{"product_id":"officially-licensed-us-navy-vs-22-checkmates-squadron-patch","title":"Officially Licensed US Navy VS-22 Checkmates Squadron Patch","description":"\u003cp\u003eOfficially Licensed US Navy VS-22 Checkmates Squadron Patch — Sea Control Squadron 22 S-2 Tracker \/ S-3 Viking NAS Quonset Point \/ Cecil Field \/ Jacksonville Heritage Patch\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe last to fly the Hoover — VS-22 Checkmates, S-3 Viking, the final Sea Control squadron.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSea Control Squadron 22 (VS-22), the \"Checkmates,\" was a US Navy carrier-based anti-submarine and sea control squadron with one of the deepest lineages in naval aviation. The squadron was established on May 18, 1960 at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, tracing its roots to VA-22 — the first East Coast carrier-based ASW squadron — and from 1960 to 1974 the Checkmates flew the Grumman S-2 Tracker conducting Atlantic Fleet ASW operations from CVS-class anti-submarine carriers. The squadron earned a unique place in space history by recovering Alan B. Shepard's Mercury 5 capsule (1961), Gemini 5 (1965), and Apollo 7. Beginning in summer 1974 the squadron's pilots transitioned to jets at NAS Meridian, Mississippi, and on January 6, 1976 VS-22 deployed aboard USS Saratoga (CV-60) as the first deployed S-3A Viking squadron — sailing from NAS Mayport, Florida to the Mediterranean. The Checkmates relocated from Quonset Point to NAS Cecil Field, Florida on November 8, 1973 (following Quonset Point's closure) and ultimately operated from NAS Jacksonville, Florida flying the S-3B Viking attached to Carrier Air Wing SEVENTEEN (CVW-17). During Operation Desert Storm in January–February 1991 the Checkmates flew over 1,100 combat hours and 324 combat sorties in direct support of coalition forces. VS-22 was disestablished on January 29, 2009 at NAS Jacksonville, making it the last squadron to operate the S-3 Viking in US Navy service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePerfect For: VS-22 Checkmates veteran officers, sailors, and aircrew, S-2 Tracker and S-3 Viking pilots, naval flight officers, and sensor operators (SENSO\/TACCO), NAS Quonset Point, NAS Cecil Field, and NAS Jacksonville naval aviation alumni, CVW-17 carrier air wing veterans, USS Saratoga plankowners, Mercury \/ Gemini \/ Apollo space capsule recovery historians, and Sea Control \/ VS community supporters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCheckmates — last to fly the Hoover, 1960–2009.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Military, Law Enforcement and Custom Patches by USMCinsignia.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44960511787117,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0742\/9831\/files\/PRODUCTIMAGES_93_1c080514-6242-4416-a3d4-cc38d0f2b124.png?v=1775067637","url":"https:\/\/marinepatches.com\/products\/officially-licensed-us-navy-vs-22-checkmates-squadron-patch","provider":"MarinePatches.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}