Following V-E Day, the 417th served as part of the occupation forces in Germany until inactivating in November 1946, and transferring its personnel to another squadron, which was simultaneously activated.

[5] Besides routine transition training in the night fighter, the pilots also completed calibration, instrument, navigation flights, and numerous target missions in this period.

The squadron received additional training with RAF night fighter units at several bases in early 1943 achieving the first victory on 24 July.

The squadron scrounged a North American B-25 Mitchell, which it named the "Strawberry Roan," and used it to ranged throughout the Mediterranean in search of Beaufighter parts.

In August 1944, the unit supported the Allied invasion of southern France before taking up duty to fly patrol, intruder, and interceptor missions.

It last major combat operations in the first week of May consisted of nightly patrols and intruder missions against enemy aircraft attempting to harass Seventh Army troops and their bridgeheads across the Danube River at Ulm, Donauwörth, and Dillingen, Germany.

At Hahn, the unit's mission was the delivery of tactical nuclear weapons against Warsaw Pact forces in the event of an invasion of Western Europe.

Its secondary missions were tactical air defense and support for North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ground forces.

[7] It remained in West Germany as a tactical fighter squadron, equipped with the F-100 Super Sabre, until 1966, upgrading to the McDonnell F-4D Phantom II until its inactivation on 30 April 1967.

[6] The 417th returned from Europe for reassignment at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, on 15 July 68 with the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.

[6] The return from West Germany, however, brought with it a move to Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, where the 417th remained until 30 April 1977.

This time included several deployments: Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand from 10 May to 30 September 1972; Hahn AB, West Germany, from 3 February to 14 March 1973, 6 March to 5 April 1974, 3 October to 5 November 1975, and 24 August to 26 September 1976; and Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, 29 November to 19 December 1975.

[6] The 417th resumed service when it activated on 1 October 1978 at Zweibrücken Air Base, West Germany, as part of the 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.

The unit moved to Ramstein Air Base, West Germany on 1 November 1978, but evidently lost its personnel and aircraft to become a paper organization.

[6] The I-Unit was activated by Tactical Air Command at Tonopah Test Range Airport, Nevada as a classified unit on 1 October 1985.

The 37th Fighter Wing and its subordinate organizations were inactivated and the aircraft, equipment, personnel and mission of the squadron were assigned to the 49th Operations Group.