After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the squadron participated in the Antisubmarine Campaign of the American Theater of Operations.

The squadron deployed aircrews and aircraft to support combat operations in Southeast Asia from the mid 1960s through the early 1970s.

[2][9] The squadron continued antisubmarine operations in the Gulf of Alaska[10] and detachments of the squadron flew combat missions during the Aleutian Campaign from forward bases on Adak and Amchitka with North American B-25 Mitchells, attacking enemy targets on Dutch Harbor that helped force the withdrawal of enemy ships and on Kiska until the Japanese withdrew from the island.

[11][12] The squadron returned to the Continental United States in late 1943 and was briefly assigned to Fourth Air Force.

[2] The squadron moved on paper to the European Theater of Operations in November where it was organized from crews and aircraft formerly assigned to the 479th Antisubmarine Group.

[13] The aircraft were painted gloss black overall and the openings left by the removal of the gun turrets from their bellies were used by agents being dropped by parachute.

[15] The unit flew its first Carpetbagger mission to drop supplies to members of the Resistance in Occupied Europe under the guidance of the Royal Air Force (RAF) in early January.

[13] When the 492d took over the Carpetbagger mission, its 858th Bombardment Squadron, which was engaged in psychological warfare against Nazi Germany, joined it at RAF Harrington.

[19] The 4136th wing was established by SAC in a program to disperse its Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike.

[21] Starting in 1960, one third of the squadron's aircraft were maintained on fifteen-minute alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike.

[25] In 1962, SAC organized four Post-Attack Command and Control System (PACCS) squadrons and equipped them with Boeing EB-47 Stratojets.

The establishment of Boeing EC-135 airborne command post aircraft at SAC headquarters and at each of its Numbered Air Forces resulted in the inactivation of the less capable B-47 units by 1965.

[26] The squadron deployed aircrews and aircraft to support the Spanish, Great Lakes and Alaskan Tanker Task Forces.

In December of 1992, they received a no-notice tasking to deploy to Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal, and departed organically (no other airlift support) within 24 hours.

They were part of Operation Restore Hope supporting humanitarian efforts in Somalia, enabling US-based airlifters to deliver supplies more efficiently.

While deployed, the squadron flag was reassigned and they became Detachment 1, 43d Operations Group until transfer of all personnel and aircraft out of Minot later in 1994.

[34] It supported Operation Uphold Democracy, the United Nations action to remove the military junta and restore the elected president of Haiti in 1995.

Toward the end of the following year, the squadron began to deploy forward in what became Operation Iraqi Freedom, the war in Iraq.