63d Operations Group
The 63d Operations Group is an inactive United States Air Force lineage organization whose predecessor formations trained and conducted troop-carrier and strategic airlift missions from 1940 through 1963, with later reactivations under related military-airlift designations.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The 63d Operations Group is an inactive United States Air Force organization descended from the 63d Transport Group, which was constituted in November 1940 and activated on 1 December of that year. Although the supplied subject name is 63d Troop Carrier Group, the authoritative Wikipedia entity is the 63rd Operations Group, a lineage-bearing Air Force group rather than a commercial brand. Its early purpose was to train transport aircrews and support the development of troop-carrier capability during the buildup to and conduct of the Second World War. During the Second World War, the organization operated first as a transport formation and was redesignated the 63d Troop Carrier Group in July 1942. It was associated with the Army Air Forces' troop-carrier training structure, including I Troop Carrier Command, and trained crews for transport aircraft. Aircraft associated with this period included the C-33, C-34, C-50, C-47 and C-53. The group was disbanded on 14 April 1944 as wartime training and organizational requirements changed. The group was reconstituted in 1949 as the 63d Troop Carrier Group, Medium, and entered the Air Force Reserve under Tactical Air Command. It was activated in the reserve on 27 June 1949 and equipped with C-54 Skymasters at Floyd Bennett Field, New York. On 1 May 1951 it was called to federal service during the Korean War period. Its personnel and equipment were sent to Japan for use with the 61st Troop Carrier Group, and the 63d group was inactivated on 9 May 1951. The organization returned to active service in 1953 as the 63d Troop Carrier Group, Heavy. Activated on 20 June 1953 under Eighteenth Air Force and Tactical Air Command, it initially flew C-119 Flying Boxcars before transitioning in 1954 to the larger C-124 Globemaster II. Its work expanded from training and routine transport to worldwide heavy airlift, including the movement of personnel and cargo, exercises with Army airborne units, and support for military deployments. After the parent 63d Troop Carrier Wing transferred to the Military Air Transport Service on 1 July 1957, the group retained its troop-carrier identity while supporting Tactical Air Command deployment requirements. Its C-124 operations included global airlift and several contingency or humanitarian missions. These included support during the 1958 Lebanon crisis, participation in the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis through the long-distance movement of a complete operational Air Force squadron, and transport connected with the Congo Crisis of 1962. In the same period, the group moved Thai and United States Marine personnel toward locations near the Mekong River in Thailand as part of efforts to deter communist aggression in Southeast Asia. The group was inactivated on 18 January 1963 after its parent wing moved to Hunter Air Force Base, Georgia, and its squadrons were assigned directly to the wing under a tri-deputate organizational structure. The lineage later continued through the 63d Military Airlift Group, activated in 1978 and inactivated in 1980, and the 63d Operations Group, activated in 1992 and inactivated in 1993. In 2002, the designation was redesignated the 63d Expeditionary Operations Group and converted to provisional status, allowing Air Mobility Command to activate or inactivate it as operational requirements dictated. The group therefore represents a long-running Air Force lineage associated with air transport, troop movement, strategic airlift, airborne-force support, and expeditionary operations rather than a current commercial organization.
History
The organization that became associated with the 63d Troop Carrier Group was constituted as the 63d Transport Group on 20 November 1940 and activated on 1 December 1940. It served during the expansion of the United States Army Air Forces as a transport-crew training formation. In April 1942 it came under the 53d Troop Carrier Wing, and in July 1942 it received the 63d Troop Carrier Group designation. During the Second World War it continued training personnel for troop-carrier aircraft and operated within the Army Air Forces training system. Its aircraft included the C-33, C-34 and C-50, followed by C-47 and C-53 aircraft used for training. The wartime group was disbanded on 14 April 1944. The lineage was restored in the postwar period. On 10 May 1949 it was reconstituted as the 63d Troop Carrier Group, Medium, and activated in the Air Force Reserve on 27 June 1949. Assigned initially to First Air Force, it operated C-54 Skymasters from Floyd Bennett Field, New York. The group entered federal service on 1 May 1951 during the Korean War period. Its people and equipment were dispatched to Japan for employment with the 61st Troop Carrier Group, and the 63d was inactivated on 9 May 1951 while deployed resources were used elsewhere. On 1 June 1953 the unit was redesignated the 63d Troop Carrier Group, Heavy, and it was activated on 20 June 1953 under the 63d Troop Carrier Wing and Eighteenth Air Force. It initially operated C-119 Flying Boxcars, then changed to C-124 Globemaster II heavy transports in 1954. The C-124 allowed the group to carry larger loads over longer distances and supported a broad program of exercises, maneuvers and worldwide airlift. The group transported personnel and cargo and worked with Army airborne formations in training and operational exercises. The parent wing transferred to the Military Air Transport Service on 1 July 1957. Although the group retained its troop-carrier designation, its activities included support for Tactical Air Command deployments and a wider range of intercontinental and contingency missions. The organization participated in or supported airlift operations connected with the 1958 Lebanon crisis, the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis, the Congo Crisis of 1962 and military movements in Southeast Asia. During the Taiwan Strait operation, it helped transport a complete operational Air Force squadron in a single coordinated movement. During the 1962 Southeast Asian crisis, C-124 aircraft moved Thai and United States Marine personnel toward positions near the Mekong River in Thailand. The group was inactivated on 18 January 1963 after the parent wing relocated to Hunter Air Force Base, Georgia. Its squadrons were assigned directly to the wing as part of a tri-deputate reorganization. The lineage was subsequently represented by the 63d Military Airlift Group, activated on 15 September 1978 and inactivated on 1 July 1980. It was redesignated the 63d Operations Group and activated on 1 January 1992, then inactivated on 1 October 1993. On 12 June 2002 it was redesignated the 63d Expeditionary Operations Group and converted to provisional status, with Air Mobility Command authorized to activate or inactivate it according to operational needs. The group's history is therefore a sequence of related Air Force designations and activations centered on air transport and mobility missions.
