4460th Helicopter Squadron




This is the squadron patch for the 4460th Helicopter squadron that performed range support for the Nellis gunnery range as well as support for the Mercury test site. It was located in Indian Springs, NV. The squadron was de-activated in ’88.





All 6 of the UH-1N helicopters of the 4460th HS, 554th Operations Support Wing, 57th Fighter Weapons Wing, Tactical Air Command ( that's right - TAC) Indian Springs AF Aux ( now - Creech AFB ) NV airborne. Maintenance worked their tail off to have all 6 helicopters FMC. We had 6 helicopters FMC for over 2 weeks. I was assigned to the 4460th as a UH-1N pilot from 1986-1987 when the squadron was deactivated. This picture was taken in 1987. The 4460th HS mission was Red Flag range support, DOE Nuclear Test range support and F-117 Nighthawk SAR. Interestingly when the F-117 was still a top secret unit, their squadron designation was the 4450th. Commander Maj. Stevens Squadron call sign "STING".

Two 4460th HS UH-1N helicopters over a dry lake bed in the DOE nuclear test range. 4460th HS UH-1N helicopters were painted black & white. Each crater in the photo is the creation of an underground nuclear weapons detonation. There are hundreds of such craters on the DOE nuclear test range. On other areas of the range there were also hundreds of scars left on the ground from the earlier above ground nuclear weapons tests. When flying over the DOE range we were always looking out for giant ants !!!!. The flying the 4460th HS conducted was some of the most diverse, interesting and challenging of my U.S.A.F. helicopter flying career. I believe the 4460 HS was the only helicopter squadron in TAC and that sure created some problems.



Submitted by David Delisio.