Lineage

Constituted 63 Troop Carrier Squadron on 7 Dec 1942. Activated on 12 Dec 1942. Inactivated on 15 May 1946. Activated in the Reserve on 21 Jun 1947. Redesignated 63 Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 27 Jun 1949. Ordered to active service on 1 Apr 1951. Inactivated on 1 Jan 1953. Activated in the Reserve on 1 Jan 1953. Ordered to active service on 28 Oct 1962. Relieved from active duty on 28 Nov 1962. Redesignated: 63 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 1 Jul 1967; 63 Tactical Air Support Squadron on 26 Jun 1969; 63 Tactical Airlift Squadron on 29 Jun 1971; 63 Airlift Squadron on 1 Feb 1992; 63 Air Refueling Squadron on 1 Oct 1992.

Assignments

403 Troop Carrier Group, 12 Dec 1942-15 May 1946 (attached to South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command, 10 Oct 1943-3 Jul 1944). 419 Troop Carrier Group, 21 Jun 1947; 403 Troop Carrier Group, 27 Jun 1949-1 Jan 1953. 403 Troop Carrier Group, 1 Jan 1953; 403 Troop Carrier Wing, 14 Apr 1959; 927 Troop Carrier (later, 927 Tactical Air Support; 927 Tactical Airlift; 927 Airlift; 927 Air Refueling) Group, 11 Feb 1963; 927 Operations Group, 1 Aug 1992-.

Stations

Bowman Field, KY, 12 Dec 1942; Alliance, NE, 18 Dec 1942; Pope Field, NC, 3 May 1943; Baer Field, IN, 20 Jun-18 Jul 1943; Espiritu Santo, 6 Aug 1943; Los Negros, 13 Aug 1944; Biak, 1 Oct 1944 (air echelon operated from Wakde, 4-19 Oct 1944, and from Noemfoor, 29 Oct-31 Dec 1944); Dulag, Leyte, 3 May 1945; Clark Field, Luzon, 23 Jan-15 May 1946. Andrews Field, MD, 21 Jun 1947; Portland Muni Aprt, OR, 27 Jun 1949-29 Mar 1952; Ashiya AB, Japan, 14 Apr 1952-1 Jan 1953. Portland Intl Aprt, OR, 1 Jan 1953; Selfridge AFB (later, ANGB), MI, 16 Nov 1957-.

Commanders

Capt John W. Christner, 23 Dec 1942; Capt Eugene F. Kinnaird, Jr, 7 Jun 1943; Maj Raymond M. Smith, 9 Oct 1943; Lt Col Lester C. Messenger, 9 Nov 1944; Capt John M. Cook, Jr, 3 May 1945; Capt Jesse A. Ray, 12 Jul 1945; Capt William P. Mercer, 30 Aug 1945; Maj Elmer F. Hauser, by Dec 1945; Capt Ralph E. Tankersley, by Mar 1946; unkn, 3 May 1946-Oct 1952; Maj E. D. Barclay, by Oct-Dec 1952. Unkn, Jan 1953-1955; Lt Col Vernon Acker by Jun 1955; Maj John A. Forsythe, by Dec 1955; Lt Col George L. Kittle, by Dec 1958; Maj Robert F. Jagitsch, by Jun 1963; Lt Col Dragi C. Lazin, by Dec 1963; Lt Col Roy M. Marshall, by Dec 1965; Col John H. Lynn, by Jun 1968; Lt Col Steven Mikinka, 26 Jun 1969; Lt Col Charles E. Williams, 30 Oct 1970; Lt Col Robert C. Metzger, Jan 1974; Lt Col John J. Desjardine, 13 Jul 1974; Lt Col Theodore D. Johnson, 17 Jun 1979; Lt Col James B. Grove II, May 1983; Lt Col Richard J. Busboom, 11 Sep 1987; Lt Col Richard L. Sipp, 7 Feb 1989; Lt Col Michael B. Shannon, 1 Dec 1989; Lt Col William Shields, 9 Aug 1992; Lt Col Michael J. Bundshuh, 23 Oct 1993-.

Aircraft

C-47, 1943-1946; C-46, 1945-1946; C-54, 1946. C-46, 1951-1952; C-119, 1952. C-46, 1953-1957; C-119, 1957-1969; U-3, 1969-1971; C-130, 1971-1992; KC-135, 1992-.

Operations

Aerial transportation and casualty evacuation in the South and Southwest Pacific, 6 Aug 1943-c. Aug 1945, and between Japan and Korea, 19 May-31 Dec 1952. Tactical airlift operations, 1953-1969 and 1971-1992. Trained for tactical air support missions, 1969-1971. Deployed personnel to southwest Asia in 1990 and 1991 during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Conducted training for and flew air refueling missions, 1992-.

Service Streamers

None.

Campaign Streamers

World War II: New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines. Korean War: Korean Summer-Fall, 1952; Third Korean Winter. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers

None.

Decorations

Distinguished Unit Citation: Philippine Islands, 17 Apr-30 Jun 1945. Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation: [10 Oct 1943-3 Jul 1944]. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Nov 1978-31 Oct 1980. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII). Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation: 19 May-31 Dec 1952. Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 14 Feb 1968-6 Nov 1972.

Emblem

Approved on 20 Oct 1952.

Lineage, Assignments, Components, Stations, and Honors through 27 May 1999.

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Sep 1996.