The 23^rd Fighter Squadron (FS), the "Fighting Hawks," was activated December 22, 1939, at Langley Field, Virginia, as the 23rd Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) flying the P-36 Hawk. After December  7, 1941, the 23^rd PS patrolled the islands of the Caribbean for enemy aircraft and submarines. The squadron was renamed the 23^rd Fighter Squadron in 1942, and converted to the P-47 Thunderbolt in June 1943. In March 1944, the 23^rd FS deployed to RAF Kingsnorth, UK.

Inactivated in March 1946, the squadron was reactivated in October 1946. In July 1948, the squadron returned to Germany at Fürstenfeldbrück. In November 1952, the squadron moved to Bitburg AB, as part of the 36^th TFW. The 23^rd TFS was assigned to Spangdahlem AB and in January 1972 became part of the 52^nd TFW. The 23^rd converted to F-4E and F-4G Wild Weasels in 1982 and began flying defense suppression missions. In July 1987, the F-16C replaced the F-4E. 
 
At the outbreak of the Gulf War, the 23^rd FS deployed to Inçirlik AB, Turkey. During Operation Proven Force, the unit's F-16Cs and F-4Gs flew nearly 1.000 missions over Iraq without a single loss. The squadron earned the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor for its part in driving the Iraqi army from Kuwait.

In September 1991, the remaining F-4Gs were replaced by F-16Cs. In July 1993, the 23^rd was the first U.S. unit to enforce the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina for Operation Deny Flight. In September 1995 the 23^rd FS took part in Operation Deliberate Forge. The unit flew 224 sorties during the air campaign against Bosnian Serb forces. The 23^rd FS was the first to employ HARM missiles in combat. February to June 1999, the 23^rd FS deployed to Aviano AB, Italy, for Operation Allied Force. The 23^rd FS flew over 1.000 combat sorties and fired 191 HARM shots to silence the over 100 surface to air missile sites in Kosovo and Yugoslavia.

From November 2000 to March 2001 the 23^rd FS deployed in support of Operation Southern Watch. In March of 2001, the 23^rd provided SEAD for the largest strike in Iraq since Operation Desert Fox. During the strike to take out command and control facilities in Iraq, the 23^rd ensured the safety of all allied strikers. The squadron deployed again from April to July 2002 to Inçirlik AB, to patrol the northern no-fly zone.

In January 2003, elements of the squadron forward deployed to Southwest Asia and flew combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The squadron played a key role during the 27 day air war by fulfilling it's SEAD mission and destroying Iraqi radar sites.