{"product_id":"officially-licensed-vmfa-323-death-rattlers-squadron-patch","title":"Officially Licensed USMC VMFA-323 Death Rattlers 2026 Squadron Patch","description":"\u003cp\u003eOfficially Licensed USMC VMFA-323 Death Rattlers 2026 Squadron Patch — Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 F\/A-18C Hornet Embroidered Patch\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCoiled, ready, and the highest-scoring Marine fighter squadron of WWII — the Death Rattlers strike on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMarine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 (VMFA-323), the \"Death Rattlers,\" is a USMC F\/A-18C Hornet strike fighter squadron based at MCAS Miramar, California, under MAG-11 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. Originally commissioned as VMF-323 on August 1, 1943 at Cherry Point, North Carolina, the squadron made its name in the spring of 1945 as a Corsair squadron flying off Kadena Field on Okinawa, where in just over three months the Death Rattlers shot down 124½ Japanese aircraft — including 24 in a single day — earning the unofficial title of highest-scoring Marine fighter squadron of WWII and producing 12 aces. After the war the squadron flew Corsairs in Korea, transitioned through the F9F Panther and FJ-2 Fury, served on Yankee Station in F-4B Phantom IIs during Vietnam, and stood up as the second Marine F\/A-18A Hornet squadron in 1982 before transitioning to the F\/A-18C in 1991. The Death Rattlers have deployed continuously across the post-9\/11 era in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, routinely deploying as a Tactical Air (TACAIR) integration squadron with carrier air wings — most notably CVW-9 and CVW-11. The squadron's signature coiled snake emblem and \"snake bite\" callsign trace directly to those Okinawa Corsair pilots, and the same red diamond and black snake mark every F\/A-18C on the Miramar flight line today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePerfect For: VMFA-323 Death Rattlers active-duty and veteran Marines, MCAS Miramar residents, MAG-11 and 3rd MAW personnel, F\/A-18C Hornet pilots and maintainers, CVW-9 and CVW-11 alumni, F4U Corsair Pacific theater historians, and Marine fighter community patch collectors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDeath Rattlers — strike, since '43.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Military, Law Enforcement and Custom Patches by USMCinsignia.com","offers":[{"title":"With Hook \u0026 Loop","offer_id":45038292435053,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Iron on","offer_id":45038292467821,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0742\/9831\/files\/4Patch_3.png?v=1775680371","url":"https:\/\/marinepatches.com\/products\/officially-licensed-vmfa-323-death-rattlers-squadron-patch","provider":"MarinePatches.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}