Boxer's Bastards Combat Cargo (USS Boxer) Patch — USS Boxer LHD-4 Combat Cargo PVC Patch
Boxer's Bastards — the Combat Cargo crew of USS Boxer, moving everything that floats, flies, or fights from ship to shore since 1994.
This patch represents the Combat Cargo division of USS Boxer (LHD-4), a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship homeported in San Diego, California. The "Boxer's Bastards" is the irreverent nickname adopted by the ship's combat cargo team — the Sailors and Marines responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing the embarkation and debarkation of all troops, equipment, vehicles, ammunition, and supplies aboard the ship. Combat Cargo is the critical link between the amphibious ship and the Marines who deploy from it, ensuring that everything from M1A1 tanks to MREs gets loaded, stowed, and offloaded in the right order and at the right time.
USS Boxer has been in commission since 1995 ("Since 1994" referring to the crew's pre-commissioning work) and has deployed extensively to the Western Pacific, Middle East, and Indian Ocean as the centerpiece of Amphibious Ready Groups (ARGs) carrying Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs). The ship can embark over 1,800 Marines, their vehicles and equipment, a composite helicopter/tiltrotor squadron, and Harrier or F-35B jets on its flight deck. Managing the logistics of loading and unloading this enormous combat force is the job of Combat Cargo — a mission that requires meticulous planning, physical endurance, and the ability to work in the organized chaos of well-deck and flight-deck operations.
The "Step Kids" reference in the community reflects Combat Cargo's self-deprecating humor about being the overlooked division that makes everything else possible. This PVC patch celebrates the gritty, unglamorous, and absolutely essential work of Boxer's Combat Cargo team.
Perfect For: USS Boxer (LHD-4) Combat Cargo crew members, amphibious ship veterans, Navy logistics specialists, ARG/MEU deployers, and amphibious operations patch collectors.
Boxer's Bastards — Combat Cargo since '94 — loading the fight, one pallet and one vehicle at a time aboard USS Boxer.