USMC Commemorative UH-1N Twin Huey Patch
Bell UH-1N Twin Huey – United States Marine Corps
The Bell UH-1N Twin Huey stands as one of the most iconic rotary-wing aircraft in United States Marine Corps history, serving as the backbone of Marine light utility helicopter operations for more than four decades. First delivered to the USMC in April 1971, the twin-engine UH-1N was developed from the legendary Bell 212 platform originally designed for the Canadian Forces, featuring a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3 Twin Pac powerplant capable of producing 1,800 shaft horsepower. The Marine Corps received 205 UH-1N airframes—not counting six VH-1N executive transports operated by Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) for presidential and VIP transport duties.
The Twin Huey served in virtually every major U.S. military operation involving the Marine Corps over its service life. USMC UH-1Ns participated in operations in Grenada, provided critical support during Operation Desert Storm, and were actively deployed during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, where they flew reconnaissance, communications relay, and close air support missions during heavy fighting in Nasiriyah. The helicopter's final combat deployment came to Afghanistan in 2010, and its last operational squadron, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773 (HMLA-773), conducted a final deployment in 2013 aboard a Royal Netherlands Navy vessel for an African Partnership Station mission. The Marine Corps officially retired the UH-1N during a "sundown ceremony" at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans on 28 August 2014, after more than 40 years of faithful service. The Twin Huey was replaced by the Bell UH-1Y Venom, a modernized four-blade variant with twice the payload, 50% greater range, and glass cockpit avionics.
Perfect For: Marine Corps helicopter aviators and crew chiefs, UH-1N veterans from any era of the Twin Huey's service, HMLA and HML squadron alumni, rotary-wing aviation historians, and collectors honoring the Huey legacy in the Marine Corps.
This commemorative patch pays tribute to a helicopter that defined Marine utility aviation for a generation—from presidential transport to combat close air support across three continents.
