RAAF Patch Sqn Royal Australian Air Force b 77 Squadron Hornet

RAAF Patch 77 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force FA 18 Hornet Patch late 1980s Velcro RAAF Base Williamstown Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 91mm three and one half inches diameter.

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Badge  Oriental temple lion. The lion represents a defender of peace when disturbed is swift to destroy. Nicknamed Grumpy Monkey the badge reflects the Squadrons Korean War service. 

Motto  Swift to Destroy  

After WWII combat service 77 Squadron reequipped with P 51 Mustang fighters in September 1945 and deployed to Bofu AB Japan a former kamikaze base on 21 March 1946 under 81 Wing as part of the BCOF British Commonwealth Occupation Force with 481 Maintenance Squadron providing technical service for the Mustangs. 81 Wing and 481 Maintenance Squadron disbanded in November 1948 leaving 77 Squadron as the last RAAF Squadron in Japan assigned to newly formed RAAF Component. The Squadron was strengthened and became the largest operational unit in the RAAF with forty Mustangs three CAC Wirraways together with two C 47 Dakotas and two Austers as 77 Squadron Communications Flight. 

At the outbreak of the Korean War the Squadron joined United Nations forces supporting South Korea to provide service to operations in Korea flying its initial escort and patrol sorties from Iwakuni on 2 July 1950 becoming the first non American UN unit to commence operations. The Squadron concentrated on ground attack missions in support of Army troops during the retreat south rearming and refuelling at Taegu Pusan and suffered a number of losses. 77 Squadron relocated from Iwakuni to Pohang South Korea on 12 October 1950 to support UN forces advancing northwards following the Inchon landings and was assigned to the newly formed 91 Composite Wing on 20 October 1950 joining 391 Base Squadron 491 Maintenance Squadron and 77 Squadron Communications Flight renamed as 30 Communications Flight. With the Chines entering the war in October 1950 Mig 15 jet fighters appeared in the air battles outperforming the Mustangs. 77 Squadron flew its last Mustang mission on 6 April 1951 and returned to Iwakuni to convert to Meteor jet fighters returning to Kimpo South Korea commencing operations on 29 July 1951 with the primary task of fighter interception conducting offensive sweeps up the Yalu River with USAF Sabres, and escorted Boeing B 29 Superfortresses on bombing missions. 77 Squadron lost a Meteors were outclassed and a number were lost in clashes with Mig 15s during August 1951 and the Squadron was moved out of air to air combat role in MiG Alley to provide escort duty and local air defence and in December 1951 ground attack. Although Meteor losses against Mig 15s were high the squadron was credited with shooting down five Mig 15s. Following the armistice on 27 July 1952 the Squadron remained initially at Kimpo the Kusan before moving to Iwakuni on 12 October 1954 and then to Sydney on 3 December 1954.  

77 Squadron became operational at RAAF Williamtown on 4 January 1955 and was assigned to 78 Wing on 21 March 1955 joining 3 and 75 Squadrons. 77 Squadron ceased Meteor operations in August 1956 and reformed on 19 November 1956 equipped with Sabres and deployed to RAAF Butterworth Malaya at the end of 1958 to support Commonwealth forces in the Emergency. 478 Maintenance Squadron provided servicing for the aircraft. The Squadron carried out ground attack missions before the Emergency was declared officially over on 31 July 1960. 77 Squadron remained at RAAF Butterworth as part of the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve and detached eight Sabres to Ubon Thialand in May 1962 to reform 79 Squadron and continued regular rotations to 79 while continuing to provide regional air defence during the confrontation between Malaysia and Indonesia until August 1966. 78 Wing was disbanded in November 1967 leaving 77 Squadron at RAAF Butterworth. 

77 Squadron returned to RAAF Williamtown in early 1969 to convert to Mirage III fighters for ground attack missions with 481 Maintenance Squadron responsible for servicing and received laser guided bombs in October 1980. 77 Squadron absorbed the Mirages and MB-326s of  2 Operational Conversion Unit on 1 January 1985 assuming responsibility Mirage training course r fighter combat instructor, introductory fighter, and Mirage conversion courses.

77 Squadron began phasing out the Mirage in July 1986 and was assigned to the newly formed 81 Wing in February 1987 and received its first FA 18 Hornet on 29 June 1987. 481 Maintenance Wing was responsible for Hornet servicing and was redesignated 402 Wing in July 1996 before servicing was transferred back to the flying Squadrons in July 1998. 77 Squadron formed a detachment to operate Pilatus PC 9 aircraft in 2000 for forward air control FAC. 77 Squadron were deployed four Hornets in November 2001 to protect the USAF base at Diego Garcia during the early phase of the war in Afghanistan returning in February 2002. The FAC Detachment was disbanded in 2003 when the Forward Air Control Development Unit undertook the tasking. The Squadron is currently to receive F 35 Lightning II fighters expected in 2018 to replace its Hornets. 

This patch dates from the late 1980s.