History 

Tailcodes 

History 

The squadron was originally activated as Marine Bombing Squadron 463 (VMB-463), a fixed-wing bombing squadron, on 20. July 1944 at MCAS 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 28. July 1945.

On 15. July 1945, the squadron was reactivated at MCASSanta Barbara, California as Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 463 (VMTB-463) and assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 51. The following year, on 20. March 1946, the squadron was once again deactivated

HMR(M)-463 was reactivated at MCAS 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 MCAS Santa Ana, CA. While sister-squadrons HMH-461 and HMH-462 were still operating the CH-37C (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.