HSC - 9 Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Nine ( HSC - 9 ) " Tridents " is a United States Navy helicopter squadron based at Naval Air Station Norfolk , Norfolk , Virginia . HSC - 9 is attached to Carrier Air Wing Eight and deploys aboard . HSC - 9 was redesignated from HS - 3 on 1 June 2009 . Mission . Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Nine ' s primary mission is to employ the versatility of the MH - 60S helicopter to support the battle group commander ' s objectives , with emphasis on Anti - Surface Warfare ( ASUW ) , Combat Search and Rescue ( CSAR ) , support of Special Operations , and Vertical Replenishment ( VERTREP ) . Secondary missions include Anti - Ship Missile defense and Medical Evacuation ( MEDEVAC ) . HSC - 9 command history . Early history . HSC - 9 traces its history back to Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Three ( HS - 3 ) which was established 18 June 1952 , at the Naval Air Facility , Elizabeth City , North Carolina . The Tridents commenced operations flying the Piaseki UH - 25B helicopter , and later transitioned to the Sikorsky H - 19 and SH - 34 helicopters . HS - 3 was the first Atlantic Fleet operational squadron to operate the gas turbine powered SH - 3A Sea King , followed later by the SH - 3D , and finally the SH - 3H TACNAV equipped helicopter . Additionally in 1982 , HS - 3 became the first squadron to deploy with the AQS - 13 E Sonar Data Computer . During the early 1960s HS - 3 was deployed in and . In 1962 , on board the , HS - 3 participated in the naval blockade of Cuba . < br > The Tridents began an active role in the space program on May 24 , 1962 when then Skipper CDR J . M . Wondergem picked up LCDR M . S . Carpenter from his Aurora 7 spacecraft and delivered him to USS " Intrepid " ( CV 11 ) . Astronauts Carpenter , Grissom , Young , Collins , Gordon , Conrad , McDevitt , Scott , and Schweikart all ended their space journeys with rides aboard TRIDENT helicopters . In 1967 , HS - 3 deployed aboard , and in 1970 the Tridents conducted their first operations aboard . In the early 1970s , the squadron participated in the relief of Tunisian flood victims , rescuing or relocating 630 people while transporting over 43 , 000 pounds of food and medical supplies . In recognition of this humanitarian support , the squadron was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation . HS - 3 won the Battle " E " in 1973 and 1978 as well as the Isbell Trophy in 1974 and 1978 . HS - 3 was awarded two Navy Unit Commendations for operational accomplishments and outstanding maintenance efforts during the 1985 - 86 Mediterranean and Indian Ocean deployment on board USS " Saratoga " ( CV 60 ) . The Tridents won three consecutive Battle " E " Awards for 1985 , ' 86 and ' 87 . They also won back - to - back Isbell Trophies in 1986 and ' 87 . Seahawk history . In 1990 , the Tridents enforced United Nations sanctions against Iraqi trade while deployed on board the in the Red Sea . HS - 3 conducted an actual Helicopter Visit , Board , Search and Seizure ( HVBSS ) with a special forces boarding team to " take down " a hostile merchant ship during Operation Desert Shield / Storm . HS - 3 provided superb combat support in this campaign and was awarded a Navy Unit Commendation for those efforts . The squadron returned home in the spring of 1991 and was the first Atlantic squadron to transition to the SH - 60F Seahawk . Preparations for the squadron ' s 1995 Mediterranean deployment were interrupted when the Tridents were called on to support Operation Uphold Democracy during the military intervention in Haiti . HS - 3 provided the sole Navy Maritime SAR , CSAR and special operations support . The Tridents deployed one week after the completion of Uphold Democracy and flew in support of Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia - Herzegovina . During this deployment , HS - 3 also flew the first actual CSAR mission by an HS squadron since the Vietnam Era to search for the crew of a downed French Mirage fighter . The Tridents deployed aboard in March 1999 and headed straight into the first of two conflicts . During Operation Noble Anvil , HS - 3 supported combat operations against Serbia in Kosovo . Once a cease - fire was agreed upon , the " Theodore Roosevelt " transited the Persian Gulf to support maritime interdiction operations and enforce no - fly zones over southern Iraq . In August , HS - 3 conducted a successful HVBSS to a freighter violating UN sanctions . The operation seized $ 3 . 5 million in Iraqi contraband . During this demanding deployment , HS - 3 lifted over 1 , 800 , 000 pounds of cargo and completed over 2 , 000 small deck landings . HS - 3 was awarded the Battle " E " for 1999 . In April 2001 , HS - 3 deployed in , which became the key force behind the highly successful first strikes against the Taliban in response to the terror attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon . The Tridents conducted sustained CSAR , ASW , Logistics , NSW , and SAR operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom . The Tridents deployed in 2003 in the USS " Theodore Roosevelt " ( CVN - 71 ) after a compressed inter - deployment readiness cycle . During the course of the deployment , HS - 3 conducted ASW , Logistics , and SAR operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . After returning home in May , the Tridents continued their operational tempo in a surge status until January 2004 . In September 2008 , after completing a lengthy training cycle , the Tridents deployed in USS " Theodore Roosevelt " ( CVN - 71 ) to the Arabian Sea in support of combat operations in Afghanistan . Along the way , HS - 3 took part in a historic visit to Cape Town , South Africa . The " Theodore Roosevelt " was the first U . S . carrier to visit Cape Town in over 40 years . The Tridents ensured the success of the cooperative engagement with the South African government by transporting dignitaries on and off the ship , conducting an emergent 80 , 000 pound at - anchor vertical replenishment , and moving supplies for the reception ashore . Once arriving on - station in the CENTCOM AOR , the Tridents flew plane guard , anti - terrorism force protection , anti - surface warfare , logistics , and anti - submarine warfare in direct support of Operation Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations during the 2008 - 2009 deployment . The Tridents also detached three H - 60H aircraft to the and subsequently to the for two months . This detachment supported Combined Task Force 151 counter - piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden . The Tridents assisted in apprehending 16 suspected pirates and paved the way for future operations in the region . In 2008 , HS - 3 won the CNAF Aviation Battle Efficiency , Commander , Naval Aviation Safety Center Safety " S " , and the CAPT A . J . Isbell Trophy . Post MH - 60S transition . On April 16 , 2009 , the Tridents returned home to Jacksonville , Florida , from HS - 3 ' s final cruise . During this year , the Tridents received the Jimmy Thach award for excellence in Anti - Submarine Warfare , a great end cap to the distinguished legacy of HS - 3 . In May , the squadron started its permanent duty station change to Norfolk , VA and airframe change to the MH - 60S . On June 1 , 2009 , the Tridents officially became Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron NINE ( HSC - 9 ) . On 13 January 2010 , the Tridents sent two helicopters in support of Operation Unified Response , providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief following the devastating Haiti earthquake . Squadron personnel spent three months deployed in and off the coast of Haiti , delivering over 280 , 000 pounds of disaster relief supplies and completing 240 MEDEVAC missions on the beleaguered island . The Tridents also brought ashore over 556 , 000 pounds of sustainment supplies and made 1300 passenger transfers in support of the Operation . Following their transition , Tridents lent support to numerous carrier qualifications and completed an intense work - up schedule in preparation for the USS " George H . W . Bush " ( CVN - 77 ) maiden voyage with Carrier Air Wing Eight . Squadron aircraft . H - 3 Sea King SH - 60 Seahawk Squadron awards . SAR Excellence Award " Golden Wrench " Maintenance Award 2012 " Battle E "