[1] VC-7 was established at Naval Air Station Moffett Field, California in October 1950 and was initially equipped with the AJ-1 Savage for a primary mission role of carrier-based nuclear strike against strategic targets ashore.

The operational debut of the Vigilante took place in August 1962 when VAH-7 deployed aboard the newly-commissioned nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise for a short 38-day cruise in the Mediterranean.

In October, this short cruise was extended beyond its originally-scheduled duration due to the Cuban Missile Crisis, with VAH-7 remaining embarked aboard Enterprise as the carrier steamed as a show of force in Caribbean waters near Cuba.

Attrition of airframes and the increasing maintenance and flight hour costs of the RA-5C in a constrained defense budget environment forced the Navy to incrementally retire the RA-5C and sunset the RVAH community beginning in mid-1974.

With the retirement of the F-14, D-TARPS would be replaccd by the Shared Reconnaissance Pod (SHARP) on F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft in strike fighter (VFA) squadrons.

Following its return from its final Western Pacific deployment in late 1979, RVAH-7 was disestablished as the last remaining Fleet RVAH squadron at Naval Air Station Key West on 28 September 1979 following nearly 29 years of active service.