USMC Helicopter Squadrons
$12.00
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Bulk Patch Pricing
Embroidered
Minimum order: 25
25-49: $6.00 each
50-99: $5.00 each
100-199: $4.00 each
200-299: $3.00 each
300+: $2.50 each
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Officially Licensed US Navy VA-196 Main Battery Squadron Patch — Attack Squadron 196 Main Battery Embroidered Patch
The Main Battery — VA-196, the carrier air wing's heaviest punch, delivering devastating A-6 Intruder strikes as the fleet's primary offensive weapon.
Attack Squadron 196 (VA-196), the "Main Battery," was a distinguished U.S. Navy carrier-based attack squadron that operated the Grumman A-6 Intruder. The Main Battery's name was borrowed from naval gunnery tradition — the main battery was a warship's largest and most powerful guns, the weapons that decided naval battles. VA-196 adopted that name because the A-6 Intruder was the carrier air wing's main battery — its heaviest, most capable, and most versatile attack platform, able to deliver more ordnance on target in worse conditions than any other aircraft in the wing.
VA-196 flew the A-6 Intruder in combat during the Vietnam War and continued to serve through the post-Vietnam and Cold War eras. The squadron later transitioned and was eventually redesignated, with its lineage connected to VAQ-144. The Main Battery's A-6 crews mastered the all-weather attack mission, using the Intruder's advanced avionics to navigate and bomb through weather conditions that grounded every other tactical aircraft. The ability to fly and fight regardless of visibility, ceiling, or precipitation made VA-196 the commander's weapon of choice when the target absolutely had to be destroyed.
The Main Battery's legacy is among the proudest in A-6 Intruder history, and the squadron's name alone tells the story of its importance to the carrier air wing's combat capability.
Perfect For: VA-196 Main Battery veterans, A-6 Intruder community members, Vietnam-era naval aviators, all-weather attack aviation historians, and Navy heritage squadron patch collectors.
VA-196 Main Battery — the carrier air wing's biggest guns, delivering the heaviest ordnance through the worst weather to the hardest targets.
If you want to swap patches on/off gear, choose hook & loop (velcro). If you’re attaching permanently to uniforms or fabric, choose sew-on. If you want quick application on compatible fabric, choose iron-on / heat seal (when offered). Backing options are shown on the page and update based on the variant you select.
Size is shown on the product page and updates with the variant you select (example: 3"). If you’re mounting on a hat or small panel, choose smaller sizes; for plate carriers and display boards, larger sizes fit better.
If the product is officially licensed, it will say “Officially Licensed” in the title and/or in the product details. If it doesn’t, it’s still a legitimate product—just not part of a licensed program.
Yes. If you see a note like “bulk reruns available,” that means we can support group orders or reruns. If you don’t see it, contact us with the unit/squadron and quantity and we’ll confirm options.
Yes—custom solutions are available (patches, name tags, lanyards, apparel). Use the custom request page and include artwork, size, backing preference, and quantity.
