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NAS North Island HCS-5 “Firehawks”

NAS North Island HCS-5 Firehawks poster art.

HCS-5 was established in 1988 and disestablished in 2006. HCS-5, along with its sister squadron, HCS-4, were the only Navy squadrons that performed both combat search and rescue and special warfare support as their primary missions. They were the predecessors of HSC-85 and HSC-84. They flew the HH-60H Rescuehawk helicopter primarily for combat search and rescue, and to support Naval Special Warfare (SEALs) as well as joint special operations missions. They served multiple deployments in Iraq in support of OIF/OEF. Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) Five, known by the US Navy designation HA(L)-5 (sometimes abbreviated as HAL-5), was the initial designation of a Naval Special Warfare and close air support helicopter squadron in the period following the Vietnam War, which, along with its sister squadron HA(L)-4 “Red Wolves”, was one of the last two US Navy squadrons using HH-1K “Huey” gunships. In October 1989 the squadron was redesignated Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Special Five (HCS-5), it adopted the name “Firehawks” and it traded in its “Hueys” for HH-60H Seahawk Combat Search and Rescue helicopters.  HCS-5 would remain at NAS Point Mugu for several years before moving to NAS North Island, the original home of HC-9.

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Design by Max Shirkov

Texas
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