HMH-463
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| Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 | |
|---|---|
 HMH-463 Unit insignia |
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| Active | July 20, 1944 - July 28, 1945 July 15, 1945 - March 20, 1946 September 1, 1958 - June 30, 1959 March 1, 1966 - present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | USMC |
| Type | Heavy Helicopter Squadron |
| Role | Assault Support |
| Part of | Marine Aircraft Group 24 1st Marine Aircraft Wing |
| Garrison/HQ | MCAF Kaneohe Bay |
| Nickname | "Pegasus" |
| Tail Code | YH |
| Engagements | Vietnam War Operation Desert Storm Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
LtCol Frank E. Wendling |
Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 (HMH-463) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH-53D Sea Stallion transport helicopters. The squadron, also known as "Pegasus", is based at Marine Corps Air Facility Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 24 (MAG-24) and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW). The squadron is set to be placed in cadre status in 2011 and then be reactivated in 2016 after having transitioned to the MV-22 Osprey[1].
Contents |
[edit] Mission
Provide assault support transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment during expeditionary, joint or combined operations. Be prepared for short-notice, worldwide employment in support of Marine Air-Ground Task Force operations.
[edit] History
[edit] Early years
The squadron was originally activated as Marine Bombing Squadron 463 (VMB-463), a fixed-wing bombing squadron, on July 20, 1944 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina and assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 62, 9th Marine Aircraft Wing. In November 1944, the squadron was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 34. The following February, the squadron was reassigned to Marine Operational Training Group 81 only to be deactivated on July 28, 1945. On July 15, 1945, the squadron was reactivated at Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara, California as Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 463 (VMTB-463) and assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 51. The following year, on March 20, 1946, the squadron was once again deactivated and would remain so until 1958. The squadron was reactivated on September 1, 1958 at Marine Corps Air Station Santa Ana, California as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 463 and assigned to Marine Air Group 36, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and then deactivated again less than a year later on June 30, 1959.
[edit] Vietnam War
Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 was reactivated on March 1, 1966 at MCAS Santa Ana and assigned to Marine Wing Support Group 37, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing flying the CH-53 Sea Stallion airframe. A four-plane detachment from HMH-463 deployed to Marble Mountain, Vietnam in December 1966. HMH-463 was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16. The remainder of the squadron would deploy during May 1967 to Marble Mountain where they participated in the Vietnam War for the next four years. After the Vietnam War, HMH-463 relocated to Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii in May 1971 and was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Brigade.
In 1973, HMH-463 returned to Vietnam and participated in minesweeping operations in the Haiphong/Hon Gai Area of North Vietnam from February through July. The squadron again returned in 1975 to participate in Operation Eagle Pull and Operation Frequent Wind during the evacuations of Cambodia and Saigon[2]..
[edit] 1990s
In August 1990, HMH-463 deployed to Saudi Arabia to take part in Operation Desert Shield. The squadron remained in Southwest Asia to participate in Operation Desert Storm before returning to MCAF Kaneohe Bay in March 1991.
[edit] 2000s
In March 2006, HMH-463 deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, making it the first CH-53D unit to be deployed to Iraq. The squadron returned to MCAF Kaneohe Bay in October 2006.
[edit] Unit awards
A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. HMH-463 has been presented with the following awards:
| Ribbon | Unit Award |
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Presidential Unit Citation |
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Navy Unit Commendation with three Bronze Star |
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Meritorious Unit Commendation with one Silver Star and two Bronze Stars |
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World War II Victory Medal |
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National Defense Service Medal with one Bronze Star |
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Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
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Vietnam Service Medal with two Silver Stars and one Bronze Star |
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Southwest Asia Service Medal with two Bronze Stars |
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Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Streamer |
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Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Civil Action Medal |
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Iraq Campaign Medal |
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Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
[edit] See also
- United States Marine Corps Aviation
- List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
- List of inactive United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
[edit] References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.
- Notes
- ^ LtGen John Castellaw (2007). "2007 Marine Aviation Plan". . Headquarters Marine Corps Retrieved on 2007-11-18.
- ^ Chapter 5: The Final Curtain, 1973 - 1975 (HTML). history.navy.mil (2000). Retrieved on 2007-12-17.
- Bibliography
- Rottman, Gordon L. (2002). U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle - Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939 - 1945.’’. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31906-5.
- Sherrod, Robert (1952). History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Combat Forces Press.
- Web
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