In contrast to most other U.S. Navy squadrons, VRC-30 consisted of five separately named detachments, which were assigned to different carrier air wings.

[citation needed] VR-21 was the first squadron to fly dedicated carrier onboard delivery (COD) aircraft, the Grumman TBM-3R Avenger.

[citation needed] On 12 March 1974 the U.S. Navy's first female aviator, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Barbara A. Allen reported for duty.

In 1994 VRC-30 became the took sole United States Pacific Fleet COD squadron as VRC-50 was decommissioned and its personnel and aircraft were transferred to VRC-30.

In 1997 VRC-30 Detachment 1 earned the Golden Hook Award for the best landing grades in the air wing aboard Abraham Lincoln.

In the calendar year 1998, VRC-30 made 1356 carrier landings, transported 14,360 passengers, 1,877,973 lbs (938.986,5 kg) of cargo, and had a sortie completion rate of 99.9%.

The years to follow saw several major developments and upgrades in the C-2A, beginning with the critical Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) in 2006.

The LOT 4 upgrade, completed in September 2012, provided pilots with a new glass cockpit and the eight-bladed NP2000 propeller system, which increased performance, reduced airframe vibration, and improved maintainability.

On 22 November 2017 a VRC-30 Detachment 5 C-2A carrying 11 passengers and crew crashed into the Philippine Sea 90.1 miles (145 km) Northwest of Okinotorishima while flying from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni to USS Ronald Reagan.

The NIAADFWCTP was famous throughout the Southern California area, particularly for their enthusiastic participation in the Coronado Fourth of July Parade in 2018 and 2019.