Officially Licensed US Navy HS-4 Black Knights Squadron Sticker — From Apollo Recoveries to Combat Operations

Because the Black Knights literally picked up astronauts from the ocean and then went right back to hunting submarines.

HS-4, the Black Knights, was established on June 30, 1952, at NAS Imperial Beach, California, and became the first anti-submarine warfare helicopter squadron in the Navy to deploy aboard an aircraft carrier. The Black Knights earned their name in 1961 by achieving the first around-the-clock ASW capability in the Pacific Fleet. But their most famous chapter came from 1968-1970, when HS-4 and the legendary "Helicopter 66" pioneered techniques for Apollo capsule recoveries — plucking astronauts from Apollo missions 8, 10, 11, 12, and 13 out of the Pacific Ocean. They supported Operation Iraqi Freedom alongside Navy SEALs, British Commandos, and Polish GROM forces, and participated in Operation Tomodachi after Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami. Now redesignated as HSC-4 flying MH-60S Seahawks, the Black Knights' legacy lives on. This sticker honors the HS-4 era and one of the most storied helicopter squadrons in naval history.

Perfect For: HS-4/HSC-4 Black Knights aircrew and veterans, Apollo program enthusiasts, ASW helicopter community members, and anyone who knows Helicopter 66 by name.

Black Knights. From the moon to the fleet.