Coast Guard aviation first arrived in the Hawaiian archipelago in 1945 when Lieutenant G. W. Girdler assumed command of eighteen enlisted personnel and five officers at what was then Naval Air Station Kaneohe . With aviation assets consisting of two Consolidated PBY-5 “Catalina” aircraft and one Grumman JRF “Goose,” the unit maintained aerial patrol of the windward side of Oahu and made periodic deployments throughout the Pacific, including the Philippines, China, and Japan.
In 1949, operations moved to Naval Air Station Barbers Point. The current designation as Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point was established in 1965. Today, more than 200 officers and enlisted personnel provide 24-hour aviation support to the Fourteenth Coast Guard District, performing Search and Rescue, Marine Environmental Protection, Maritime Law Enforcement, and Aids to Navigation missions across the Pacific. Since 1979, the unit has earned multiple meritorious commendations for exemplary service.
To accomplish its assigned missions, the air station operates four MH-65 “Dolphin” short-range response helicopters and four HC-130 “Hercules” long-range aircraft. In 1987, the Sikorsky HH-52A “Sea Guard” helicopter was retired after 24 years of service and replaced with the H-65 — an aircraft highly capable of open-ocean hoisting, medical evacuation, and supply delivery to remote navigation aids and Coast Guard facilities throughout the Pacific.
In a typical year, air station crews log more than 1,200 operational hours, save approximately 50 lives, assist up to 700 mariners, and preserve millions in property. Aircraft routinely search for overdue vessels and provide medical evacuation for communities across the Hawaiian Islands and remote Pacific locations including Palmyra, Chuuk, Kwajalein, Wake, Christmas, and Yap.
Historic responses include emergency evacuation of Coast Guard personnel from the French Frigate Shoals LORAN site, major storm response in 1980, and post-aviation crash support following the Aloha Airlines Flight 243 and United Airlines Flight 811 disasters. Dolphin helicopters have rescued disaster survivors, medically evacuated critical patients in heavy seas, and responded during hurricane events affecting Hawaii and regional territories.
In 1993, aircraft from Barbers Point supported humanitarian assistance to the merchant vessel EASTWOOD, which was stranded 1,600 miles southwest of Oahu carrying more than 550 people. Air crews coordinated airdrop missions and on-deck delivery of food, potable water, and emergency supplies using innovative repurposed “sonobuoy tubes of life,” ensuring survival until maritime assets arrived on scene.
Logistical support missions have included equipment resupply to remote Pacific stations, humanitarian flights to island communities affected by drought or typhoon, and the environmentally responsible relocation of Coast Guard assets from Kure Island in partnership with the State of Hawaii and the Department of Defense. Following Hurricane Iniki, aircraft delivered more than 468 tons of food, water, and emergency equipment to Kauai.
Environmental protection missions include emergency response to grounded vessels, endangered species transport, and coordination with federal and state partners to protect critical marine ecosystems across Hawaii and the Pacific region.