The Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF's) involvement with the search and rescue (SAR) mandate in Canada dates to 1947. The RCAF's Air Sea Rescue predecessor capability from the Second World War dates back to 1942. How and why did the RCAF become involved with both of those capabilities, and is there historical rationale for the continued involvement of the RCAF in the domestic SAR service today? Amplified with operational examples of the rescue system in action, this previously untold history aims to describe the origins of SAR history in Canada and to further the debate on the continued use of military resources for domestic responsibilities.