History
April 1, 1997, the 463d Airlift Group activated at Little Rock Air Force Base. The group first activated in 1953 as a troop carrier wing at Memphis Municipal Airport, Tennessee, operating the C-46 and C-119. Three years later when the Air Force accepted the first production of C-130As from Lockheed, crews assigned to the 463rd TCW were the first to operate the slick new aircraft. With the unit's activation at Little Rock AFB, 463rd AG crews returned to the C-130 with the assignment of the 50th Airlift Squadron and 61st Airlift Squadron. Previous to the reassignment, the squadrons had served as the operational flying units of the 314th Airlift Wing. The 314th AW retained its flying training mission with the 53rd AS and 62nd AS.