The first recorded use of a helicopter for combat search and rescue by the US Military took place in the China-Burma Theater during World War II. An R-4 helicopter, built by Sikorsky, was used to rescue a downed American pilot and three wounded British soldiers in the jungles of Burma.
US Army Lieutenant Carter Harman of the 1st Air Commando Group conducted the first combat rescue by helicopter using a YR-4B in the China-Burma-India
On April 21, 1944, the Japanese Imperial Army in Burma shot down a Stinson L-1 Vigilant rescue aircraft piloted by American Murphy Hladovack, which carried three wounded British soldiers. The 1st Air Commando Group tasked Harman with rescuing them. His YR-4B was the only working helicopter among the four used by the group. Due to the limited range of the YR-4B and small cabin size Harman had to transport the soldiers one by one to transfer them to a waiting liaison plane. Over the span of two days, he ferried the soldiers to this plane to bring them to safety.
For his efforts the US Army awarded him the Distinguished Flying Cross.
