{"product_id":"official-vfa-154-black-knights-80th-anniversary-patch","title":"Official VFA-154 Black Knights 80th Anniversary Patch","description":"\u003cp\u003eOfficial VFA-154 Black Knights 80th Anniversary Patch - Strike Fighter Squadron 154 (VFA-154) Black Knights U.S. Navy 80th Anniversary Embroidered Patch, commemorating eight decades of continuous service since July 1, 1946.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEight decades of carrier aviation, combat history, and the Black Knight shield — one embroidered patch marks it all.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVFA-154 traces its lineage to Naval Reserve squadron VFB-718, activated on July 1, 1946, at Naval Air Station Floyd Bennett, New York, flying the F6F Hellcat and F4U Corsair. The squadron fought through the Korean War as VF-837 aboard USS Antietam, earned its Black Knights name and iconic armored-knight insignia during the F-8 Crusader era — a design drawn by celebrated cartoonist Milton Caniff — and carried that identity through the Vietnam War, the F-14 Tomcat years, and forward-deployed operations in Japan. After supporting Desert Shield, Operation Southern Watch, and Operation Iraqi Freedom from the decks of USS Independence and USS Kitty Hawk, the Black Knights transitioned to the F\/A-18F Super Hornet in 2003 upon redesignation as VFA-154, and today fly with Carrier Air Wing Eleven aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt. The 80th anniversary patch captures that full arc — from Hellcats on a reserve ramp to Super Hornets on a nuclear carrier — in a single embroidered emblem built for display, collection, and tribute.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerfect For: VFA-154 veterans and active-duty aircrew, F-14 Tomcat and F\/A-18F Super Hornet enthusiasts, Carrier Air Wing Eleven collectors, naval aviation historians, reunion attendees, shadow box builders, deployment keepsake displays, challenge coin and patch boards, and anyone honoring the full eight-decade story of one of the Navy's most storied strike fighter squadrons. It also makes a meaningful gift for families, maintainers, and supporters who want a verified, anniversary-specific piece tied to real Black Knights history rather than a generic aviation patch.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEighty years of Black Knights heritage, stitched into one official emblem worth keeping.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Military, Law Enforcement and Custom Patches by USMCinsignia.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45470595743853,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0742\/9831\/files\/4Patch_37_ff5ca8a6-e7db-4b18-9199-f127fc447206.png?v=1784298965","url":"https:\/\/marinepatches.com\/products\/official-vfa-154-black-knights-80th-anniversary-patch","provider":"MarinePatches.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}