Officially Licensed USMC VMFA-312 Checkerboards Leather Squadron Patches

Officially Licensed USMC VMFA-312 Checkerboards Leather Squadron Patches — Checkmate, Always

Because the Checkerboards have been making moves on the board since 1943 — and they haven't lost yet.

VMFA-312, the Checkerboards, have been one of the Marine Corps' most storied fighter attack squadrons since their commissioning at Page Field, Parris Island, South Carolina, in 1943. Flying F/A-18C Hornets out of MCAS Beaufort with MAG-31 and 2nd MAW, the Checkerboards earned their name from the distinctive black-and-white checkered markings on their WWII Corsairs. During the Korean War, Captain Jesse Folmar made history when he became the first pilot in a piston-engine aircraft to shoot down a MiG-15 jet. The squadron went on to fly Crusaders, Phantoms, and Hornets through Vietnam, Desert Storm, Bosnia, Iraq, and beyond — racking up combat deployments across six decades. During Operation Desert Fox in 1998, they achieved a 100% sortie completion rate across 44 combat night sorties with zero casualties. These leather patches honor a squadron that's been checking boxes — and enemies — for over 80 years.

Perfect For: VMFA-312 Checkerboards Marines and alumni, MCAS Beaufort personnel, Hornet community members, leather patch collectors, and anyone who appreciates a squadron that's been ahead of the game since WWII.

Checkerboards. Every move is a winning one.