USMC Helicopter Squadrons
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PVC / TPU / IR
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50-99: $6.00 each
100-199: $5.00 each
200+: $4.00 each
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SS Wright PVC Patch — SS Wright (T-AVB-3) Aviation Logistics Support Ship PVC Patch
The Beast of the East—SS Wright, the floating aviation maintenance depot that brought heavy repair capability forward to wherever Marine aircraft needed it most.
SS Wright (T-AVB-3) was one of two Aviation Logistics Support Ships operated by the Military Sealift Command in support of United States Marine Corps aviation operations. Nicknamed the "Beast of the East" for her East Coast assignment, SS Wright was a converted container ship that served as a mobile intermediate maintenance activity (IMA)—essentially a floating aircraft repair facility that could deploy forward to provide depot-level aviation maintenance, repair, and supply support to Marine aviation units operating in austere and expeditionary environments far from established maintenance facilities.
The T-AVB concept was born from the Marine Corps' recognition that its expeditionary aviation forces needed organic intermediate maintenance capability that could keep pace with deploying Marine Air-Ground Task Forces. SS Wright and her sister ship SS Curtiss (T-AVB-4) were converted from commercial cargo vessels and outfitted with aircraft component repair shops, avionics test benches, engine repair facilities, hydraulic and pneumatic shops, and extensive spare parts storage. When activated, these ships could anchor offshore or dock at a port facility and immediately begin providing the heavy maintenance support that normally required a full-size Marine Corps air station.
SS Wright played critical roles during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, deploying to the Persian Gulf to support Marine aviation operations in theater. The ship's ability to receive damaged aircraft components, repair them, and return them to service dramatically reduced the turnaround time for maintenance actions that would otherwise have required shipping parts back to the continental United States. The T-AVB program demonstrated the Marine Corps' commitment to maintaining aviation readiness in the most forward-deployed and austere operating environments.
Perfect For: SS Wright crew members and veterans, Marine Corps aviation maintenance personnel, Military Sealift Command sailors, T-AVB program alumni, Marine aviation logistics professionals, and naval aviation support ship enthusiasts.
The Beast of the East—SS Wright, the floating maintenance depot that kept Marine aircraft flying from the Persian Gulf to wherever the Corps needed wings in the fight.
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