Unit History: Aircraft Crash Rescue

The Air Crash Rescue service also known as the Air Rescue Service was a subcommand of the MATS (Military Air Transport Service), which was a major command of the United States Air Force. The Air Rescue Service was established in 1946, and served the U.S. Air Force proudly during the Korean and Vietnam Conflicts as well as the Cold War.
 
 Rescue’s worth was proven time and again; 996 combat saves in Korea and 2,780 in Southeast Asia. The crews, both fixed-wing and helicopter had but one motto: "These things we do that others may live."
 
 On 1 Jan 1966, MATS was redesignated as the Military Airlift Command and ARS was redesignated as the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service (ARRS).
 
The current structure and strength of search and rescue in today’s U.S. Air Force is greatly reduced from the force structure that served from 1946 through the end of the Vietnam Era.