USMC Helicopter Squadrons
$12.00
Only 84 items left in stock
Bulk Patch Pricing
Embroidered
Minimum order: 25
25-49: $6.00 each
50-99: $5.00 each
100-199: $4.00 each
200-299: $3.00 each
300+: $2.50 each
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Operation Shufly Da Nang Vietnam Patch — Embroidered Patch
Where Marine Helicopters Went to War
Before the buildup, before the battalions, there was Shufly. This patch commemorates Operation Shufly at Da Nang — the rotating deployment of Marine helicopter squadrons that marked the beginning of sustained Marine Corps operations in Vietnam. If you were part of a Shufly rotation, you were among the first Marines to fly combat missions in-country.
Operation Shufly began on April 15, 1962, when Lieutenant Colonel Archie Clapp's HMM-362 flew their UH-34 Seahorses ashore from the USS Princeton to Soc Trang in the Mekong Delta. Designated Task Force 79.3.5, the mission was to increase the mobility of South Vietnamese forces fighting the Viet Cong. By late 1962, the Shufly helicopters relocated to Da Nang to better support operations in the mountainous terrain of northern South Vietnam. Marine squadrons rotated through every four months, with each rotation building combat experience and refining tactics that would prove essential when full-scale Marine operations began in 1965. By the time the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade landed at Red Beach on March 8, 1965, half of the Marine Corps' medium helicopter squadrons had already completed a Shufly deployment.
Perfect For:
Operation Shufly veterans, early Vietnam-era Marine helicopter crews, MAG-16 personnel, Da Nang veterans, Vietnam War historians, and military aviation patch collectors
Shufly — where Marine helicopter warfare began.
If you want to swap patches on/off gear, choose hook & loop (velcro). If you’re attaching permanently to uniforms or fabric, choose sew-on. If you want quick application on compatible fabric, choose iron-on / heat seal (when offered). Backing options are shown on the page and update based on the variant you select.
Size is shown on the product page and updates with the variant you select (example: 3"). If you’re mounting on a hat or small panel, choose smaller sizes; for plate carriers and display boards, larger sizes fit better.
If the product is officially licensed, it will say “Officially Licensed” in the title and/or in the product details. If it doesn’t, it’s still a legitimate product—just not part of a licensed program.
Yes. If you see a note like “bulk reruns available,” that means we can support group orders or reruns. If you don’t see it, contact us with the unit/squadron and quantity and we’ll confirm options.
Yes—custom solutions are available (patches, name tags, lanyards, apparel). Use the custom request page and include artwork, size, backing preference, and quantity.
