429th Electronic Combat Squadron The 429th Electronic Combat Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit . It was last assigned to the 27th Operations Group and stationed at Cannon AFB , New Mexico . The squadron was the last USAF unit to fly the General Dynamics F - 111 . History . World War II . Activated in August 1943 as a P - 38 Lightning fighter squadron under IV Fighter Command in Southern California . Trained with the fighter over the Mojave Desert , moving to the European Theater of Operations ( ETO ) , being assigned to Ninth Air Force in England during March 1944 . Engaged in combat operations beginning in April , making low level sweeps over Occupied France , attacking enemy transportation targets and military convoys , bridges , armor formations and airfields . During D - Day , the squadron flew patrols over the invasion fleet . Remained in England after D - Day until August , moving to France and primarily provided ground - air support to the United States First Army in Northern France . Moved to Occupied Germany at the end of the war , becoming part of the United States Air Forces in Europe army of occupation during the summer of 1945 . Personnel demobilized in Europe during 1945 , returned to the United States in November as an administrative unit and was inactivated without personnel or equipment . Cold War . Reactivated in Japan under Far East Air Forces , July 1952 as a result of the Korean War . Replaced Federalized Georgia Air National Guard personnel , receiving their F - 84G Thunderjet s . Moved to South Korea in August , engaging in combat operations from Kunsan Air Base ( K - 8 ) . From Kunsan the squadron bombed and strafed bridges , bunkers , troop concentrations , artillery positions , and a host of other enemy targets Moved to Taegu Air Base ( K - 2 ) in April 1953 being attached to the 58th Fighter Bomber Wing . Flew interdiction and close air support missions in as well as attacking special strategic targets such as military schools , dams , and port facilities in North Korea until the June 1953 Armistice , Remained in South Korea for over a year afterward to insure Communist compliance with the cease - fire . Returned to Clovis AFB , New Mexico in November 1954 . Squadron was re - equipped with F - 86H Sabre fighter - bomber aircraft , being assigned to Twelfth Air Force , Tactical Air Command . Maintained proficiency in tactical fighter operations , deploying components , aircraft , and crews on a global basis in support of NATO , PACAF , AAC , and other organizations . Deployed to southeastern United States during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 . Reassigned to Nellis AFB , Nevada in 1966 , becoming one of the first General Dynamics F - 111 A squadrons . Deployed aircraft to South Vietnam in early 1968 , while still in training status at Nellis . Aircraft returned and development of the F - 111 continued , finally reaching operational status in 1971 . Returned to Takhli RTAFB , Thailand in early 1972 as a result of the North Vietnamese Easter Offensive . Fully engaged in combat over North and South Vietnam for the balance of 1972 , flying operations in good and bad weather when other squadrons were grounded . Flew approximately 4000 combat missions with excellent success rates in hitting targets even when visibility was near zero . Returned to the United States in March 1973 , leaving its assigned aircraft at Takhli . Almost immediately upon the squadron ' s return to Nellis AFB , was reassigned to the 347th Fighter Wing and deployed back to Takhli RTAFB , this time being placed on permanent party status in Thailand , taking over the aircraft it had left upon its return to the United States . For a brief two - week period the 347th flew combat operations into Cambodia until 15 August , when the last wartime mission of the Vietnam Era was flown into Cambodia for final mission of Constant Guard . After the cease - fire , the wing was maintained in a combat - ready status for possible contingency After the end of combat missions in Indochina , the squadron moved to Korat RTAFB , Thailand in 1974 after the closure of Taklhi and remained in Southeast Asia through May 1975 to undertake strike missions in the event of further contingency operations . Participated in numerous exercises and firepower demonstrations , and , during Jan – May 1975 , flew sea surveillance missions . Participated in the recovery of the American merchantman SS Mayaguez from Cambodian Communist forces in May 1975 . Upon return to the United States , reassigned back to the 474th TFW , sending F - 111s to 366th TFW at Mountain Home AFB , and changing equipment to the F - 4D Phantom II during " Operation Ready Switch " . Received new Block 1 / 5 F - 16A / B Fighting Falcon aircraft in November 1980 after protractive development period in the 1970s . Conducted routine Tactical Air Command training and deployments from Nellis with the F - 16s , upgrading to Block 10 / 15 models in the early 1980s . Inactivated September 1989 when aircraft were considered no longer front - line combat capable . Modern era . Reactivated in 1992 at Mountain Home AFB , Idaho , equipped with the new EF - 111A Raven Electronic Warfare aircraft . Reassigned to Cannon AFB , New Mexico in 1993 , taking over the aircraft of the 430th Electronic Combat Squadron when the EF - 111 fleet was consolidated there . Engaged in operations with the Raven during the 1990s , as the only Raven unit in the Air Force . The squadron flew Electronic Warfare jamming missions over the Balkans and Iraq , with 2 , 780 days and 32 rotations of continuous support of Operation Southern Watch . The United States Air Force officially retired the EF - 111A in June 1998 , and as a result of the retirement , the 429th Electronic Combat Squadron was inactivated June 19 , 1998 - the last USAF F - 111s being retired to AMARC .