63rd Troop Carrier Group

Constituted as 63rd Transport Group on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 1 Dec 1940. Trained with C-33, C-34, and C-50 aircraft; later equipped with C-47's and C-53's. Transported supplies, materiel, and personnel in the US and the Caribbean area. Became part of Air Transport Command (later I Troop Carrier Command) in Apr 1942. Redesignated 63rd Troop Carrier Group in Jul 1942. Became a training organization, preparing cadres for troop carrier groups. Began training replacement crews in Jul 1943. Disbanded on 14 Apr 1944.

Reconstituted, allotted to the reserve, and redesignated 63rd Troop Carrier Group (Medium), on 10 May 1949. Activated on 27 Jun 1949. Ordered to active service on 1 May 1951. Inactivated on 9 May 1951.

Redesignated 63rd Troop Carrier Group (Heavy). Activated on 20 Jun 1953. Assigned to Tactical Air Command and equipped with C-124's. Trained, transported personnel and supplies, and participated in exercises and maneuvers with airborne troops. In 1955 transported construction equipment from bases in Canada to points north of the Arctic Circle for use in setting up a warning network in the Canadian Arctic; for this operation, accomplished in severe weather and without adequate navigational equipment, the group received an AFOUA.

Squadrons. 3d: 1940-1944; 1949-1951; 1953-. 6th: 1940-1942. 9th: 1940-1943; 1949-1951; 1953-. 52d: 1942-1944; 1949-1951; 1953-. 60th: 1942-1944; 1949-1951.

Stations. Wright Field, Ohio, 1 Dec 1940; Patterson Field, Ohio, 17 Feb 1941; Brookley Field, Ala, 9 Sep 1941; Camp Williams, Wis, 24 May 1942; Dodd Field, Tex, c. 18 Sep 1942; Victorville, Calif, c. 18 Nov 1942; Lawson Field, Ga, 7 May 1943; Grenada AAFld, Miss, c. 3 Jun 1943; Sedalia AAFld, Mo, 19 Jan-14 Apr 1944. Floyd Bennett NAS, NY, 27 Jun 1949-9 May 1951. Altus AFB, Okla, 20 Jun 1953; Donaldson AFB, SC, 15 Oct 1953-.

Commanders. Capt James L Jackson, 1 Dec 1940; Maj Herman E Hurst, 30 Apr 1942; Lt Col Edward P Dimmick, 3 Oct 1942-14 Apr 1944. Col Kenneth L Johnson, 20 June 1953; Col Horace A Crosswell, 1955-.

Campaigns. American Theater.

Decorations. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 2 Mar-3 May 1955.

Insigne. Shield: Light blue with a green embattled base, a red lightning flash striking from upper right corner and crossing the corner of one embattlement and a white parachute with shroud lines touching the tip of the flash; above the parachute three white aircraft, on the green base a circle of six yellow stars at the left and a triangle of three yellow stars. Motto: Omnia, Ubique, Semper - Anything, Anywhere, Anytime. (Approved 2 Oct 1953.)

Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986