Gold Squadron, which was also known as Gold Group, functioned as a starfighter squadron within the Massassi Group rebel cell, the Alliance to Restore the Republic, and eventually, the New Republic. This squadron, whose central base was on Yavin 4, was under the command of Captain Jon "Dutch" Vander, and they operated BTL-A4 Y-wing light bombers. This group participated in some of the earliest and most important battles of the Galactic Civil War.
During 2 BBY, in the early days of the rebellion against the Empire, Gold Squadron was involved in Operation Handoff to guarantee the safety of Senator Mon Mothma from Chandrila, who had publicly spoken against and defected from the Empire. This operation led to the formation of the Rebel Alliance. Afterward, in 0 BBY, Gold Squadron flew in the Battle of Scarif, which marked the beginning of the war and enabled the Alliance to obtain the plans for the Death Star superweapon. Shortly after the events on Scarif, Gold Squadron fought in the Battle of Yavin, where it was completely destroyed, but which resulted in the destruction of the Death Star.
Later in the war, a reformed Gold Squadron participated in the decisive Battle of Endor under the leadership of General Lando Calrissian, where they played a role in destroying the second Death Star. After the Alliance's victory and the establishment of the Republic, Gold Squadron became a component of the New Republic Defense Fleet.
Gold Squadron was a starfighter squadron that served the Rebel Alliance throughout the Galactic Civil War and, subsequently, the New Republic. Initially, the squadron was based at their base on Dantooine, but they later relocated to the Great Temple on Yavin 4 after the Declaration of the Rebel Alliance by Mon Mothma in 2 BBY. They also had a base on Home One.
The squadron's equipment included a variety of starfighters, shuttles, and light freighters, such as the Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighter, which was flown by Norra Wexley on at least one occasion, BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bombers, RZ-1 A-wing interceptors, a Taylander shuttle known as the Chandrila Mistress, and a modified YT-1300 light freighter called the Millennium Falcon. The squadron's starfighters were distinguished by yellow stripes or markings.
Gold Squadron's origins were as a rebel cell engaged in combat against the Galactic Empire, functioning as part of the unit under the leadership of General Jan Dodonna, which was itself a part of Senator Bail Organa's larger rebellion. The squadron was commanded by Captain Jon "Dutch" Vander, an Onderonian, who flew under the designation Gold Leader. The members of this unit operated BTL Y-wing starfighters, including five former Republic Navy bombers that had been stolen from the Imperial Reklam Station by the Phoenix Cell and delivered to Dodonna's unit in 2 BBY.
Shortly after the Y-wing starfighters were delivered, Mon Mothma was compelled to leave her homeworld of Chandrila as a branded traitor following her public criticism of the Empire. Gold Squadron was assigned the task of safeguarding the Senator and escorting her to Dantooine, where they were to meet with other rebel cells. While meeting with elements of Phoenix Group for refueling of the Senator's Taylander shuttle Chandrila Mistress, the squadron was ambushed by TIE fighters and forced to jump into hyperspace. Acting on the advice of Phoenix Leader Hera Syndulla, the rebels utilized the old smuggler's route through the Archeon Nebula to evade detection in the Lothal sector. However, an experimental TIE/d "Defender" Multi-Role Starfighter decimated the squadron, until Vander and Ezra Bridger (flying as Gold Two) intervened. The remaining members of the squadron, along with Vander and the original Gold Two, safely delivered the Senator to Dantooine, where the Alliance to Restore the Republic was subsequently established.
In 1 BBY, after the Rebellion officially formed as a unified entity, Gold Squadron, led by Jon Vander as Gold Leader, participated in the Battle of Scarif. Gold Three Evaan Verlaine, Gold Six Brace Marko, Gold Seven Gazdo Woolcob, and Gold Eight Datchi Creel also took part in the battle. During the engagement, elements of Gold Squadron executed bombing runs on the Shield Gate, which was preventing reinforcements from reaching the embattled forces on the planet below. The station's defenses destroyed three Y-wings during the initial bombing run alone. Gold Squadron also attacked the Imperial Star Destroyer Intimidator, using ion torpedoes to disable it. The disabled destroyer then collided with the space station, deactivating the planetary shield and allowing reinforcements to land.
In 0 BBY, under the leadership of Jon "Dutch" Vander, Gold Squadron's eight operational Y-wing bombers participated in the Battle of Yavin. A flight consisting of three Gold Squadron Y-wings, piloted by Vander, Dex Tiree, and Davish Krail, initiated the attack run down the Death Star's meridian trench. Their targeting computers were recalibrated for rapid approach and precise release, and this flight aimed to destroy the station's main reactor by exploiting the vulnerability presented by the thermal exhaust port. However, Darth Vader in his TIE Advanced x1 shot down all three before Jon Vander, the flight lead, could launch proton torpedoes.
While this engagement was ongoing, all other Imperial fighters were instructed to engage the rebel ships at the magnetic perimeter. Iden Versio, an Imperial Senior Lieutenant, shot down two Y-wings. By the time Garven Dreis, Red Leader, commenced a second trench run, a total of seven Gold Squadron pilots, including Lepira, Hol Okland, and Ryle Torsyn, had been killed. This left only one Y-wing, piloted by Evaan Verlaine. Versio was in the process of targeting Verlaine's Y-wing when the Death Star suddenly exploded. Verlaine was the sole surviving Y-wing pilot from Gold Squadron to survive the assault, and she returned to the Rebellion's headquarters on Yavin 4 with the other survivors. Luke Skywalker, R2-D2, Wedge Antilles, R2-A3, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Verlaine were the only rebel survivors of the starfighter assault.
In 4 ABY, Gold Squadron participated in the Battle of Endor under the command of General Lando Calrissian. The squadron, which consisted of various starfighters and the Millennium Falcon, included members such as Jake Farrell (Gold Four) and Norra Wexley (Gold Nine), who participated in the attack on the Death Star's main reactor. As TIE fighters and Interceptors pursued them and shot down an X-wing, Calrissian directed some of the pilots to draw some TIEs away. Wexley, Farrell, and another A-wing pilot descended one shaft, enabling Calrissian and Wedge Antilles (Red Leader) to reach the reactor with fewer TIEs pursuing them. The two ships reached their target and quickly disabled it before escaping the Death Star before the explosion could engulf them.
Several months after the events of Endor, Gold Squadron became part of the New Republic Defense Force and engaged in the war against the remaining Imperial forces. Wexley, a Gold Squadron pilot, went back to her home planet of Akiva to reunite with her estranged teenage son Temmin Wexley. The mother and son became involved in the rebellion on Akiva, which coincided with a secret Imperial summit on Akiva. Later, Captain Saff Melor suggested deploying Gold Squadron and two light cruisers to Akiva as a demonstration of military strength. However, Chancellor Mon Mothma and Admiral Gial Ackbar overruled him. Wexley later received an award for her role in the uprising on Akiva and for her attempts to apprehend Admiral Rae Sloane.