For its first two years of operations the squadron was based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.

During these early months the squadron was occupied in proficiency training, which contributed to the growing body of knowledge of rotary wing aircraft and their employment and ultimately became the basis for the doctrine of vertical envelopment then being developed by the Marine Corps.

On 7 July 1954, HMR-263 relocated to Marine Corps Air Facility New River, North Carolina, where it remained home based for the next eleven years.

During this time the squadron participated in over fifteen major exercises and deployments including disaster relief in Tampico, Mexico in October 1955 and operations from the submarine USS Sealion in March 1956.

During November 1967, HMM-263 was transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Santa Ana, California where it was re-equipped with CH-46D helicopters before redeploying to South Vietnam in January 1969.

On 18 November 1970 a squadron CH-46D crashed into terrain in the Quế Sơn District after extracting a Marine patrol killing all 15 onboard.

[1] The squadron remained in Vietnam until April 1971 and then transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Quantico, Virginia and began flying the CH-46F helicopter.

The squadron also conducted the successful TRAP rescue mission of Air Force pilot Captain Scott O'Grady on 8 June 1995.

While participating in operations such as Second Battle of Fallujah, Citadel II, Riverwalk, and Plymouth Rock, HMM-263 (Rein) totaled 7,472.5 combat flight hours, of which an amazing 4,664.9 were on NVG’s.

During this tour, the squadron executed the first all-Iraqi heliborne assault in support of the newly created Iraqi Security Forces.

[2] On 17 September 2007, VMM-263 left with 10 Ospreys from MCAS New River for Iraq aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1).