Officially Licensed USMC VMM-163 Evil Eyes Leather Patches — Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron MV-22 Osprey Patch
The eyes that spooked the enemy in Vietnam are still watching. If you flew under the Evil Eyes, this patch carries that legacy.
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163 (VMM-163) traces its lineage to December 1, 1951, when it was activated as Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 163 (HMR-163) at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. Originally flying Sikorsky HRS-3 helicopters, the squadron deployed to Japan in August 1953 and flew in support of the Korean conflict, earning its first nickname — the "Ridge Runners" — after conducting a daring rescue operation through mountainous terrain and foul weather following Typhoon Tess in the Hanshin area. The squadron supported the Taiwan Strait crisis in 1958, was redesignated HMM-163 in 1962, and then deployed to Okinawa in late 1965 on orders for Vietnam. It was there that Captain Al Barbes, the squadron intelligence officer, proposed painting eyes on the front of the unit’s H-34 helicopters to unsettle the enemy — a tradition rooted in Asian superstition. The ground Marines at Phu Bai started calling them "Evil Eyes" by March 1966, and the name stuck forever. During the Battle of A Shau Valley on March 9, 1966, 21 of the squadron’s 24 aircraft suffered major damage and two were shot down as they flew into heavy anti-aircraft fire to extract the besieged Special Forces camp. For its service in Vietnam, HMM-163 earned the Presidential Unit Citation with two bronze stars, the Navy Unit Commendation with two bronze stars, and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with palm. Through the 1990s, the Evil Eyes served as the Aviation Combat Element for five MEU(SOC) deployments across the Pacific and Central Command theaters, participating in Operation Fiery Vigil, Operation Continue Hope, Operation Desert Strike, and Operation Resolute Response. In 2001, deployed with the 15th MEU(SOC), HMM-163 planned and executed the longest amphibious assault in American military history — seizing a forward operating base deep in southern Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. The squadron went on to support Operation Iraqi Freedom with the 13th MEU, including security operations in Basrah. On December 2, 2011, HMM-163 became VMM-163, transitioning to the MV-22B Osprey as the last CH-46E squadron at MCAS Miramar — and the Evil Eyes have been watching from tiltrotor cockpits ever since.
• Premium leather USMC tiltrotor squadron patch
• Durable construction with rich detail built for daily wear or display
• Iconic Evil Eyes insignia design rooted in Vietnam War heritage
• Ideal for flight jackets, gear bags, and shadow box collections
• Built to last through years of proud ownership
Perfect For:
VMM-163 and HMM-163 Evil Eyes veterans past and present, MV-22 Osprey and CH-46 Sea Knight aircrew, MAG-16 and 3rd MAW Marines, MCAS Miramar personnel, 11th and 13th MEU aviation combat element veterans, and anyone who served with the Ridge Runners or flew under the Evil Eyes. A powerful addition to any Marine aviation patch collection or veteran display.
