Officially Licensed VMM-163 Ridge Runners Throwback Leather Patch — The Original Evil Eyes
Because before they were the Evil Eyes, they were the Ridge Runners — and they earned that name the hard way.
VMM-163, now known as the Evil Eyes, traces its roots to December 1951 when it was commissioned as HMR-163. The squadron earned the nickname "Ridge Runners" during typhoon rescue and relief operations in the mountainous terrain around Hanshin, Japan, following Typhoon Tess in September 1953. From there, the Ridge Runners made history in Vietnam — most famously when LIFE magazine photographer Larry Burrows documented a combat mission aboard "Yankee Papa 13" in March 1965, an iconic photo essay that brought the realities of Vietnam into American living rooms. The squadron flew over 2,000 flight hours in just 10 days during the Battle of A Shau Valley, rescuing more than 190 Army Special Forces soldiers from enemy capture. This throwback leather patch honors the original Ridge Runners name and the legacy that built one of the most storied squadrons in Marine aviation.
Perfect For: VMM-163 Evil Eyes Marines and veterans, Ridge Runners throwback collectors, Vietnam-era Marine aviation historians, and MCAS Miramar tiltrotor community members.
Ridge Runners. Where the Evil Eyes got their start.
