Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 41 (HSM-41), nicknamed the "Seahawks", is a United States Navy helicopter squadron based at
NAS North Island
Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado ...
,
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
.
History
Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 41 (HSM 41) is the Navy's
Fleet Replacement Squadron
A Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), is a unit of the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps that trains United States Naval Aviator, Naval Aviators, Naval Flight Officers (NFOs) and enlisted Naval aircrewman, Naval Aircre ...
dedicated to training new
MH-60R
The Sikorsky SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk (or Sea Hawk) is a twin turboshaft engine, multi-mission United States Navy helicopter based on the United States Army UH-60 Black Hawk and a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family. The most significant modificati ...
pilots and aircrew. When commissioned on 21 January 1983, as Helicopter Anti-Submarine Light 41 (HSL-41) it was the Navy's first Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) MK III squadron and flew the Sikorsky
SH-60B
The Sikorsky SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk (or Sea Hawk) is a twin turboshaft engine, multi-mission United States Navy helicopter based on the United States Army UH-60 Black Hawk and a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family. The most significant modificati ...
helicopter. HSL-41 trained pilots and aircrew for the west coast HSL squadrons in San Diego, Hawaii, and Japan.
The success of West Coast LAMPS detachments in the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
,
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
, and
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...
is a tribute to the quality of initial and follow-on training that has been the hallmark of HSM 41. As a result, the squadron was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation in 1985, 1988, 1991 and 2002.
On 8 December 2006, HSL-41 was re designated from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 41 to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 41. In February 2008, HSM 41 surpassed 140,000 flight hours without a major aircraft incident and celebrated its 25th anniversary. Since 1983, HSM 41 has trained over 3,000 Fleet Replacement Pilots and Aircrew for service in LAMPS MK III and MH-60R fleet squadrons. In 2020, the squadron reached 230,000 flight hours without a major incident.
On 14 March 2013, a helicopter belonging to the squadron made an emergency landing in
Chula Vista
Chula Vista ( ; , ) is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. It is the second-most populous city in the San Diego metropolitan area, the seventh-most populous city in Southern California, the 15th-most populous city in the ...
.
See also
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History of the United States Navy
The history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that became notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy" ...
*
List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
This is a list of active United States Navy aircraft squadrons. ''Deactivated'' or ''disestablished'' squadrons are listed in the list of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons.
The U.S. Navy uses the term "squadron" only to describe uni ...
References
External links
HSM-41 website
Helicopter maritime strike squadrons of the United States Navy
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