{"product_id":"officially-licensed-us-navy-vs-29-dragonfires-squadron-patch","title":"Officially Licensed US Navy VS-29 Dragonfires Squadron Patch","description":"\u003cp\u003eOfficially Licensed US Navy VS-29 Dragonfires Squadron Patch — Air Anti-Submarine Squadron 29 \/ Sea Control Squadron 29 S-3 Viking NAS North Island Embroidered Patch\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHunt the deep, hold the deck — the Dragonfires brought ASW, surface search, and tanking to every air wing they joined.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSea Control Squadron 29 (VS-29), the \"Dragonfires,\" was a US Navy carrier-based S-3 Viking squadron homeported at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, California. The squadron was originally commissioned as Air Anti-Submarine Squadron 29 (VS-29) on April 1, 1960 at NAS North Island flying the S2F-1 Tracker, and operated the S-2E Tracker through the 1960s and early 1970s deploying aboard ASW carriers including USS Hornet (CVS-12) and USS Yorktown (CVS-10) in the Western Pacific. In November 1976 the Dragonfires transitioned to the Lockheed S-3A Viking — becoming one of the early West Coast S-3 squadrons — and were redesignated Sea Control Squadron 29 in 1993 to reflect the Viking's expanded surface, ASW, and aerial refueling tanker mission set in the post-Cold War carrier air wing. VS-29 deployed continuously through the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s with multiple carrier air wings — including CVW-9, CVW-11, and CVW-14 — aboard USS Constellation (CV-64), USS Nimitz (CVN-68), USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), supporting Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. The Dragonfires were ultimately disestablished on March 14, 2008 at NAS North Island as part of the Navy-wide retirement of the S-3 Viking from carrier service. This squadron patch carries the legacy of a community that quietly handled three missions at once — and tanked everyone home at the end of the day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePerfect For: VS-29 Dragonfires veteran officers, sailors, and aircrew, S-3 Viking pilots, naval flight officers, and sensor operators (SENSO\/TACCO), S-2 Tracker heritage enthusiasts, NAS North Island and San Diego naval aviation alumni, CVW-9, CVW-11, and CVW-14 carrier air wing veterans, and Sea Control \/ VS community supporters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDragonfires — sea control, since 1960.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Military, Law Enforcement and Custom Patches by USMCinsignia.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44959034867821,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0742\/9831\/files\/PRODUCTIMAGES_100.png?v=1775064163","url":"https:\/\/marinepatches.com\/products\/officially-licensed-us-navy-vs-29-dragonfires-squadron-patch","provider":"MarinePatches.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}