Pop-A-Smoke Iraq Patch VSF-1 HMM-263 "Thunder Eagles" was a

HMM-263 "Thunder Eagles" was a Marine medium helicopter squadron operating the CH-46E Sea Knight out of MCAS New River

flying HUS-1 Seahorses and later CH-46 Sea Knights across decades of combat and peacetime operations

providing the CH-53E capability for III Marine Expeditionary Force operations across the Indo-Pacific theater

and USMC legacy patch collectors

and USN training squadron patch collectors

Pop-A-Smoke Iraq Patch VSF-1 HMM-263 "Thunder Eagles" was aPop a Smoke Iraq Patch Marine Helicopter Association Operation Iraqi Freedom Embroidered Patch Pop A Smoke Iraq honoring Marine rotary wing veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This Pop A Smoke patch honors the Marine helicopter community's service throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom. From the initial invasion in 2003 through years of counterinsurgency operations, Marine rotary wing aircrew flew every mission type in the Iraqi theater assault