Chapter II

Jolly

1130 Giant Drive
Friday, July 6th, 1979

Never say out loud “feet check” or “show me your feet” in a combat search and rescue squadron or much less at any official or unofficial combat search and rescue function if you are not prepared to receive an eye full of moon, and I am not talking about the natural satellite that circles the earth.  

  There are many myths and legends in the rescue  community and rightly so in a career field that has earned more than its fair share of medals with valor for bravery to include the Congressional Medal of Honor, and the Air Force Cross just  to name a couple.  As legend has it according to Captain Jerry W. Jennings of the 4488^th Test Squadron one of the unit members nicknamed the rescue helicopter “The Jolly Green Giant.”   To the best of his recollect it was either Technical Sergeant Marchant or Staff Sergeant Crumpler who said; “Look, it’s The Jolly Green Giant.”  As the first camouflage painted Sikorsky CH-3 helicopter arrived at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida in the summer of 1964.  A year later two CH-3s and two crews from the 4488^th were sent to the 20^th Helicopter Squadron in Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam to begin combat search and rescue (CSAR) operations.  Upon arrival they were asked what call sign they would like to use.  All of the members of the newly arrived crews agreed that Jolly Green combined with the last two digits of their tail number was appropriate, for example "Jolly Green Nine Zero" for aircraft 63-09690.  These crew members saw no reason to use the revolving call sign system that was being used by others in theater.  The bad guys all knew the radar signature following a shoot down would be that of a rescue helicopter attempting to pick up any surviving aircrew members regardless of their call sign.  During the course of the war the Air Force conducted literally thousands of combat search and rescue missions using the call sign "Jolly."  Thus the nickname stuck and is still proudly used today by all USAF Combat Search and Rescue squadrons stationed on duty around the world.

The Minnesota Valley Canning Company introduced The Jolly Green Giant in 1925 to market the company’s peas.  The Valley of The Jolly Green Giant is reference to the Minnesota River Valley of Le Sueur.  Today in the City of Blue Earth, Minnesota stands a 55 and a half foot tall statue of The Jolly Green Giant.  Erected on July 6^th, 1979 the city paid $43,000.00 for the fiberglass statue to commemorate the linking of west and east sections of Interstate 90.  Of course being a combat search and rescue pilot I could not help but play tourist when I unexpectedly came upon the statue.  I could not just drive by and not stop and take a picture.  My daughter Brianna and I posed at the base of the statue that attracts over 10,000 visitors a year.  I wondered during the pose how many members of the Air Force rescue community had done the same over the years.  So why is the mascot on the side of a can of green peas so important?  This mascot is not only the logo of one of the world’s largest food companies in the United States it is also represents a force that will stop at nothing to rescue American airmen and their allies flying in harms way around the world 24/7/365.  The word “Jolly” is now synonymous with the word “Rescue” all over the globe, and continues to represent the bravery of the men and women of the US Air Force Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) community.  You will find The Jolly Green Giant proudly displayed on the right shoulder patch of airmen belonging to CSAR squadrons to this day.  One of which is the 41^st Rescue Squadron presently stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia and conducting rescue missions in Afghanistan today.  

But the most highly revered and prestigious symbol of CSAR is The Jolly Green Giant’s green foot prints.  You will find his them painted on just about everything from the tallest water towers to the concrete helicopter pads and everything in between at  every location lucky enough to be graced with the privilege to host such brave Americans.

According to another legend green ink first appeared seven years after the arrival of the first Jolly Green Giant helicopters into Southeast Asia.  The tradition of tattooing The Jolly Green Giant’s footprints on the Glutei Maximi was started by two inebriated pararescue men.  They did not want to leave Thailand without a proper souvenir reflecting their heroic combat tours supporting rescue missions in Laos and Cambodia.  Wearing now what they thought was the greatest symbol of manhood, and that it should be shared with all.  And shared with all they did.  They flashed their moons to anyone willing and unwilling to see their “Green Feet.”  Before the war ended the custom of Green Feet had spread to also the pilots and flight engineers of the Jolly Greens.  After all it was an enormous team effort to put together a combat search and rescue package just to save one life.  The tattoo reflects a sense of pride so to speak and is one of those military customs that was born in combat and is still around today.  I have witnessed the slightest provocation to begin a moon cycle around a squadron social event that will blind even the most sedated.  This historic symbol of valor and commitment while not located in the most humble of places is venerated by all.

Make no mistake according to most members of the rescue community you do not join the squadron and run out the next day to the local tattoo parlor.  You must first earn your Green Feet by first “saving a life during a combat search and rescue mission.”  This view is especially held by the pararescue community who claim to be the first to wear this gallant badge of honor.  But what do warriors do without a war?  Between Vietnam and Desert Storm and again between Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom there was very limited opportunity to be part of actual combat search and rescue mission.  Thus this unsanctioned requirement simply dropped the word “combat” to “saving a life during a search and rescue mission.” This opened it up to peace time civilian search and rescue (SAR) missions.  The majority today will tell you that they are of the opinion that a “life is a life” and a “save is a save.”  

Having flown in both scenarios I concur that a SAR mission is just as dangerous as a CSAR mission except you are not on the “two way rifle range” as my buddy Elvis used to refer to the combat environment.  The only difference is that no one is shooting at you during a civilian SAR mission.  At least you don’t expect anyone to shoot at you!  Boy was I wrong.  Regardless I was going to wait for a combat rescue save to get my Green Feet.