Provide assault support transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment during expeditionary, joint or combined operations.

During October 1953 the squadron flew humanitarian relief missions in the area of Hanshin following devastation created by Typhoon Tess.

In August 1954, the squadron sent a three-helicopter detachment aboard ship to assist with the relocation of Vietnamese refugees as part of Operation Passage to Freedom.

In June 1960, the squadron again deployed to MCAF Futema, Okinawa, Japan returning to MCAS Santa Ana in August 1961.

[1] In late July 1962, HMM-163 deployed to Sóc Trăng Airfield, South Vietnam and on 1 August it replaced HMM-362 as the Operation Shufly squadron.

[3]: 73–4  On 6 October the squadron suffered its first fatalities when a search and rescue UH-34 crashed due to mechanical failure 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Tam Kỳ killing five Marines and two Navy corpsmen with only the pilot surviving.

[4]: 18  The mission was depicted in Larry Burrows' LIFE magazine photo-essay "One ride with Yankee Papa 13" showing the death of Marine pilot 1st Lt James E. Magel and the rescue of wounded gunner Sgt Billie Owens.

On 21 June the squadron was replaced by HMM-261 and joined the Special Landing Force (SLF) onboard USS Iwo Jima.

[6]: 52  On 9 March 1966, the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 95th Regiment, 325th Division attacked the Special Forces camp in the A Shau Valley about 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Huế in Thừa Thiên Province.

The squadron flew over 2,000 flight hours in ten days during the battle in which 190 survivors were rescued from capture in the face of heavy enemy anti-aircraft fire.

[6]: 347, 350 The squadron again returned to Phu Bai, still with black and white "Evil Eyes", under the command of LtCol Otto Bianchi.

Also in the room at the time of this conversation was the Commanding General of the Marine ground forces in the area, who politely interrupted by saying, "It sure is great to have the 'Evil Eyes' back here at Phu Bai!"

[9]: 527, 720  On 31 August the squadron returned to the U.S.[9]: 719 During the 1990s, HMM-163 continued to excel while serving as the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) for five Special Operations Capable Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU(SOC)) on deployments to the Pacific and Central Command theaters.