1/ HISTORY
It was the oldest St-Mandrier-based squadron. Created on July 1st 1954 at Saint-Mandrier. First it was equipped with Piasecki HUP-2s. Then, in 1956 it was armed with Alouette IIs and in 1962 with Alouette IIIs. In June 1979, the 23S was equipped with the all-weather version of the Alouette SA-319B. On February 9th 1990, the squadron received two AS-365F Dauphins (No 6313 and 6318) in order to provide rescue missions aboard carriers by night. The third one, was delivered on June 12th 1991. In November 1995, an AS-365SP was commissioned. On December 31th 1997, the last Alouette IIs were scrapped.............after forty-three years of service. On October 1st 1999, the 23S and 33F squadrons have been amalgamated into 35F.
2/ MISSIONS
The 23S provided support, rescue, supply missions for Mediterranean zone. Some Alouette IIIs and AS-365F Dauphin were embarked aboard the CV Foch (R 99) and CV Clemenceau (R 98) as "Pedro". Furthermore, one Alouette III was detached aboard AOR Somme (A 631) and FF Vendémiaire (F 734) in 1999.
3/ COMMANDING OFFICERS
Rank/ Name From Rank/ Name From LV Lassere July 1st 1954 LV Haudiquet August 31th 1977 LV Loyer July 2nd 1956 LV Alamercery June 21th 1979 LV Jaulent March 14th 1957 LV(S)
Lesné May 21th 1981 LV Fabre March 14th 1959 LV(S) Le Bivic June 17th 1983 LV Rouge March 14th 1961 CC(R) Jezequel March 22th 1985 LV Liard December 15th
1962 CC(R) Faven April 3rd 1987 LV Suquet July 10th 1964 CC Garraud September 9th
1988 LV Galloy February 26th
1966 CC Lauer June 25th 1990 LV Tourel December 7th 1967 CC Lugan July 2nd 1992 LV Domenjod December 12th
1968 CC Derrien July 6th 1994 LV Deissard June 4th 1971 CC Chaignon February 3rd 1996 O1E Couthures November 8th 1972 CC Jeanteur June 23th 1997 O1E Sacksteder June 7th 1974 CC Babin-Chevaye June 29th 1999 LV Farlet December 11th
1975 - -
4/ SOME DETACHMENTS
Ship(s)
(CV-CVS-CVL-CVE) Type(s) of
helicopter(s) Year(s) CVE Dixmude CVL Lafayette (R
95) CV Arromanches (R
95) CVL Bois-Belleau (R
96) HUP-2 1954 CV Arromanches (R
95) CVL Lafayette (R
95) CV Clemenceau (R
98) HUP-2 / Alouette
II 1960 CV Arromanches (R
95) CVS Jeanne d'Arc (R
97) CV Clemenceau (R
98) CV Foch (R 99) HUP-2 / Alouette II /
Alouette III 1963