{"product_id":"official-mag-31-tan-flak-patch","title":"Official MAG-31 Tan Flak Patch","description":"\u003cp\u003eOfficial MAG-31 Tan Flak Patch - Marine Aircraft Group 31 (MAG-31) Official Tan Flak Identification Embroidered Patch, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, MCAS Beaufort.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGoing the Distance, Going for Speed — MAG-31 identity stitched in tan for the plate carrier, the flight line, and the collection board.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMarine Aircraft Group 31 was commissioned on 1 February 1943 and built its combat reputation in the Pacific, playing an integral role in the Battle of Okinawa before becoming the first Marine land-based group to operate in the Japanese homeland. Reactivated in 1961 at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, MAG-31 has served as the East Coast hub of Marine fixed-wing fighter attack aviation ever since. The group today commands a mix of F\/A-18C Hornet and F-35B Lightning II squadrons, including VMFA-533 Hawks — the first operational F-35B squadron at MCAS Beaufort — VMFA(AW)-224 Bengals, and VMFAT-501 Warlords, who train the next generation of Lightning II pilots. MAG-31's mission spans offensive air support, antiair warfare, and aerial reconnaissance in support of Fleet Marine Forces from expeditionary airfields, advanced bases, and aircraft carriers, a mandate that has carried the group from Desert Storm through Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The tan colorway on this flak patch reflects the field-standard identification format worn on plate carriers and flak jackets, giving the MAG-31 insignia a direct connection to deployed gear rather than a dress-uniform display context. That combination of operational color and unit identity makes this patch meaningful for anyone who served under the MAG-31 banner or wants to represent Beaufort-based Marine aviation in a collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerfect For: MAG-31 veterans and active duty Marines, MCAS Beaufort alumni, F-35B and F\/A-18 aircrew, VMFA-533 Hawks and VMFAT-501 Warlords personnel, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing collectors, plate carrier and tactical gear displays, shadow boxes, reunion gifts, deployment keepsakes, and anyone building a serious East Coast Marine aviation patch collection that connects Pacific War lineage with modern fifth-generation fighter attack operations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMAG-31 heritage, tan-field ready, and built for the board, the box, and the gear bag.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Military, Law Enforcement and Custom Patches by USMCinsignia.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67692247384173,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0742\/9831\/files\/F6603802_2F6E7D27.5554B86A00000000_1.jpg?v=1791595462","url":"https:\/\/marinepatches.com\/products\/official-mag-31-tan-flak-patch","provider":"MarinePatches.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}