While its original task was ocean rescue of downed pilots, its speedy and well-armed boats soon became prime vehicles for inserting spies, espionage agents, and sabotage parties into enemy territory for the 6004th Air Intelligence Service Squadron.

[2] With the backing of influential senior officers, he set out to gather all crash rescue boats and their experienced handlers into the new unit.

[6] This makeshift arrangement led to the unit's crewmen being harassed for their unmilitary appearance and unorthodox boat repairs even as they were ill supplied with all the necessities for their tasks.

The U.S. Air Force sailors' 85 ft. crash rescue boats were powered by twin Packard 4M-2500 marine engines, giving them over 3,000 horsepower and a high speed, over 40 knots.

[15] With near-daily overwater bailouts of United Nations pilots taking place off the North Korean coast, the USAF found it necessary to station four 85-foot boats in those waters to rescue them.

For instance, on 8 September 1951, Crash Rescue Boat R-1-676 sidled up to the sandbar blocking the mouth of the Taedong River near Nampo to pick up a downed pilot.

While picking up the pilot and two rescuing crew members of the boat, they came under artillery fire despite the overwatch of the Dutch destroyer, HNLMS Evertsen.

Since there were no alternative vessels available, the crash rescue boats became engaged in covert operations involving the friendly guerrillas on the islands scattered off both the east and west coast of Korea.

Boats and crews were lent on temporary duty to Donald Nichols and his Detachment 2 of the 6004th Air Intelligence Service Squadron a month at a time.

[6] The scanty official records show that between 16 November 1951 and 10 January 1952, Crash Rescue Boat R-1-667 inserted espionage agents into Port Arthur, Manchuria, as well as on the Chinese shore of the Yalu River.

In October, a North Korean junk infiltrated one of the 22nd's main bases, at Chodo Island, but was repelled with the loss of two prisoners left behind.