{"product_id":"official-usmc-av-8-harrier-ii-sunset-patch","title":"Officially Licensed USMC AV-8 Harrier II Sunset Patch","description":"\u003cp\u003eOfficially Licensed USMC AV-8 Harrier II Sunset Patch - United States Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II V\/STOL Attack Aircraft Retirement Commemorative Embroidered Patch, officially licensed for the Marine Corps community.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJump jet legacy, expeditionary spirit, and four decades of Marine close air support identity stitched into one commemorative piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe AV-8B Harrier II entered Marine Corps service in January 1985 and spent more than four decades as the Corps' signature fixed-wing attack platform, capable of vertical and short takeoff and landing from amphibious assault ships, expeditionary airfields, and forward operating bases that no conventional jet could reach. That V\/STOL capability gave Marine commanders a unique tool for bringing airpower directly to the fight, and the Harrier proved it in combat during Operation Desert Storm, where it was the first Marine tactical strike aircraft to arrive in theater, and in every major Marine Corps operation that followed, including missions over Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and against ISIS. On June 3, 2026, the Marine Corps held its official Sundown Ceremony at MCAS Cherry Point, retiring the final operational Harrier II squadron, VMA-223 Bulldogs, and closing more than fifty years of jump jet operations in American service. The sunset patch design captures that farewell moment, honoring the pilots, maintainers, and ground crews who built their careers around one of the most demanding and distinctive aircraft ever flown by the United States military.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerfect For: Marine Corps aviation veterans, Harrier pilots and maintainers, VMA squadron alumni, MCAS Cherry Point community members, Marine attack aviation collectors, sundown ceremony attendees, shadow box and display board builders, reunion gifts, deployment keepsakes, and anyone who wants a respectful, officially licensed tribute to the AV-8B Harrier II's irreplaceable role in Marine Corps expeditionary warfare and close air support history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eForty years of jump jet heritage, honored at sunset, preserved on the patch board.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Military, Law Enforcement and Custom Patches by USMCinsignia.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45264115925101,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0742\/9831\/files\/4Patch_22_98683221-1579-41a6-885e-fe7b219387ed.png?v=1780330886","url":"https:\/\/marinepatches.com\/products\/official-usmc-av-8-harrier-ii-sunset-patch","provider":"MarinePatches.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}