As originally reported on The Daily Astorian, U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria in Warrenton, received a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter representing 100 years of Coast Guard aviation. The Jayhawk was sent over from the Coast Guard’s Aviation Logistics Center in Elizabeth City, NC, and will operate out of the Warrenton base for the next four years.
The Jayhawk has been painted in the historic yellow paint scheme, which is meant to honor the helicopters used by both the Coast Guard and Navy in the late 1940s and 1950s. The models used then were not Jayhawks, but rather included the Sikorsky HO3S-1G and the Sikorsky HO4S.
Later this month Air Station North Bend in Oregon will receive a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter with a historic paint scheme. There will be 16 centennial painted aircrafts distributed to bases throughout the company in three different aircraft types; the Jayhawk and Dolphin helicopters and the HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane.
Coast Guard aviation officially began April 1, 1916, when 3rd Lt. Elmer Stone reported to flight training in Pensacola, FL. The Coast Guard will be celebrating the centennial of Coast Guard aviation throughout 2016.
