Officially Licensed US Navy VAW-117 Wallbangers Leather Patch - Airborne Command and Control Squadron 117 (VAW-117), the Wallbangers, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye officially licensed leather patch.
The Wallbangers own the battlespace picture — eyes up, radar spinning, and the carrier strike group always in the loop.
VAW-117 was established on 1 July 1974 at NAS North Island, California, as part of the Fighter Early Warning Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and has grown into one of the Navy's most decorated airborne command and control squadrons. Nicknamed the Wallbangers, the squadron flies the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, the only carrier-capable command and control aircraft in the fleet, and deploys as part of Carrier Air Wing 9 aboard USS Abraham Lincoln, homeported at NAS Point Mugu, California. In January 2020, the squadron was redesignated from an airborne early warning unit to Airborne Command and Control Squadron 117, reflecting the expanded role the E-2D plays beyond traditional radar picket duties. The Wallbangers have logged combat sorties in support of Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and were among the first aircraft to lead strikes into Afghanistan after September 11, 2001. The squadron has earned multiple Battle Efficiency Awards and holds a long list of historical firsts, including being the first fleet squadron to deploy the Cooperative Engagement Capability system. The leather format gives the emblem a rugged, flight-deck-ready character that suits jackets, gear bags, shadow boxes, and display panels while keeping the sharp unit identity that serious Navy aviation collectors expect.
Perfect for Navy aviation veterans, E-2D Hawkeye aircrew, VAW-117 Wallbangers alumni, Carrier Air Wing 9 collectors, USS Abraham Lincoln crew members, NAS Point Mugu community supporters, airborne early warning enthusiasts, shadow box builders, cruise book displays, reunion gifts, and anyone assembling a serious carrier strike group or Pacific Fleet patch collection. It also makes a meaningful keepsake for families and supporters who want a durable, officially licensed tribute to the crews who keep the battlespace picture clear on every deployment.
Wallbangers heritage, officially licensed and built to last as long as the mission demands.
