USMC VMO-4 Evil Eyes Patch — Embroidered Patch Evil Eyes — Marine Observation Squadron 4 From the black volcanic sands of Iwo Jima to the skies over Desert Storm, VMO-4 "Evil Eyes" spent half a century as the Marine Corps' eyes in the sky — spotting artillery, directing naval gunfire, and providing the tactical reconnaissance that ground Marines needed to close with and destroy the enemy. This patch carries the identity of a squadron that was among the first aircraft to land on Iwo Jima's newly captured airstrip. VMO-4 was activated on December 20, 1943, at Marine Corps Air Station Quantico, Virginia, as Artillery Spotting Division (VMO-951). Assigned to support V Amphibious Corps, the squadron flew OY-1 Grasshoppers in combat during the Battle of Saipan in June 1944, conducting 400 sorties across Saipan and Tinian. During the Battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945, two VMO-4 aircraft were the first to land on the captured airstrip — under heavy small arms and mortar fire — providing immediate artillery spotting that saved countless Marine lives. Reactivated in 1962, the squadron flew SH-34 helicopters and later OV-10 Broncos until deactivation in 1994. The Evil Eyes lineage was continued by VMU-4, the Marine Corps' first reserve UAV squadron. Perfect For: VMO-4 veterans, Marine observation and reconnaissance aviators, Iwo Jima and Saipan veterans, OV-10 Bronco enthusiasts, and Marine aviation history collectors. First to land, last to leave — VMO-4 Evil Eyes.
