| Unit Name: | 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron |
| Dates: | 1952–1956; 2003 |
| Country: | United States |
| Branch: | United States Air Force |
| Role: | Search and Rescue |
| Command Structure: | Air Combat Command |
| Battles: | War in Afghanistan[1] |
| Identification Symbol Label: | 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron emblem (approved 12 January 2016) |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | 26th Air Rescue Squadron emblem (c. 1952-1956) |
The 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron is a provisional unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate as needed.
The squadron was first activated at Albrook Air Force Base, Panama Canal Zone in November 1952 as the 26th Expeditionary Rescue Group it performed search and rescue missions in the Caribbean for the next four years before inactivating in December 1956. It was converted to provisional status in December 2002.
It is probably now stationed at Diyarbakir Air Base, Diyarbakır Province, Turkey.[2]
The squadron activated in November 1952 at Albrook Air Force Base in the Panama Canal Zone as the 26th Air Rescue Squadron when Air Rescue Service expanded its existing rescue squadrons into groups and replaced their existing flights with newly formed squadrons. The 26th absorbed the equipment, personnel and mission of the former Flight A, 1st Air Rescue Squadron, which was simultaneously discontinued. The squadron flew search and rescue and aeromedical evacuation operations primarily over land and water areas around Panama, but extending into Central America and northwestern areas of South America, until it was inactivated in late 1956.[1]
As an expeditionary unit, the 26th has been activated several times since the September 11 terrorist attacks. The squadron is manned and equipped by deployed airmen from regular, Air National Guard, and reserve rescue units deployed from their home bases.
Activated on 14 November 1952
Inactivated on 8 December 1956
Activated on 20 March 2003
Inactivated on 10 September 2003[1]
Activated February 2009
Inactivated 1 January 2014
Activated 1 September 2015[3] [4]
438th Air Expeditionary Wing, 20 March–10 September 2003[1]
451st Expeditionary Operations Group, February 2009[4]
651st Air Expeditionary Group, 29 June 2011 – 1 January 2014[4]
1st Expeditionary Rescue Group, 1 September 2015 – present[4] [3]