It was assigned to CVW-2, and in December 1967, the Squadron flew its first combat missions (and the first for the A-7), striking targets in North Vietnam from USS Ranger.

In March–June 1973 embarked on Constellation, VA-147 provided aerial support during Operation End Sweep, the removal of mines from North Vietnamese waters.

Between January 1984 and June 1987, the Squadron deployed three times aboard USS Kitty Hawk, including an around-the-world cruise.

In September 1988 while embarked on the first of two USS Nimitz deployments, VA-147 operated in the Sea of Japan in support of the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea.

They became the Navy's first operational F/A-18 Squadron to employ the Navigational Forward Looking Infra-Red pods (NAV FLIR) and night vision goggles.

They made deployments to the Gulf three more times in support of Operation Southern Watch aboard USS Nimitz.

After the September 11 attacks, the Squadron participated in Operation Noble Eagle, flying combat patrols over Los Angeles from USS John C. Stennis.

The Squadron deployed aboard USS John C. Stennis in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, conducting numerous strikes into Afghanistan against Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces.

VFA-147 participated in exercise RIMPAC 2012 and began a scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean on 30 March 2013.

In August of 2024 the Squadron joined Carrier Air Wing Five and established operations at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan in November of 2024.