70 Years as the Standard: A World Famous Anniversary

By LT Alex “CRItR” Hosko, USN

The World Famous Golden Falcons are synonymous with Naval Rotary Wing Aviation. The U.S. Navy is celebrating 100 Years of Carrier Aviation and the Golden Falcons have been here for the last 70 years as the oldest continuously operating helicopter squadron in the Navy. Established March 7th, 1952 on the 1,200 acre concrete patch that we know as Navy Outlying Field (NOLF) Imperial Beach, Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron TWO (HS-2) was the Navy’s first West Coast helicopter squadron with the primary mission of anti-submarine warfare (ASW). Comprised of 258 Sailors and 39 Officers. The squadron utilized 17 Sikorsky HRS-2 for small detachments that culminated with HS-2 becoming the first ASW squadron to deploy on a WESTPAC in April 1953. With the increased capability that rotary wing aviation brings to the fight, the mission “asks” continue to expand beyond its humble beginnings.

As time went on, the Golden Falcons saw the introduction of the SH-34J and then Sikorsky’s SH-3A “Sea King,” later becoming the first squadron to deploy with this “Big Mother." Using Sikorsky’s modern technology, the Golden Falcons became the first squadron to operationally employ HIFR at night and recorded the longest operational flight at the time, 11 hours and 18 minutes, while conducting a search and rescue mission in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Throughout history, the Golden Falcons have taken full advantage of their multi-mission capability. The 1960’s consisted of rescues in Northern California floods, recovery of the Apollo Saturn 202 Command and Service Module, and a shift to Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) in North Vietnam. The Golden Falcons were the first Navy helicopter squadron to support CSAR, a mission we maintain today, providing an organic asset within the carrier strike group to support this mission. In 1967 alone, with the Vietnam War still in full swing, the Golden Falcons were responsible for ten overland and five coastal water rescues of Naval Aviators.

In 1970, HS-2 conducted operations in Amman, Jordan for the evacuation of U.S. citizens and to provide a CSAR asset for the Battle Group. It was during 1970 that HS-2’s signature American flag appeared on the aircraft. The flags were painted overnight so the helicopters could be distinguished from the Israeli H-3s. To commemorate the event, the Chief of Naval Operations uniquely authorized the flags to become a permanent part of HS-2's paint scheme. Today, the American Flag still is proudly displayed on the fuselage of each aircraft in the Golden Falcon inventory.

HS-2 led the way in modern airborne anti-submarine warfare onboard the aircraft carrier when transitioning to the SH-60F and HH-60H in 1990. Flying these airframes, the Golden Falcons deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and conducted NSW missions in the beginning days of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 2000’s continued, and once again, the World Famous Golden Falcons were called into action. During their time aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), the Golden Falcons provided humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) after a deadly tsunami shook the Aceh Province of Sumatra, Indonesia. For their efforts, HS-2 was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal.

In May 2009, the Golden Falcons transitioned to the modern era of Carrier Air Wing Aviation by accepting their first MH-60S and in the process becoming Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron HSC. Although now a new number, the spirit and ethos remained the same as HSC-12 became the first forward deployed carrier-based MH-60S squadron integrating into Carrier Air Wing (CVW) Five. Embarked aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73), the Golden Falcons conducted a historic homeport move from the beautiful sunshine of Southern California to the bustling suburbs just west of Tokyo, Japan.

In the past decade as a Forward Deployed Naval Force (FDNF), the Golden Falcons have remained busy and steadfast. 2015 brought a hull swap to our current home, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the World Famous Golden Falcons through new challenges in 2020 with what became the longest patrol by an aircraft carrier out of Japan since 1999. The Golden Falcon spirit never broke. That formidable cruise was followed by a historic pivot to 5th Fleet for a five month 2021 deployment with no port calls when America’s “First to Fight” Carrier Strike Group was asked to support Operations Freedom’s Sentinel and Allies Refuge during the final days of the war in Afghanistan. In those short five months, HSC-12 supported 35 live roping operations, 72 integrated operations, 33 internal cargo missions, and 45 logistic sorties resulting in the movement of 5 million pounds of critical equipment and supplies. Out of the 35 live roping operations, the most notable was HSC-12’s short-fused mission to insert Explosive Ordnance Demolition (EOD) personnel aboard Mercer Street, an oil tanker struck by a UAV off the coast of Oman, killing two of its crew members. Their quick action and precise execution led to the successful support and care of Mercer Street and their crew.

Today, the World Famous Golden Falcons continue to deploy annually aboard USS Ronald Reagan and man Detachment One, the primary executive transport for Commander 7th Fleet (C7F) operations ashore and aboard USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19). HSC-12, along with CVW-5, is the bastion of a free Indo-Pacific. We continue strategic relations with allies in the region in the form of exercises such as Keen Sword, Talisman Saber, Valiant Shield, and most recently, the Republic of Korea’s Maritime Counter-Special Operation Forces Exercise (MCSOFEX). MCSOFEX was unique in the fact that this was the first time HSC-12 provided two spectrums of support to complete the mission. One stemming from Detachment 1in the form of an Expeditionary Advanced Base Operation (EABO) at Camp Mujuk in Pohang, South Korea while the main body upheld their end of the mission from aboard CVN 76. The completion of this mission showed that Carrier-Based HSC squadrons can exercise Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) to implement and integrate an expeditionary asset that supports a larger naval campaign.

The HSC Community continues to react to the present need, add capability as a force multiplier within our Carrier Strike Groups, and evolve to an ever changing tactical and political world. In a world full of uncertainty, one thing is for certain - where there is Naval Rotary Wing Aviation there will be the World Famous Golden Falcons.