USMC d VMFA 115 Fighter Squadron Patch FA 18 Hornet US Marine Corps Aviation

US Marine Corps Aviation Marine Fighter Attack Squadron VMFA 115 Patch 1986 FA 18 Hornet Silver Eagles Asian made Embroidered on twill cut edge 104mm by 84mm four and one sixteenth inches by three and one quarter inches.

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Marine Fighter Squadron VMF 115 Able Eagles reequipped with F4D 1 Skyrays in the spring of 1957 and was redesignated Marine Fighter Squadron All Weather VMF AW 115 and deployed to MCAF Mojave for the next six months for testing and then to MCAS Cherry Point. From 19 April to 27 August 1962 the squadron was deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Independence CVA 62 as part of Carrier Air Group Seven CVG 7 to the Mediterranean Sea and located to Guantanamo Bay Cuba in support of the Cuban Crisis from October 1962 to February 1963.

The Squadron reequipped with F 4 B Phantom II fighters and was redesignated Marine Fighter Squadron Attack VMFA 115. The Able Eagles deployed to Da Nang Republic of Vietnam on 14 October 1965 and during the Vietnam War VMFA 115 flew more than 34000 combat sorties providing close air support for Marines during such battles as the Tet Offensive Battle of Hue Battle of Khe Sahn and Task Force Delta. In March 1971 VMFA 115 relocated to Iwakuni Japan and in April 1972 moved to Royal Thai Air Base Nam Phong Thailand contining air to ground sorties in addition to playing a key fighter role in Operation Linebacker missions over North Vietnam.

In July 1977 VMFA 115 relocated to MCAS Beaufort South Carolina and in October 1980 joined Carrier Air Wing 17 CVW 17 aboard the USS Forrestal CVA 59 participating in Cold War missions such as intercepting and escorting various Soviet aircraft.

After flying F 4 Phantoms for more than 20 years VMFA 115 transitioned to FA 18 A Hornet aircraft on 1 January 1985 and was officially stood up on 16 August 1985. In 1986 the Squadron was officially renamed Silver Eagles.

In July 1987 VMFA 115 deployed MCAS Iwakuni Japan to participate in the Unit Deployment Program UDP. In 1989 VMFA 115 returned to the Philippines and supported government forces during a coup attempt flying armed combat air patrol and escort missions helping to stabilize the situation. Between 1991 and 2000 the Silver Eagles conducted numerous six month deployments in support of the 1 Marine Aircraft Wing as part of the Western Pacific Unit Deployment Program UDP.

This patch dates from 1986.