{"product_id":"official-vfa-34-blue-blaster-die-cut-squadron-patch","title":"Official VFA-34 Blue Blaster Die Cut Squadron Patch","description":"\u003cp\u003eOfficial VFA-34 Blue Blaster Die Cut Squadron Patch - Strike Fighter Squadron 34 (VFA-34) Blue Blasters, U.S. Navy F\/A-18E Super Hornet squadron, NAS Oceana, die cut embroidered patch.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlue tail colors, nuclear strike heritage, and a carrier-proven callsign that has meant business from the Gulf War to the Super Hornet era.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVFA-34 traces its Blue Blasters identity to a nickname adopted in 1957, inspired by the squadron's blue tail markings and nuclear weapon delivery mission. Reestablished in 1970 at NAS Oceana as the Atlantic Fleet's sixth A-6 Intruder squadron, the Blue Blasters built a combat record that spans Vietnam, Operation Prairie Fire, and Operation El Dorado Canyon, where they became the first squadron to employ the Harpoon missile in combat. The squadron redesignated VFA-34 on September 30, 1996, and transitioned to the F\/A-18C Hornet, going on to fly combat missions over Bosnia and Iraq and earning a place in carrier aviation history in 2018 as the last Navy squadron to deploy operationally with the legacy F\/A-18C Hornet. VFA-34 then completed its transition to the F\/A-18E Super Hornet in June 2019, continuing strike fighter operations under Carrier Air Wing Three aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower with the radio callsign Joker and tail code AC. The die cut format follows the precise outline of the squadron insignia, giving the patch a clean, display-ready edge that suits shadow boxes, flight jackets, gear bags, and unit-history boards without losing any of the detail that makes Blue Blasters imagery recognizable across generations of naval aviation collectors.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerfect For: VFA-34 veterans and alumni, F\/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet aircrew, NAS Oceana squadron collectors, Carrier Air Wing Three supporters, naval aviation historians, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom memorabilia collections, shadow box builds, cruise book displays, reunion gifts, and anyone preserving the story of a strike fighter squadron that flew the legacy Hornet longer than any other Navy unit before transitioning to the Super Hornet era.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlue Blasters heritage, cut sharp and stitched for the board, the box, and the flight bag.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Military, Law Enforcement and Custom Patches by USMCinsignia.com","offers":[{"title":"With Hook \u0026 Loop","offer_id":45496185028717,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"No Hook \u0026 Loop","offer_id":45496185061485,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0742\/9831\/files\/Leather5Patch_31.png?v=1784824786","url":"https:\/\/marinepatches.com\/products\/official-vfa-34-blue-blaster-die-cut-squadron-patch","provider":"MarinePatches.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}