{"product_id":"official-vmu-3-swagorillas-patch","title":"Official VMU-3 Swagorillas Patch","description":"\u003cp\u003eOfficial VMU-3 Swagorillas Patch - Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3 (VMU-3), 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, MQ-9A Reaper Unit Embroidered Patch.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSwagorillas swagger, Phantoms precision, and the unmanned edge that keeps III MEF watching when it matters most.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVMU-3 was activated on 12 September 2008 and is based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, where it falls under Marine Aircraft Group 24 and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron is the third UAV unit stood up in the Marine Corps and carries a primary mission of providing aerial surveillance, multi-sensor reconnaissance, and data relay for the III Marine Expeditionary Force. VMU-3 built its combat record flying the RQ-7 Shadow and RQ-21A Blackjack during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, including a 2012 to 2013 Afghanistan deployment that produced more than 2,300 sorties and 21,000 flight hours. The squadron earned the 2011 Commandant's Aviation Trophy for outstanding performance and has continued to push the community forward, reaching initial operational capability with the MQ-9A Reaper in 2023 and earning recognition as the USMC UAV Squadron of the Year in 2026. That record of sustained operational excellence gives the Swagorillas morale identity real weight, connecting the informal unit character to a serious ISR and strike-support mission that spans two decades of deployed service. The embroidered format captures that identity cleanly, making the patch a natural fit for display boards, flight-line gear, shadow boxes, and unit-history collections tied to Marine unmanned aviation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerfect For: VMU-3 veterans and active-duty Marines, MQ-9A Reaper crew members and sensor operators, Marine unmanned aviation collectors, MAG-24 and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing alumni, III MEF supporters, deployment keepsake displays, challenge coin and patch boards, shadow boxes, reunion gifts, and anyone building a serious Marine aviation collection around the ISR, surveillance, and strike-support community. It also works for families and supporters who want a specific, well-researched piece tied to the Kaneohe Bay UAS mission and the Marines who keep the aerial layer running around the clock.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSwagorillas identity, stitched for the operators, maintainers, and families who know what the Phantoms watch over.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Military, Law Enforcement and Custom Patches by USMCinsignia.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45264375382125,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0742\/9831\/files\/3Patch_14_5e7fb388-2f69-44f9-8794-0c33ec3005eb.png?v=1780334162","url":"https:\/\/marinepatches.com\/products\/official-vmu-3-swagorillas-patch","provider":"MarinePatches.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}