- 2002
Conversion to expeditionary provisional status
[1]On 12 June 2002 the group became the 63d Expeditionary Operations Group and was converted to provisional status under Air Mobility Command.
- 1992
Redesignation as the 63d Operations Group
[1]The organization was redesignated and activated as the 63d Operations Group on 1 January 1992.
- 1978
Activation as the 63d Military Airlift Group
[1]The lineage was reactivated under the 63d Military Airlift Group designation on 15 September 1978.
- 1963
Inactivation at Hunter Air Force Base
[1]The group was inactivated on 18 January after a parent-wing relocation and organizational restructuring.
- 1957
Parent wing transferred to MATS
[1]On 1 July 1957 the parent wing became part of the Military Air Transport Service, while the group continued supporting troop deployments and transport missions.
- 1954
Transition to C-124 Globemaster II
[1]The group replaced its C-119 Flying Boxcars with C-124 Globemaster II heavy transports and expanded its strategic airlift role.
- 1953
Return as a heavy troop-carrier group
[1]Redesignated the 63d Troop Carrier Group, Heavy, the group was activated on 20 June and began operating C-119 aircraft.
- 1951
Federal activation during the Korean War period
[1]The group entered federal service on 1 May 1951; its personnel and equipment were sent to Japan, and the group was inactivated on 9 May.
- 1949
Air Force Reserve reconstitution
[1]The group was reconstituted as the 63d Troop Carrier Group, Medium, and activated in the reserve at Floyd Bennett Field with C-54 aircraft.
- 1944
Wartime inactivation
[1]The World War II group was disbanded on 14 April 1944.
Products and positioning
A United States Air Force transport and airlift organization focused on training, troop movement, airborne-force support, strategic transportation, and contingency airlift.
Strategic military transport · 1954
C-124 Globemaster II airlift
The C-124 Globemaster II was the group's principal aircraft from 1954 until its 1963 inactivation. The heavy transport supported long-range movement of personnel and cargo, military exercises, troop deployments and contingency airlift. Its use marked the group's transition from primarily training-oriented troop-carrier work to a broader strategic mobility role under the changing Air Force and Military Air Transport Service structure.
Troop-carrier transport · 1953
C-119 Flying Boxcar operations
The group operated C-119 Flying Boxcars after its 1953 reactivation as a heavy troop-carrier formation and before converting to the C-124 in 1954. The aircraft supported personnel and cargo transport, training, exercises and cooperation with Army airborne units.
Reserve military transport · 1949
C-54 Skymaster operations
The Air Force Reserve version of the group used C-54 Skymasters from Floyd Bennett Field after its 1949 reconstitution. These aircraft supported the group's transport mission before its federal activation during the Korean War period in 1951.
Military training · 1940
Wartime transport-aircrew training
From 1940 through its wartime disbandment in 1944, the organization trained transport crews for the Army Air Forces. It used several transport aircraft types, including C-33, C-34, C-50, C-47 and C-53 aircraft, and contributed to the expansion of troop-carrier capacity during World War II.
Marketing campaigns
- 1962Congo Crisis airlift support
Democratic Republic of the Congo · United States
The group supported airlift associated with the Congo Crisis as part of its worldwide military transport responsibilities.
Outcome. The mission added to the group's record of contingency transportation beyond routine training and exercises.
- 1962Southeast Asia deterrence airlift
Thailand · Southeast Asia · United States
In 1962, C-124 aircraft transported Thai and United States Marine personnel toward locations near the Mekong River in Thailand in support of efforts to deter communist aggression.
Outcome. The operation demonstrated the group's capacity to support forward regional deployments in Southeast Asia.
- 1958Lebanon crisis airlift support
Lebanon · United States
The group conducted or supported airlift activity during the 1958 Lebanon crisis, using its C-124 heavy transports for the movement of personnel and cargo connected with the regional contingency.
Outcome. The operation demonstrated the group's ability to provide rapid long-range transport during a regional crisis.
- 1958Taiwan Strait Crisis airlift
Taiwan Strait · United States
During the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis, the group assisted in transporting a complete operational Air Force squadron through a coordinated single-package intercontinental airlift.
Outcome. The mission illustrated the group's role in rapidly repositioning complete operational units over long distances.
Brand decisions
1963
Tri-deputate reorganization and group inactivationStrategyBackground
The parent 63d Troop Carrier Wing moved to Hunter Air Force Base, and the Air Force reorganized the wing's operating structure.
Action taken
The group was inactivated on 18 January 1963 and its squadrons were assigned directly to the wing.
Aftermath
The group's lineage later reappeared under military-airlift and operations-group designations.
1954
Adoption of the C-124 Globemaster IIGeneration changeBackground
The reactivated group initially operated C-119 Flying Boxcars, but the Air Force required greater capacity for long-range personnel and cargo movement.
Action taken
The group transitioned to C-124 Globemaster II heavy transports and expanded its participation in worldwide airlift, exercises and deployments.
Aftermath
The transition positioned the group for strategic and intercontinental transport missions through its inactivation in 1963.
Sources1 sources
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