Official VAW-123 Big Proppa Patch — The Notorious Hawkeye Biggie had bars. The Screwtops have radar. VAW-123 "Screwtops" is a Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron based at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, flying the E-2 Hawkeye. Commissioned on April 1, 1967 — making them one of the oldest VAW squadrons in the U.S. Navy — the Screwtops have been the eyes and ears of carrier strike groups for nearly six decades. VAW-123 deployed with CVW-1 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt just eight days after 9/11 and spent 160 days at sea conducting combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, breaking the record for the longest period underway since World War II. The squadron was the only E-2 unit to operate in both the Red Sea and Persian Gulf during Desert Storm, and most recently played a pivotal role aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower conducting strikes against Houthi targets in the Red Sea. This "Big Proppa" morale patch is a tip of the hat to the Hawkeye's iconic four-blade props and the Screwtops' larger-than-life attitude. Perfect For: VAW-123 Screwtops aircrew and maintainers, E-2 Hawkeye community members, Naval Station Norfolk squadrons, carrier air wing veterans, and anyone who knows the biggest presence in the sky spins on top of the Hawkeye. Big Proppa — throwing props where it counts.
