VMB-463
VMTB-463
HMR(M)-463
HMH-463
Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463
HMH-463
"Pegasus"
HMH-463 was first activated during July 1944 as VMB-463, a PBJ squadron, and based at Cherry Point, NC. The squadron was deactivated in February 1945. Five months later, the squadron was reactivated at Santa Barbara, CA as a torpedo-bombing squadron, VMTB-463. In March 1946 the squadron was deactivated again,
HMR(M)-463 was reactivated at Santa Ana, CA in 1958. The squadron was planned to be the third "medium" lift squadron in the Marine Corps and was to have been equipped with the Sikorsky HR2S-1 "Deuce". A cutback in orders for the giant helicopter resulted in the deactivation of the squadron in June 1959.
HMH-463 was reactivated in March 1966 at Santa Ana, CA. While sister-squadrons HMH-461 and HMH-462 were still operating the CH-37C (new designation for HR2S-1), HMH-463 was equipped with the new CH-53A "Sea Stallion". A four-plane detachment was sent to Vietnam in December 1966, with the main body following in May 1967. HMH-463 would serve in Vietnam until May 1971, when it relocated to Kaneohe Bay, HI, and joined MAG-24.
During February-July 1973, HMH-463 took part in Operation End Sweep, the clearing of mines from North Vietnamese waters. During the period March-May 1975, the squadron was deployed to South-East Asia again, this time particpating in the evacuation operations in Cambodia (Eagle Pull) and Saigon, RVN (Frequent Wind). After returning to Hawaii, the squadron took part in numerous exercises throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
HMH-463 has since participated in Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990-91, Operation Garden Isle (Hurricane Iniki relief operations), and Joint Task Force - Full Accounting in Cambodia during 1993 and 1995.
During 2005, HMH-463 became the first CH-53D squadron from MAG-24 to deploy to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
During 2011, HMH-463 began transitioning to the CH-53E "Super Stallion".
Lineage
1944 - 1946
Activated 20 July 1944 at Cherry Point, North
Carolina as Marine Bombing Squadron 463 and assigned to Marine
Air Group-62, 9th Marine Air Wing.
Reassigned during November 1944 to Marine Air Group 34
Reassigned during February 1945 to Marine Operational Training
Group 81
Deactivated 28 Feb 1945
Reactivated 15 July 1945 at Santa Barbara, California, as Marine
Torpedo Bombing Squadron 463 and assigned to Marine Air Group
51.
Deactivated 20 Mar 1946
1958 - 1959
Reactivated 1 September 1958 at Santa Ana,
California as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron (Medium) 463
and assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 36, 3rd Marine Aircraft
Wing
Deactivated 30 June 1959
1966 - 1975
Reactivated 1 March 1966 at Santa Ana,
California as Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 and assigned
to Marine Wing Service Group 37, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
Four plane HMH-463 Det deployed to Marble Mountain, Vietnam in
December 1966 and assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 1st
Marine Aircraft Wing
Remainder of squadron deployed during May 1967 to Marble
Mountain, Vietnam assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 1st
Marine Aircraft Wing
Relocated during May 1971 to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii and reassigned
to Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Brigade
Participated in mine sweeping operations in the Haiphong/Hon Gai
Area of North Vietnam, February - July1973
Participated in Operations Eagle Pull and Frequent Wind during
evacuation of Cambodia and Saigon Mar - May 1975
1975 - 2004
Participated in Operations Desert Shield and
Desert Storm, Southwest Asia, August 1990 - March 1991
Participated in Operation Garden Isle (Hurricane Iniki Relief) on
Island of Kauai in September 1992
Participated in Joint Task Force - Full Accounting, Cambodia
September - Nov 1993, April - May 1995
Participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom during
2005-2006.
Unit Awards
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION STREAMER
Vietnam
1967
NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER with 3 bronze stars
Vietnam
1968 - 1969
1970 - 1971
1975
Southwest Asia
1990 - 1991
MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER with 1 silver and 2 bronze
stars
Vietnam
1967
1969
1970
1971
1971
1973
1975
1983 - 1986
1996 - 1998
WORLD WAR II VICTORY STREAMER
NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE STREAMER with 2 bronze stars
ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY STREAMER
VIETNAM SERVICE STREAMER with two silver and one bronze star
SOUTHWEST ASIA SERVICE STREAMER with two bronze stars
IRAQI CAMPAIGN STREAMER
GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM SERVICE STREAMER
VIETNAM CROSS of GALLANTRY with PALM STREAMER
VIETNAM MERITORIOUS UNIT CITATION CIVIL ACTIONS STREAMER