USMC Helicopter Squadrons
$12.00
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Embroidered
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25-49: $6.00 each
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Official VQ-3 Ironmen Thanksgiving Patch - Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 3 (VQ-3) Ironmen Holiday Edition Embroidered Patch.
Ironmen give thanks from altitude — TACAMO duty does not pause for the holiday table, and this patch honors the crews who hold the line while the turkey cools.
Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 3, the Ironmen, was commissioned on 1 July 1968 at NAS Agana, Guam, and has grown into one of the most consequential and least-publicized squadrons in the United States Navy. Based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and forward-deploying operational patrols from Travis Air Force Base, California, VQ-3 flies the Boeing E-6B Mercury airborne command post under Strategic Communications Wing 1. The TACAMO mission, Take Charge and Move Out, tasks the Ironmen with maintaining survivable airborne communications links between the National Command Authority and the nation's ballistic missile submarines, strategic bombers, and ICBM silos around the clock, every day of the year. The squadron evolved through the EC-130G, EC-130Q, and E-6A Mercury before arriving at the E-6B, trailing very low frequency antennas miles below the aircraft to reach submarines deep beneath the ocean surface. A Thanksgiving edition patch captures the quiet reality that deterrence has no off days, and that Ironmen crews have spent countless holidays airborne so that everyone else can gather around the table without knowing how close the watch is kept. The holiday theme gives the emblem warmth without softening the weight of the mission it represents.
Perfect For: VQ-3 Ironmen active-duty members and veterans, E-6B Mercury aircrew and maintainers, TACAMO community personnel, Strategic Communications Wing 1 alumni, Tinker Air Force Base and Travis Air Force Base connections, holiday-themed military patch collectors, shadow box builders, reunion gift buyers, and families who want a meaningful piece that honors a loved one who spent Thanksgiving on patrol instead of at home.
Ironmen heritage, stitched for the crews who kept the watch while everyone else gave thanks.
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.
