The USS Austin LPD-4 is being towed by a CH-53 heavy-lift helicopter in Long Island Sound in the picture in this post
The striking image in this post shows a CH-53 heavy-lift helicopter pulling the USS Austin LPD-4 in Long Island Sound in January 1968.
According to a tweet that was published, ‘After a Christmas and New Year leave period, Austin transported Underwater Demolition Team 21 to Key West, Florida in January 1968 for unit training, then visited San Juan and Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico and Port Everglades, Florida. This was followed by a visit to Bridgeport, Connecticut 12 through 23 February 1968 to participate in tests of the CH-53 helicopter with the Sikorsky Aircraft plant. Part of the test included Austin being towed by a CH-53 helicopter.’
Notably, the US Navy is not the only one that uses helicopters to tow ships. Another Twitter user notes that the minesweeper HMS Gavington (about 360 tons) was pulled by a Westland Whirlwind (1 x 750 HP engine) in 1957 as part of tests to demonstrate the usefulness of helicopters in salvage work.
The rowing boats were also once employed by the Royal Navy (RN) to tow ships that had become stuck. The US Coast Guard (USCG) also used helicopters to tow boats, as the image below demonstrates. A USCG Sikorsky HO4S Tugbird helicopter is shown in the 1958 photograph towing the service buoy tender Juniper around the ocean off Florida.
The HO4S had a large compartment, a winch, and a rescue basket. For search and rescue, it was perfect. Early in 1958, 30 were stationed in coastal towns in the United States, according to Air & Space Magazine. Along the way, someone had the bright notion of using the helicopter to pull vessels, pleasure, and other kinds—out of harm’s way.
Photo by U.S. Navy, Royal Navy, and U.S. Coast Guard
