HU-1 Activity Report for 1952

SUMMARY

Helicopter Squadron One is based at Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Ream, San Ysidro, California

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 34 Units were deployed at various times for a usual dispatch of 6 to 7 months. 19 of these Units were based on large (CV) and smaller (CVE) aircraft carriers, ( including the HMS Glory). 10 Units were based on battleships (BB) and cruisers (CA). 5 were based on LST? and a Korean Island (Paengyong-Do).

In this period the Units made 112 rescues and recovered 2 bodies. Most of the rescues were made in the waters near aircraft carriers, or close off-shore from Korea, and 5 were within enemy ground territory. Two H03S helicopters were lost in over-land missions and pilots D. W. Thorin ,Chief Aviation Pilot,(later identified as a POW) and Lt. E. C. Moore (fate unknown) were listed as Missing In Action, as were their Marine and Army observers.

Also in this period 13 HO3S helicopters crashed, some were lost in the sea, others sustained enough damage to make them un-flyable without major repairs. 4 crewmen were killed when an HO3S overturned on the flightdeck of the USS Kearsarge, and 1 crewman killed by a tail rotor on another carrier.

As of 31 December 1952 the squadron personnel complement was 103 officers (99 were pilots), 511 enlisted (16 were Aviation Pilots).
The aircraft onboard consisted of 24 Sikorsky HO3S-1, 4 Piasecki HUP-2,
4 Bell HTL-4, 1 Beech SNB-5, and a North American SNJ trainer.

Data for compiling the HU-1 Korean War activity summaries was obtained from the squadron Historical Reports (OPNAV report 575-1) on file in the Naval Aviation History section of the "Navy Yard", Washington D.C. Historical Report Narrative