That Others May Live"

"That Others May Live," is the motto of an Air Force Special Operations team whose primary mission is to recover personnel. Search and rescue is a fundamental military operation in both peacetime and war. The Air Force has organized a group of trained professionals whose service dates back to World War II. These professionals are known today as Pararescuemen; however, they were previously called Parajumpers or PJs. (unknown,2005)

The need for Pararescuemen was a direct result of the increasing number of aircrew casualties and downed aircraft during World War II. Preceding the United States involvement in the war the United States Forest service used parachutes equipped with steering technology to quickly access the site of forest fires. This technological advancement proved that precision landing was possible for pararescuemen. In the China Burma India Theater of Operations Captain John L. Porter and Lt Col Don Flickenger pieced together an effective search and rescue program. Each rescue team had its own medical and survival specialists. 2 August 1943, Lt Col Flickinger, who was a flight surgeon, teamed with Sergeant Passey and Corporal MacKenzie, who were Combat Surgical Technicians, to find and rescue a twenty-manned crew in the very dangerous lands of Naga Country. Because of their successful