| Constituted as 42nd Reconnaissance Squadron, Very Long Range, Photographic | 24 Oct 1945 |
| Activated | 7 Nov 1945 |
| Inactivated | 19 Aug 1946 |
| Redesignated 42nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Electronics and Weather | 11 Dec 1953 |
| Activated | 18 Mar 1954 |
| Redesignated 42nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron Electronic | 1 Jul 1965 |
| Discontinued, and inactivated | 22 Aug 1966 |
| Redesignated 42nd Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron, and activated | 15 Dec 1967 |
| Organized | 1 Jan 1968 |
| Inactivated | 15 Mar 1974 |
| Redesignated 42nd Electronic Combat Squadron | 23 May 1983 |
| Activated | 1 Jul 1983 |
| Inactivated | 1 Jul 1992 |
| Redesignated 42nd Airborne Command and Control Squadron | 24 Jun 1994 |
| Activated | 1 Jul 1994 |
| Inactivated | 30 Sep 2002 |
| Redesignated 42nd Electronic Combat Squadron | 9 Mar 2006 |
| Activated | 10 Mar 2006 |
| VIII Bomber Command | 7 Nov 1945 |
| 17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing | c. 31 Jan 1946 |
| Second Air Force | 18 Feb 1946 |
| Fifteenth Air Force | 31 Mar 1946 | 19 Aug 1946 |
| 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Group | 18 Mar 1954 |
| 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing | 8 Dec 1957 |
| 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Group | 1 Jul 1965 |
| 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing | 1 Oct 1965 | 22 Aug 1966 |
| Paciific Air Forces | 15 Dec 1967 |
| 355th Tac Ftr Wg (attached to 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, c. 21 Sep - 14 Oct 1970) | 1 Jan 1968 |
| 388th Tac Ftr Wg | 15 Oct 1970 | 15 Mar 1974 |
| 20th Tac Ftr Wg | 1 Jul 1983 |
| 66th Electronic Combat Wing (attached to 20 Tactical Fighter Wing) | 1 Jun 1985 |
| 20th Tac Ftr Wg (later, 20 Fighter) | 25 Jan 1991 | 1 Jul 1992 |
| 355th Operations Group | 1 Jul 1994 | 30 Sep 2002 |
| 55th Electronic Combat Group | 10 Mar 2006 |
| Lieut Colonel Robert J Ahern | c. 7 Nov 1945 | Aug 1946 |
| 2nd Lt Arthur Covello | 18 Mar 1954 |
| Col Charles C Leaf | 1 Apr 1954 |
| Lieut Colonel John E Butler Jr. | 5 May 1955 |
| Major Kermit T Hanson | 17 Nov 1956 |
| Capt Arthur J Roehling | 2 Aug 1958 |
| Major Loren R Stout Jr. | 22 Oct 1958 |
| Capt Arthur J Roehling | 17 Apr 1959 |
| Major William H Allen | 16 Jun 1959 |
| Lieut Colonel Steven R Wilkerson | 12 Jul 1960 |
| Lieut Colonel Robert J Pickhardt | 16 Feb 1962 |
| Lieut Colonel Max L Fisher | 2 Jul 1962 |
| Major Donald R Walterhouse | 6 Sep 1963 |
| Major James P Estes | 10 Jun 1964 |
| Major Robert S Hubbard | 17 Jun 1964 |
| Major Waller H Roberson | Jan 1965 |
| Major Noble J McSwane | Jul 1965 |
| Lieut Colonel Kenneth A Krig | 1 Feb 1966 |
| Lieut Colonel Gerald D Martini | c. 1 Jul 1966 | 22 Aug 1966 |
| None (not manned) | 15 Dec 1967 | 31 Dec 1967 |
| Lieut Colonel John B Williams Jr. | 1 Jan 1968 |
| Col Charles F G Kuyk Jr. | by Jun 1968 |
| Lieut Colonel J. E. Ricketts Jr. | 19 Oct 1968 |
| Lieut Colonel Robert W Childs | 11 Apr 1969 |
| Lieut Colonel Paul W Von Wiedenfield | 18 May 1969 |
| Lieut Colonel Edward J Guider | 14 Nov 196 |
| Lieut Colonel Henry W Boardman | c. 1 Jul 1970 |
| Major Gerald F Loughlin | 3 Jul 1970 |
| Lieut Colonel Morris E Shriver | 15 Jul 1970 |
| Lieut Colonel Louis E Valanta | 4 Dec 1970 |
| Lieut Colonel Jack E Tullett | 19 Dec 1971 |
| Lieut Colonel Jack F Hurst | 4 Aug 1972 |
| Lieut Colonel George C Richard | by Apr 1973 |
| Lieut Colonel Robert R Mendoca | by Jul 1973 |
| Lieut Colonel Richard Hartford | 15 Dec 1973 | 15 Mar 1974 |
| Lieut Colonel David L Vesely | 1 Jul 1983 |
| Lieut Colonel William D McAdams | 1 Aug 1985 |
| Lieut Colonel Roger W Brooks | 26 Mar 1986 |
| Lt Col Michael F Dungan | 2 Sep 1988 |
| Lieut Colonel Carl D Skakal Jr. | 1 Mar 1989 |
| Lieut Colonel James N Worth | 19 Nov 1990 | 10 Jul 1992 |
| Lieut Colonel Richard Peters | c. Jun 1994 |
| Lieut Colonel Kent D Williams | 1 Feb 1997 |
| Lieut Colonel Ernest Jones Jr. | 16 Feb 1999 |
| Lieut Colonel Terry Dickensheet (temporary) | 9 Nov 2000 |
| Lieut Colonel Norman D Potter | 19 Dec 2000 | 30 Sep 2002 |
| Unknown |
FIGHTER WING STATISTICS