Officially Licensed US Navy VFA-192 Golden Dragons Squadron Patches — World Famous Since Toko-Ri
From Korean War Corsairs to Super Hornets over the Arabian Gulf, this dragon has been breathing fire for eight decades.
Strike Fighter Squadron 192 (VFA-192) — the 'World Famous Golden Dragons' — is one of the most storied and combat-decorated fighter squadrons in the United States Navy. Established on March 26, 1945, as Fighter Squadron 153 (VF-153) at NAS Atlantic City flying F6F Hellcats, the squadron evolved through multiple redesignations and aircraft — from the F8F Bearcat and F4U Corsair to the F9F Panther, A-4 Skyhawk, A-7 Corsair II, and F/A-18 Hornet — before settling into its current mount, the F/A-18E Super Hornet, stationed at NAS Lemoore as part of Carrier Air Wing 2. The Golden Dragons earned their legendary name when squadron pilots aboard USS Oriskany participated in the filming of The Bridges at Toko-Ri in 1953, cementing their place in both naval aviation history and Hollywood lore. In combat, VFA-192's record is staggering: Korean War strikes against the Suiho hydroelectric plant on the Yalu River and industrial targets in Pyongyang, multiple Vietnam War deployments with over 3,600 combat strikes, and Operation Desert Storm aboard USS Midway where the Golden Dragons flew 576 combat sorties and dropped over 730,000 pounds of ordnance in 43 days. After 9/11, they launched from USS Kitty Hawk to provide close air support over Afghanistan, then returned for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, flying 339 combat missions. The squadron has been recognized with six Battle Efficiency Awards, two Michael J. Estocin Awards as the Navy's top strike fighter squadron, and four consecutive CNO Safety Awards. This patch carries the weight of a squadron that has deployed aboard twelve aircraft carriers and fought in every major American conflict since World War II.
