<p>The unit was formed as the 459th Troop Carrier Wing at Andrews AFB in January 1955 with the C-45 and C-46. The 459th changed to the C-119 in 1957 and the C-124C when the unit became a Military Airlift Wing in July 1966. The wing converted to the C-130A and became the 459th TAW in June 1971. Equipment was upgraded to C-130Bs briefly in 1974 and the C-130E in 1975. The 459th re-equipped with the C-141B in late 1986, as the first AFRes StarLifter unit, becoming the 459th MAW again.