Officially Licensed USMC VMFA-314 Black Knights Command Patches

Officially Licensed USMC VMFA-314 Black Knights Command Patches — The Commanding Officer's Mark of the Knight

Command of the Black Knights isn't just a billet — it's a legacy that traces back to the skies over Korea and Vietnam.

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 — the 'Black Knights' — was commissioned on October 1, 1943, as VMF-314 at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. The squadron flew the F4U Corsair during World War II and transitioned to jets during the Korean War, flying the F-9F Panther and later the F-8 Crusader. During the Vietnam War, the Black Knights flew the legendary F-4 Phantom II from Da Nang Air Base, conducting strike missions and close air support across Southeast Asia. After Vietnam, the squadron transitioned to the F/A-18A Hornet, flew combat missions during Operation Desert Storm, and became one of the first Marine Corps squadrons to deploy with the F/A-18C. The Black Knights later made history again as the first operational Marine squadron to receive the F-35C Lightning II, integrating the Marine Corps into the Navy's carrier air wing structure aboard USS Abraham Lincoln. Based at MCAS Miramar, California, under Marine Aircraft Group 11 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, VMFA-314 carries over eight decades of fighter heritage into the fifth-generation era. The command patch is worn by the squadron's commanding officer, executive officer, and senior leadership — a mark of authority and responsibility that reflects the full weight of the Black Knights' storied lineage. Wearing this patch means you led from the front of one of the most historic fighter squadrons in the Marine Corps.