Based at Geiger Field, WA, in the mid-1950’s, the 9th Air Division controlled the fighter interceptor squadrons of Larson AFB, WA that guarded the skies of Eastern Washington & Oregon, and all of Idaho. They were also in charge of the various radar squadrons in the region.

Of note on this big patch is the Ground Observer Corps watchtower superimposed over the radome. Even in the mid-1950’s, the radar coverage of North America had gaps that still required eyes, and not electronics.

From my closet. L-1B flightsuit with 85th FIS patch. The same type baseball cap is worn by the pilots in photo #1.

Based at Van Nuys California, the 195th flew various models of the F-86 Sabre from 1953-61. Sometimes you’ll see this patch with the pilot’s name on a bottom tab, sometimes you won’t. Either way, it’s not a common patch.

Story goes that in the late 50’s the new sport of scuba diving was so popular in the 146th that they formed a club and took to calling themselves the “Flying Frogmen.”

The title “Ftr/Recon” refers to the fact the 432nd had more fighter squadrons than they did reconnaissance. Udorn Air Base, Thailand.

The most obvious difference between the F-4E and its predecessors was the gun in the nose that radically altered the front end of the Phantom. It is only fitting that when the 469th TFS got the E model they designed a patch that illustrated that they were now armed to the teeth.

Early 1950’s patch when the 514th flew the F-84 Thunderjet & F-86 Sabre at RAF Manston.

With its ray gun-toting martian/spaceman receiving earthly transmissions via his magical emerald helmet all while zooming through the heavens on his zippy jet, this patch is total 1950’s. The 147th flew F-84 Thunderstreaks when this patch was worn. The unit lost their air defense role in 1961, and with it, this fantastic patch.

 The “Martian” is a character known as “Ovacron”, the creation of a Pittsburgh disc jockey in the 1950’s. Given that the 147th was based at Pittsburgh AP, the pieces start falling in place. This info also dovetails with my thoughts: it looks like a cartoon character, and not just something thrown together in the squadron.

Jim Van Scyoc (pronounced “sock”) was to achieve unsought notoriety when, in 1961, while flying F-100’s in the New Mexico Air Guard, he accidentally shot down a B-52 while on a practice intercept. That tragic story is all over the internet, and Van Scyoc was not to blame; an electronic glitch was the culprit. Given the circumstances, it is unfortunate that this aerial “victory” represents the only air-to-air “kill” for an F-100. Suchlike, that has been the only B-52 air-to-air shootdown. In Vietnam, it was all SAM’s.

The 336th patch dates from earlier days when Van Scyoc flew F-86’s in Korea.

These patches represent the era when the 331st flew the F-102, and then the F-104.

Stationed in the less than salubrious clime of Libya, the 431st buzzed the North African skies in the mighty F-86 Sabre. 51-13168 was an F model in this squadron. Humorous anecdote: A day or so after I got this patch, I came home to find it in the mouth of my dog who was busily gnawing away. Luckily, he had only succeeded in getting it soaking wet with dog slobber – no holes or damage. Nonetheless, I aged ten years on the spot.

Massive patch; belonged to an F-102 pilot of the 509th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 405th Fighter Wing.

In 1962, the term “Fighter Wing” was rather unusual; that was the age of “Fighter Interceptor” and “Tactical Fighter” Wings (squadrons, groups, etc.) that oversaw a particular fighter with a particular mission. However, the 405th at Clark Air Base was somewhat different in that it oversaw both interceptor and tactical fighters (along with a host of other aircraft) and the generic name of the Wing reflected that fact.