Officially Licensed USMC VMFA-251 Thunderbolts Leather Patches — The Thunderbolts Are Coming Back as an F-35C Squadron
The Thunderbolts have been dropping the hammer since World War II. Now they're bringing fifth-generation stealth to the carrier air wing.
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 (VMFA-251) — the 'Thunderbolts' — has a combat lineage that stretches from World War II through the Global War on Terror. The squadron was established during World War II and has since flown a succession of iconic Marine fighter aircraft, including the F-8 Crusader, F-4 Phantom, and F/A-18 Hornet. During the Vietnam era, the Thunderbolts flew combat missions from Da Nang and other bases in Southeast Asia. In the post-Vietnam period, the squadron was based at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, under MAG-31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, and deployed repeatedly to the Western Pacific as part of the Unit Deployment Program and in support of carrier air wings. The Thunderbolts earned recognition as one of the Marine Corps' most capable Hornet squadrons, deploying in support of Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. VMFA-251 was one of the few Marine Hornet squadrons to regularly deploy aboard aircraft carriers alongside Navy squadrons, bringing Marine fighter attack capability to the carrier air wing in combat zones across the Middle East. The squadron was deactivated as part of the Marine Corps' Force Design 2030 restructuring and transition to an all-F-35 fighter inventory. The Thunderbolts are slated for reactivation as an F-35C Lightning II squadron — the carrier variant of the Lightning II — which will allow the squadron to continue its tradition of deploying aboard Navy aircraft carriers while bringing fifth-generation stealth, sensor fusion, and networked warfare capabilities to the fight. This leather patch carries the Thunderbolts identity into its next chapter.
Perfect For: VMFA-251 Thunderbolts Marines past and present, F/A-18 Hornet and F-4 Phantom veterans, carrier-qualified Marine aviators, MAG-31 and 2nd MAW alumni, MCAS Beaufort Marines, and anyone who has deployed with the Thunderbolts.
