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HS-4 Black Knights Squadron Patch - Embroidered Insignia, Iron-On
Aviators! Are you looking for a high-quality patch you\'ll proudly wear or display? Look no further than the HS-4 Black Knights Squadron Patch !
- 4\" patch
- Embroidered
- US Naval Aviator Owned Business
- Sew On
Product Description
Honor one of Naval Aviation\'s most storied helicopter squadrons with this classic HS-4 \"Black Knights\" patch. Crafted in traditional embroidery and finished with a heat-activated iron-on backing , this insignia is ideal for jackets, bags, patch boards, and aviation heritage displays.
Squadron History - The Black Knights By USN - U.S. Navy Naval Aviation News February 1972 [1], Public Domain,
Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Four (HSC-4), the \"Black Knights,\" traces its origins to 30 June 1952 when it was established as Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Four (HS-4) at Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Imperial Beach. Flying the Sikorsky HO3S-1, HS-4 became the first U.S. Navy ASW helicopter squadron to deploy aboard an aircraft carrier. Through the 1950s the squadron transitioned to the HSS-1 and later the HSS-1N Seabat, gaining night and all-weather capability and earning a reputation for around-the-clock anti-submarine warfare excellence.
During the 1960s HS-4 deployed extensively to the Western Pacific aboard USS Yorktown . Transitioning to the SH-3 Sea King, the squadron entered combat operations in Vietnam, rescuing 24 downed airmen under hostile fire during a single deployment. The Black Knights also achieved international recognition for their role in NASA\'s Apollo space program, recovering Apollo missions 8, 10, 11, 12, and 13—most famously with \"Helicopter 66.\" For these efforts, HS-4 earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation.
From the 1970s through the Cold War era, HS-4 deployed aboard multiple carriers including USS Ranger , USS Kitty Hawk , and USS Carl Vinson , earning numerous Battle \"E,\" safety, and maintenance awards. In 1991, the squadron transitioned to the SH-60F and HH-60H Seahawk, supporting Operations Restore Hope, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom, conducting combat search and rescue and special operations support missions.
In 2012, HS-4 was redesignated Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Four (HSC-4) and transitioned to the MH-60S Seahawk. Now based at Naval Air Station North Island and assigned to Carrier Air Wing Two aboard USS Carl Vinson , the Black Knights continue their legacy of rotary-wing excellence, global deployment, and operational readiness spanning more than seven decades of naval aviation history.
