First Kadena-based Pave Hawk retired

Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, has bid farewell to its first Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk utility helicopter after it was recently retired from operational US Air Force (USAF) service.

The helicopter – serial 91-26401 ‘ZZ’ – completed its final flight on June 22. This particular aircraft had been in operational service for 28 years and – although its flying days with the 18th Wing’s 33rd Rescue Squadron ‘Jolly Green Giants’ are over – it will be retained at the base as a ground instructional training airframe with the 18th Maintenance Training Flight.