Officially Licensed US Navy VA-172 Blue Bolts Patch — Attack Squadron 172 Naval Aviation Embroidered Patch
The Blue Bolts — carrier-based attack aviators who delivered ordnance from the A-4 Skyhawk across the Cold War.
Attack Squadron 172 (VA-172), the "Blue Bolts," was a U.S. Navy carrier-based attack squadron that flew strike and close air support missions from aircraft carrier flight decks during the Cold War era. VA-172 operated the A-4 Skyhawk — the legendary "Heinemann's Hot Rod" — a compact, fast, and agile light attack jet that became the backbone of Navy and Marine Corps attack aviation for decades. The Blue Bolts deployed with Atlantic Fleet carrier air wings, delivering ordnance in combat and maintaining carrier-based strike readiness during some of the most tense years of the Cold War.
The A-4 Skyhawk was designed by Ed Heinemann of Douglas Aircraft as a lightweight, simple, and reliable attack platform that could operate from the smallest carrier decks. It became one of the most successful military aircraft ever produced, serving in Vietnam, multiple Middle Eastern conflicts, and as the Navy's primary adversary training aircraft. VA-172's Blue Bolts were part of the vast attack aviation community that provided the fleet with its offensive punch, standing ready to deliver conventional and nuclear weapons from carrier decks anywhere in the world.
Perfect For:
VA-172 Blue Bolts veterans, A-4 Skyhawk aviators, carrier-based attack squadron alumni, Atlantic Fleet carrier air wing veterans, and US Navy legacy attack squadron patch collectors.
Blue Bolts. Strike from the deck.
