{"product_id":"officially-licensed-usmc-vmo-4-evil-eyes-patch","title":"Officially Licensed USMC VMO-4 Evil Eyes Patch","description":"\u003cp\u003eUSMC VMO-4 Evil Eyes Patch — Embroidered Patch\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvil Eyes — Marine Observation Squadron 4\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the black volcanic sands of Iwo Jima to the skies over Desert Storm, VMO-4 \"Evil Eyes\" spent half a century as the Marine Corps' eyes in the sky — spotting artillery, directing naval gunfire, and providing the tactical reconnaissance that ground Marines needed to close with and destroy the enemy. This patch carries the identity of a squadron that was among the first aircraft to land on Iwo Jima's newly captured airstrip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eVMO-4 was activated on December 20, 1943, at Marine Corps Air Station Quantico, Virginia, as Artillery Spotting Division (VMO-951). Assigned to support V Amphibious Corps, the squadron flew OY-1 Grasshoppers in combat during the Battle of Saipan in June 1944, conducting 400 sorties across Saipan and Tinian. During the Battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945, two VMO-4 aircraft were the first to land on the captured airstrip — under heavy small arms and mortar fire — providing immediate artillery spotting that saved countless Marine lives. Reactivated in 1962, the squadron flew SH-34 helicopters and later OV-10 Broncos until deactivation in 1994. The Evil Eyes lineage was continued by VMU-4, the Marine Corps' first reserve UAV squadron.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePerfect For: VMO-4 veterans, Marine observation and reconnaissance aviators, Iwo Jima and Saipan veterans, OV-10 Bronco enthusiasts, and Marine aviation history collectors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFirst to land, last to leave — VMO-4 Evil Eyes.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"USMCinsignia.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67997916004631,"sku":"foq1793006502874","price":7.32,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0932\/8479\/4647\/files\/officially-licensed-usmc-vmo-4-evil-eyes-patch_1.jpg?v=1793006511","url":"https:\/\/riverlyn.shop\/products\/officially-licensed-usmc-vmo-4-evil-eyes-patch","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}