First Jolly Green II arrives at Aviano
On 18 December 2024, USAF's last active duty Pave Hawk squadron, the 56th Rescue Squadron, flew its final operational mission with their venerable HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters.
Five days earlier, on 13 December, the 56th Rescue Squadron, part of the 31st Fighter Wing, received its first HH-60W Jolly Green II at Aviano Air Base (Italy). Having arrived from RAF Lakenheath (UK) some six and half years ago, the 56th RQS at Aviano is now set to receive some five HH-60Ws. The last Jolly Green II is expected to arrive during October 2025.
The Aviano based AV coded 56th Rescue Squadron helicopters provide a rapidly-deployable, worldwide combat rescue and reaction force.
The squadron offers Combat Search And Rescue (CSAR), Personnel Recovery (PR), Medical 
Evacuation (MEDEVAC), long-range rescue, humanitarian assistance, non-combatant evacuation and disaster relief capabilities for United States European Command (USEUCOM), United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM) and NATO in peacetime, contingency and wartime operations.
On 11 December 2024, Scramble Magazine first wrote about Kirtland’s Flying Skulls last Pave Hawk send-off.
Credit photo: USAF / credit patch: popularpatch com