{"product_id":"official-ac-130-spectre-gunship-patch","title":"Official AC-130 Spectre Gunship Patch","description":"\u003cp\u003eOfficial AC-130 Spectre Gunship Patch - USAF Air Force Special Operations Command AC-130H Spectre Fixed-Wing Gunship Embroidered Patch.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpectre call sign, side-firing firepower, and the quiet orbit of a gunship that changed what close air support could mean.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe AC-130 Spectre traces its lineage to Project Gunship II, first deploying to Nha Trang, Republic of Vietnam in September 1967 and flying its first combat mission days later. The aircraft earned its Spectre call sign over the Ho Chi Minh Trail, where it proved that a large, slow platform orbiting at altitude could deliver sustained, precise fire that no fast jet could match. Armed with side-firing cannons, a 40mm Bofors, and a 105mm howitzer integrated with sophisticated sensor and fire-control systems, the AC-130H became the backbone of AFSOC close air support for decades. The squadrons operating Spectre gunships fall under Air Force Special Operations Command, a component of United States Special Operations Command, and the aircraft saw combat in Grenada, Panama, Desert Storm, Somalia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. AFSOC retired the AC-130H Spectre in 2014, with its legacy carried forward by the AC-130J Ghostrider. That unbroken line from Vietnam-era truck busting to precision urban strikes gives this embroidered patch a collector weight that goes well beyond a simple aircraft souvenir. The embroidered format captures the insignia with the kind of stitched detail that holds up on flight-line gear, shadow boxes, and display panels without losing the character that makes gunship patches a distinct category in military aviation collecting.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerfect For: USAF special operations veterans, AC-130 aircrew and maintainers, AFSOC alumni, 16th Special Operations Squadron collectors, aviation historians, shadow box builders, challenge coin and patch board displays, reunion gifts, deployment keepsakes, and anyone preserving the story of fixed-wing gunship heritage from Vietnam through the global war on terror. It also suits family members and supporters who want a respectful, specific tribute to the crews who orbited in the dark and delivered precision fire when ground forces needed it most.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpectre heritage, stitched for the crews who held the orbit and kept the call sign alive.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Military, Law Enforcement and Custom Patches by USMCinsignia.com","offers":[{"title":"With Hook \u0026 Loop","offer_id":45435608727661,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"No Hook \u0026 Loop","offer_id":45435608760429,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0742\/9831\/files\/4Patch_20_58346867-83ed-49eb-9b89-cb8364cf78d7.png?v=1783446645","url":"https:\/\/marinepatches.com\/products\/official-ac-130-spectre-gunship-patch","provider":"MarinePatches.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}