After 30 years of service, saving 958 lives and flown 9,362.4 flight hours, this Pave Hawk (here pictured with the 56th Rescue Squadron based at Lakenheath), serial 89-6212, assigned to the 56th Rescue Squadron based at Aviano air base (Italy) made its last flight and was retired on 23 September 2021. The Pave Hawk became the first aircraft to retire out of the 56th RQS with the plan to become a static display.

The 56th Rescue Squadron is a combat-ready Search and Rescue quadron, equipped with the HH-60G Pave Hawk. This special mission helicopter is capable of executing all-weather search and rescue missions day or night in hostile environments. The 56th is commanded by the US Air Force in Europe and supports this force as well as those USEUCOM and NATO operations.

The 56th Rescue Squadron moved multiple times outside CONUS, they were first based at Sidi Slimane Air Base (French Morocco) from 14 November 1952 to 18 March 1960, then they went to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base (Thailand) from 8 July 1972 to 15 October 1975. After this Vietnam war period, the squadron was based at Naval Air Station Keflavik (Iceland) from 1 May 1988 to 1 June 2006, after which they were welcomed at RAF Lakenheath (United Kingdom) up to April 2018. There last move was from May 2018, when Aviano Air Base (Italy) became its homebase.

Up to mid 2018, the 56th Rescue Squadron (RQS) was based at RAF Lakenheath (UK). The squadron moved to Aviano air base (Italy) where it will continue its combat-ready search and rescue task.