

Aircraft operated

• MC-130P Combat Shadow (19??-present)
• HH-60G Pave Hawk (1991–present)
• HH-3E Jolly Green Giant (1975–1991)
• U-10D Super Courier (1968–1975)
• U-6A Beaver (1968–1975)
• Cessna U-3A (1968–1975)
• C-119 Flying Boxcar
  C-119 Flying Boxcar
  The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute...
  
   (1968–1975)
• SA-16 Albatross (1963–1968)