163rd Transportation Detachment

Coat of Arms

History

The 163rd Transportation Detachment is a distinguished U.S. Army watercraft unit with a proud lineage extending back to World War II. For decades, it has been a cornerstone of maritime logistics, providing vital intra-theater lift and expeditionary sustainment for joint and combined operations across the globe.

Constituted on November 28, 1944, as the 163d Transportation Corps Boat Detachment, the unit was activated on December 4, 1944, at Camp Gordon Johnston, Florida. During World War II, detachment played a crucial role in maritime transportation operations, contributing to the Allied victory in the Pacific Theater. After the war, the unit was inactivated on January 31, 1946, at Fort Mason, California.

The unit was redesignated as the 163d Transportation Detachment and reactivated on August 5, 1957, at Camp Leroy Johnson, Louisiana, later supporting operations in Southeast Asia. It was inactivated again on June 15, 1970, in Sattahip, Thailand. The 163rd Transportation Detachment was reactivated on December 10, 1990, at Ford Island, Hawaii, where it has since provided continuous maritime transportation in support of the U.S. Army Pacific and joint forces.

The unit's esteemed history is marked by campaign participation in World War II (Air Offensive, Japan) and the Global War on Terrorism. The 163rd Transportation Detachment has been twice awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for its service in Southwest Asia during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2005–2006) and for its support of Operation Enduring Freedom (2009–2010).

In the post-Cold War era, the 163rd Transportation Detachment has been at the forefront of modern military logistics. The unit deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and later conducted a 12-month deployment to Kuwait Naval Base, providing essential waterborne transportation between Kuwait and Qatar.

A significant milestone in the unit's modern history occurred on June 29, 2012, when it formally assumed responsibility for the Logistics support Vessel LTG William B. Bunker (LSV-4) at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. 

Since then, the detachment has supported U.S. Army Pacific, joint, and combined operations throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

In 2020, the unit undertook extensive Pacific operations, spending approximately 94 days underway and covering nearly 20,000 nautical miles. These operations supported major joint exercises such as Defender Pacific and Valiant Shield, the redeployment of the Marine Rotational Force–Darwin, and contingency support to exercises in Japan. 

Today, the 163rd Transportation Detachment operates the LSV-4 as a critical enabler of Army watercraft operations from Yokohama North Dock, Japan. The unit provides heavy sealift, logistics-over-the-shore capability, and intra-theater maritime sustainment. Its enduring legacy is a testament to decades of dedicated service across multiple theaters, supporting combat operations, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, and joint force maneuver.