USMC Helicopter Squadrons
$12.00
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25-49: $6.00 each
50-99: $5.00 each
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200-299: $3.00 each
300+: $2.50 each
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Official TACAMO E-6B Mercury "Starry Night" shoulder patch.
Take Charge And Move Out — VLF to the boomers, ALCS to the silos, in the dark.
The E-6B Mercury is the U.S. Navy's airborne command post and TACAMO (Take Charge and Move Out) communications relay aircraft — the survivable, reliable VLF/UHF link between the National Command Authority and U.S. strategic forces, including ballistic missile submarines and intercontinental ballistic missile silos. The aircraft is operated by Strategic Communications Wing ONE (STRATCOMWING 1) at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, with three squadrons — VQ-3 "Ironmen," VQ-4 "Shadows," and VQ-7 "Roughnecks" — and over 1,300 active-duty Sailors plus 100 contractors. STRATCOMWING 1's primary mission is to receive, verify, and retransmit Emergency Action Messages (EAMs) to the strategic forces. The E-6 is a Boeing 707 derivative — Boeing built the E-6A to replace the aging EC-130Q in the TACAMO mission, with the Navy accepting the first E-6A in August 1989 — and was upgraded to the E-6B configuration starting in December 1997, assuming the dual TACAMO + Airborne Strategic Command Post role in October 1998 (with the entire fleet converted by 2003). The E-6B carries dual trailing wire VLF antennas to communicate with submerged boomers, the Airborne Launch Control System (ALCS) capable of launching the U.S. land-based ICBM force, and a battle staff to act as the airborne strategic command post when the ground sites are degraded. Alert facilities operate at Tinker AFB, Travis AFB, and NAS Patuxent River. "Starry Night" is the patch — TACAMO Mercurys flying alert in the dark.
Perfect For: STRATCOMWING 1 Sailors, VQ-3 Ironmen / VQ-4 Shadows / VQ-7 Roughnecks crew, E-6B Mercury pilots, NFOs, and battle staff officers, Tinker AFB / Travis AFB / NAS Patuxent River alert detachments, EC-130Q TACAMO heritage operators, and U.S. Strategic Command nuclear C2 community collectors.
TACAMO Starry Night — VLF to the boomers, ALCS to the silos, lights out.
If you want to swap patches on/off gear, choose hook & loop (velcro). If you’re attaching permanently to uniforms or fabric, choose sew-on. If you want quick application on compatible fabric, choose iron-on / heat seal (when offered). Backing options are shown on the page and update based on the variant you select.
Size is shown on the product page and updates with the variant you select (example: 3"). If you’re mounting on a hat or small panel, choose smaller sizes; for plate carriers and display boards, larger sizes fit better.
If the product is officially licensed, it will say “Officially Licensed” in the title and/or in the product details. If it doesn’t, it’s still a legitimate product—just not part of a licensed program.
Yes. If you see a note like “bulk reruns available,” that means we can support group orders or reruns. If you don’t see it, contact us with the unit/squadron and quantity and we’ll confirm options.
Yes—custom solutions are available (patches, name tags, lanyards, apparel). Use the custom request page and include artwork, size, backing preference, and quantity.
