In April 1972, the entire squadron redeployed from Japan to Vietnam with minimum notice to counter the spring offensive of that year. After a three-month stay at Da Nang Air Base, VMFA-232 moved its operations to Royal Thai Air Base Nam Phong, Thailand. Here they continued to fly air to ground sorties in addition to playing a key fighter role on Operation Linebacker missions over North Vietnam. During their time operating out of Thailand, the squadron lost three F-4J Phantoms and two crewman. One of these aircraft was shot down by a MiG-21 over North Vietnam. The only "last" in VMFA-232's history occurred in September 1973 as the Red Devils became the last Marine squadron to leave the Vietnam War.