The squadron’s first insignia was designed by Walt Disney and consisted of a black torpedo with the skull & crossbones on it and a winged cherub wearing a green helmet nicknamed "Little Butch."

During the squadron’s deployment to the Indian Ocean in 1989, they temporarily changed their nickname back to Arabs to enhance the morale while operating in the Arabian Sea.

[1] Torpedo Squadron Eleven (VT-11) was established at Naval Air Station San Diego on 10 October 1942, flying TBF Avengers.

The squadron participated in operations in the South China Sea (the first time an American Task Force had entered these waters since the beginning of the war), striking targets at Cam Ranh Bay and a convoy off Qui Nhơn, French Indo-China, shipping at the Pescadores Island, and Hong Kong.

In July 1950, VA-115 deployed aboard USS Philippine Sea for nine months conducting strikes at Inchon, South Korea in preparation for landings in September 1950.

On 31 December 1951, VA-115 provided close air support for American troops in the Chosen Reservoir area and flew combat missions against North Korean rail, transportation, communication, industrial and supply targets.

In June 1952, the squadron participated in coordinated strikes against North Korean hydroelectric power plants – the first heavy attacks conducted against these installations.

In February 1955, the squadron flew air cover missions during the evacuation of over 26,000 personnel from Tachen Islands which had come under bombardment by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in January.

In August and September 1958, the squadron was part of the task force that provided support to the Republic of China during the shelling of the Quemoy Island group by the PRC.

During six months on Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin, VA-115 flew 2,051 sorties, over 8,000 hours and delivered 3,200 t (7,100,000 lb) of ordnance against enemy targets in Vietnam.

In January 1970, the squadron resumed active status and was reassigned to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington for transition to the A-6 Intruder.

However, the modernization of Midway took longer than expected, CVW-16 was disestablished in 1971 and all its squadrons were assigned to Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) (tail code "NF").

As a response to anti-American demonstrations in Iran, Midway and her air wing, including VA-115, were ordered to deploy to the Indian Ocean for the second time from October to December 1979, when an Iranian mob also seized the American Embassy and its staff.

At 2:00AM on 17 January 1991, VA-115's Intruders launched from the deck of USS Midway to attack two airfields to mark the beginning of Operation Desert Storm.

[2][3] In total, the squadron flew 456 combat sorties and delivered 724,000 pounds of ordnance against enemy targets in Iraq and occupied Kuwait during the war.

[5] That same year, deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch enforcing United Nations resolutions against Iraq.

This wartime performance earned the squadron and the Abraham Lincoln Battle Group the Navy Unit Commendation (the sixth awarded to VFA-115).

This document was adopted by Commander Pacific Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations as the model for joint employment, and is today the primary training focus for deploying U.S. West Coast strike groups.

In January 2006, the squadron deployed aboard USS Ronald Reagan to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

VFA-115 flew hundreds of combat sorties providing close air support for the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps, tanking for the carrier-based aircraft, and maritime interdiction for the strike group.

In January 2007, VFA-115 again deployed aboard USS Ronald Reagan, returning in April 2007 to resume shore based flight training at NAS Lemoore.

The squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni on 28 November 2017 when it returned from its patrol aboard USS Ronald Reagan.