USMC Helicopter Squadrons
$12.00
Only 21 items left in stock
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
Applicable tax calculated at checkout. Shipping calculated at checkout.
Official VMM-263 Thunder Chickens "Endless Summer 2026" Deployment Patch — Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 MV-22B Osprey MCAS New River Embroidered Patch
Endless summer, endless deployment — VMM-263 Thunder Chickens, the first MV-22 squadron, MCAS New River.
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (VMM-263), the "Thunder Chickens," is a USMC MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor squadron based at MCAS New River, North Carolina, under MAG-26 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron was originally activated on June 16, 1952 as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 263 (HMR-263) at MCAS Cherry Point, equipped with HRS helicopters, and on July 7, 1954 relocated to Marine Corps Air Facility New River — its home for the next seven decades. Across more than seven decades of service the squadron has been redesignated multiple times — HMR(L)-263 in December 1956, HMM-263 in February 1962, and finally VMM-263 on March 3, 2006 with the type's first transition to the Bell Boeing MV-22B Osprey. VMM-263 holds the historic distinction of being the first operational MV-22 Osprey squadron in the United States Marine Corps and the first MV-22 squadron to deploy as part of an Aviation Combat Element (ACE). The unit's combat record reaches back to two Vietnam combat tours (1965 and 1969) where HMM-263 participated in over twenty-four named combat operations flying the UH-34 Seahorse and CH-46 Sea Knight, through Operation Desert Storm, Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, and ongoing II MEF Marine Expeditionary Unit deployments aboard amphibious ready groups across the Mediterranean, US 5th Fleet, and US 6th Fleet areas of operations. The "Endless Summer 2026" deployment patch celebrates the squadron's continued forward presence.
Perfect For: VMM-263 Thunder Chickens active-duty and veteran Marines, MV-22B Osprey pilots, crew chiefs, and maintainers, MCAS New River residents and Eastern North Carolina Marine Corps community, MAG-26 and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing personnel, II MEF and Marine Expeditionary Unit alumni, HMM-263 CH-46 Sea Knight (Phrog) heritage Marines, and Vietnam-era Thunder Chickens veterans.
Thunder Chickens — first MV-22 squadron, MCAS New River.
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.
