The 430th Tactical Fighter Squadron was deployed in September 1972 to Thailand to fly combat missions in the Vietnam War, and was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Combat "V" Device 28 Sep 1972-22 Feb 1973 and Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm 28 Sep 1972-22 Feb 1973.

It trained with the P-38 over the Mojave Desert, moving to the European Theater of Operations, and was assigned to Ninth Air Force in England during March 1944.

It operated out of Warmwell, Britain, and Saint Lambert, St. Marceau, and Peronne, France, Florennes, Belgium, and Strassfeld, Langensalza, Schweinfurt, and Stuttgart, Germany during and immediately after the war in 1945.

Subsequently it conducted armed reconnaissance missions after D-Day and attacked highways and troops to support the Allied breakthrough at St Lo.

The Squadron supported the British attack on Holland in Sep 1944; the Battle of the Bulge Dec 1944-Jan 1945; and the airborne assault across the Rhine in Mar 1945.

On 23rd August, the 474th Fighter Group had its hour of glory, when it destroyed a significant quantity of equipment and materiel amassed along the Seine, behind the pocket of resistance of Falaise-Argentan.

"[9] Redesignated the 430th Fighter-Bomber Squadron in June 1952 and reactivated in Japan under Far East Air Forces, July 1952 as a result of the Korean War.

Moved to South Korea in August as part of the 474th Fighter Bomber Wing, engaging in combat operations from Kunsan Air Base (K-8).

From Kunsan the squadron bombed and strafed bridges, bunkers, troop concentrations, artillery positions, and a host of other enemy targets.

Maintained proficiency in tactical fighter operations, deploying components, aircraft, and crews on a global basis in support of NATO, PACAF, AAC, and other organizations.

430th TFS flew approximately 2,000 combat missions with excellent success rates in hitting targets even when visibility was near zero before returning to the United States on 22 March 1973.

[15] Engaged in training new pilots with the F-111A during the mid-1970s, changing equipment to the McDonnell F-4D Phantom II in August 1977 during "Operation Ready Switch", sending the F-111As to the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho and sending the F-111Fs from Mountain Home to Lakenheath Air Base in England to replace the departing F-4Ds.

Conducted routine Tactical Air Command training and deployments from Nellis with the F-16s, upgrading to Block 10/15 models in the early 1980s.

[17] On 27 January 2020, a United States Air Force E-11A aircraft (serial number 11–9358) belonging to 430th Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron crashed in Afghanistan's Dih Yak District, Ghazni Province.