HU-1 Activity Report for 1951

Summary

Detachment ONE is based at US Naval Air Facility Oppama, Yokosuka, Japan.

Detachment Two is based at US Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii.

Over the year 31 Units were deployed at various times for a usual dispatch of 6 to 7 months. 15 of these Units were based on large (CV) and smaller (CVE) aircraft carriers, ( including the HMS Glory and the HMAS Sydney). 8 Units were based on battleships (BB) and cruisers (CA). 8 were based on LST’s, including 2 that were leased from Japan with Japanese crews.

In this period the Units made 208 rescues, including 118 men rescued from a grounded Siamese ship in enemy territory. Most of the other rescues were made in the waters near aircraft carriers, or close off-shore from Korea, and 19 were within enemy land territory.

Also in this period six HO3S and one HTL helicopter crashed. 3 were lost in the sea, 1 shot down on land in enemy territory (see note 1), and 3 were near the base at Miramar. Seven pilots and crewmen died in these crashes.

As of 31 December 1951 the squadron personnel complement was 89 officers , and 595 enlisted.

The aircraft onboard consisted of 18 Sikorsky HO3S-1, 7 Bell HTL-4, 2 Beech SNB-5, and a North American SNJ trainer.

Note 1. The crash of an HO3S helicopter in Korea on 3 July 1951 was not contained in the Squadron report, however the following was obtained from other Naval Files:

John Kelvin Koelsch

Lieutenant, United States Navy

Born in London, England, December 22, 1924, he graduated from Princeton and was appointed a Naval Aviator in 1944. In 1950 he joined the crew of the USS Princeton and was reported missing in action in Korea on June 1, 1950 while on a rescue mission in that country. It was later learned that he had died while a prisoner of war on October 16, 1951.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor and his citation, in part, reads:

"For conspicious gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with a Navy helicopter rescue unit. Although darkness was rapidly approaching when information was received that a Marine aviator had been shot down and was trapped by the enemy in mountainous terrain deep in hostile territory, he voluntarily flew a helicopter to the reported position of the downed airman in an attempt to effect a rescue. With an almost solid overcast concealing everything below the mountain peaks, he descended in his unarmed and vulnerable helicopter without the accompanying fighter escort to an extremely low altitude beneath the cloud level and began a systematic search. Despite the increasingly intense enemyfire, which struck his helicopter on one occasion, he persisted in his mission until he succeded in locating the downed pilot, who was suffering from serious burns on his arms and legs. While the victim was being hoisted into the aircraft, it was struck again by an accurate burst of hostile fire and crashed into the side of a mountain. Quickly extricating his crewmen and the avitor from the wreckage, he led them from the vicinity in an effort to escape from hostile troops, evading the enemy for nine days and rendering such medical attention as possible to his severely burned companion until all were captured. Lieutenant (jg) Koelsch steadfastly refused to aid his captors in any manner and served to inspire his fellow prisoners by his fortitude and consideration for others. His great personal valor and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice throughout sustain and enhance the finest tradition of the United States Naval Service."

His body was eventually returned to the United States and was buried in Section 30 of Arlington National Cemetery.