The squadron was first activated during World War II and flew the North American P-51 Mustang on escort missions for Eighth Air Force bombers over western Europe from mid-1943.

With IX Fighter Command, it was re-equipped with the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt in early 1944 and flew ground attack missions until the end of the war.

The squadron fought in the Gulf War, equipped with the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, and was inactivated in 1992 after briefly returning to its original designation.

Activated on 15 November 1942 at Hamilton Field, California, initially equipped with P-39 Airacobras and assigned to IV Fighter Command for training.

Transitioned to the Mustang throughout the summer of 1943 the deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), being assigned to IX Fighter Command in England.

In late 1943, the strategic bombardment campaign over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany being conducted by VIII Bomber Command was taking heavy losses in aircraft and flight crews as the VIII Fighter Command's P-38 Lightnings and P-47 Thunderbolts lacked the range to escort the heavy B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator bombers deep into Germany to attack industrial and military targets.

From its base at RAF Boxted, the unit flew long-range strategic escort missions with VIII Bomber Command groups, escorting the heavy bombers to targets such as Frankfurt, Leipzig, Augsburg, and Schweinfurt, engaging Luftwaffe day interceptors frequently, with the P-51s outperforming the German Bf 109 and Fw 190 interceptors, causing heavy losses to the Luftwaffe.

Participated in attacks on German forces in Belgium in the aftermath of the Battle of the Bulge, then moved eastward as part of the Western Allied invasion of Germany.

Equipped with North American F-100 Super Sabre fighters, the squadron participated in exercises, operations, tests, and firepower demonstrations conducted by the Tactical Air Command within the US and abroad.

For a week, the 356 TFS was the only deterrent at Kunsan until the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing was deployed from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, NC and took over alert duties.

Aircraft number 56-3417, F-100D-86-NA (formerly F-100D-85-NH), with High Wire Mods, is on display at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, Denver, Colorado.