page_title: 429th Electronic Combat Squadron
section_title: Cold War
hierarchical_section_title: 429th Electronic Combat Squadron / History / Cold War
caption_attribution_description: English: 429th Tactical Fighter Squadron - McDonnell F-4D-30-MC Phantom - 66-7587, about 1979 at Nellis AFB, Nevada
context_page_description: The 429th Electronic Combat Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was first activated in August 1943 and participated in conflicts including World War II, the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam War.
  The 429th Fighter Squadron, nicknamed "The Retail Gang", was first activated during World War II as part of the 474th Fighter Group and served in the European Theater of Operations, where it earned a Distinguished Unit Citation and the Belgian Fourragère for its actions in combat. It remained in Europe after V-E Day, returning to the United States, where it was inactivated at the Port of Embarkation in December 1945.
  The squadron was reactivated as the 429th Fighter-Bomber Squadron in 1952 as part of the 474th Fighter Bomber Wing and later the 474th Fighter Bomber Group, when it replaced an Air National Guard squadron in Japan. It again saw combat in the Korean War, earning another Distinguished Unit Citation and a Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. The Squadron returned to the United States in 1954.
context_section_description: The unit was reactivated in Japan under the Far East Air Forces in July 1952 as a result of the Korean War. It replaced a federalized Georgia Air National Guard unit and received Republic F-84G Thunderjets. It 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
  It moved to Taegu Air Base (K-2) in April 1953 and attached to the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing. It flew interdiction and close air support missions, as well as attacking special strategic targets such as military schools, dams, and port facilities in North Korea until the June 1953 Armistice. The unit remained in South Korea for over a year afterward to ensure Communist compliance with the cease-fire.
  After returning to Clovis Air Force Base, New Mexico in November 1954, the squadron was re-equipped with North American F-86H Sabre fighter-bomber aircraft and assigned to the Twelfth Air Force, Tactical Air Command. It maintained proficiency in tactical fighter operations, deploying components, aircraft, and crews on a global basis in support of NATO, PACAF, AAC, and other organizations. It later deployed to southeastern United States during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
  The unit moved to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada in 1966, where it became one of the first General Dynamics F-111 squadrons finally reaching operational status in 1971.
  The unit deployed to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand in early 1972 as a result of the North Vietnamese Easter Offensive. It 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. It flew approximately 4,000 combat missions with excellent success rates at hitting targets even when visibility was near zero. The unit returned to the United States in March 1973, leaving its assigned aircraft at Takhli.
  Almost immediately upon the squadron's return to Nellis, it was reassigned to the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing and deployed back to Takhli, this time being placed on permanent party status in Thailand, taking over the aircraft it had left upon its return to the United States. The 347th flew combat operations into Cambodia for a brief two-week period until 15 August, when the last wartime mission of the Vietnam Era was flown into Cambodia for final mission of Operation 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 and the closure of Takhli, the squadron moved to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand in 1974 and remained in Southeast Asia through May 1975 to undertake strike missions in the event of further contingency operations. It participated in numerous exercises and firepower demonstrations and, during Jan–May 1975, flew sea surveillance missions. It participated in the recovery of the American merchantman SS Mayaguez from Cambodian Communist forces in May 1975.
  Upon its return to the United States, the squadron was reassigned to the 474th Wing, sent F-111s to the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, and changed equipment to the McDonnell F-4D Phantom II during Operation Ready Switch. It received new Block 1/5 General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft in November 1980 after a protracted development period in the 1970s. The squadron conducted routine Tactical Air Command training and deployments from Nellis with the F-16s, upgrading to Block 10/15 models in the early 1980s. It was inactivated in September 1989 when aircraft were considered to no longer be front-line combat capable.
caption: 429th F-4D Phantom[note 3]
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