USMC Helicopter Squadrons
$12.00
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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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Official US Army 178th AVN Co (ASH) Box Car Patch - 178th Assault Support Helicopter Company, U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook Medium-Lift Unit, Vietnam-Era Embroidered Patch.
Anywhere, anytime — the Boxcar motto that followed every CH-47 crew from Fort Benning to the skies above I Corps, keeping remote firebases alive when no road could reach them.
The 178th Assault Support Helicopter Company was constituted in the Regular Army on July 16, 1965, and activated at Fort Benning, Georgia on September 1, 1965, before deploying to Vietnam in early 1966. Known as the Box Cars of Chu Lai, the unit flew the CH-47 Chinook on some of the most demanding medium-lift missions of the war. In April 1967, the 178th was the only Chinook company providing medium helicopter support across the entire I Corps region, resupplying remote firebases where convoy operations were too dangerous to attempt. The unit earned a string of firsts: they were the first Chinook company in Vietnam to receive the upgraded B-Model CH-47 with the more powerful L-7C engines, and the first to sling-load a complete 155mm howitzer weighing 12,500 pounds. They later became the second Chinook company in the entire Army to log 40,000 flight hours in the CH-47. Americal Division veterans on isolated landing zones owed their logistical survival to Boxcar crews who moved food, water, ammunition, and artillery under fire. That operational record gives this embroidered patch a weight that goes well beyond unit memorabilia.
Perfect For: U.S. Army aviation veterans, 178th ASHC Boxcar alumni, CH-47 Chinook crew members and maintainers, Vietnam War historians, Americal Division collectors, medium-lift aviation enthusiasts, shadow box builders, reunion displays, and anyone assembling a serious Army aviation patch collection tied to verified Vietnam-era unit history. It also makes a meaningful tribute gift for families of Boxcar veterans who want a tangible piece of the unit's legacy on a display board or memorial wall.
Box Cars heritage, stitched in thread and carried forward by every crew who flew the Chinook when it mattered most.
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.
