Original 1950s-1960s US Air Force 59th Fighter Interceptor Squadron Bat Wings Patch. Fully embroidered. Originally designed in 1952 by the wife of a 59th Supply Airman, this USAF 59th Fighter Interceptor Squadron Patch was playfully nicknamed "The Bat on the Moon". The patch features the Gaelic phrase "Freicudan Du", which translates to "Black Watch" or "Black Guard". While it never received official recognition by the Air Force, it was proudly worn as the squadron emblem during their time with the Goose Bay Northeast Air Command between 1952 and 1967. The squadron's F-94 aircraft even had a bat painted on both sides of the nose, between the gun ports and air intake duct. The squadron was inactivated in 1967. The 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron eventually merged with the 53rd Test and Management Group at Nellis AFB in Nevada, and now uses the classic Black Bat patch design as their Friday name tag, while currently using the Proud Fighting Lion symbol and patch. The last photo is for reference only and not included in this listing.
