USAF / 21st SOS / MH-53J / Jolly Green Giant

The 21st Special Operations Squadron holds the unique position of being the only Special Ops unit to have the Jolly Green Giant on their patch, even if it was for a couple of weeks!

21st Special Operations Squadron

RAF Woodbridge

Full Colour

1988

The 67th SOS originally operated the HH-53 & the HC-130, but in 1988 it split its mission into a HC-130 unit, which remained as the 67th ARRS and the 21st SOS, which was formed as a MH-53J unit at RAF Woodbridge in England. The split took place on the 1 May 1988, with the 21st using this patch, as its first design. They used the Jolly Green Giant on the patch as they thought they'd be performing a similar mission that had been carried out in SEA, however they were purely a special operations unit. 

The design was only used by the Squadron for one month until the design changed & was not made in very large numbers, so makes quite difficult to find. The 21st had previously flown CH-53's in Vietnam, and would fly the MH-53 at RAF Woodbridge, Alconbury & Mildenhall before they were retired in October 2007. The patch is the only Special Operations Squadron Jolly Green Giant shield that I've seen, as no other SOS unit have used the Giant in their design.

The patch is partially embroidered on twill with a schiffli cut edge, backed with hook & loop with the giant in Dexter.

21st Special Operations Squadron

RAF Woodbridge

1988

This is the patch that was selected after the Jolly Green Giant shield (above). Again, this didn't last long (weeks again!) before being changed for their traditional Dust Devil patch. You can still see the Jolly Green Giant in the patch as the face of the Jack of spades was changed to a Green Giant. Again a very difficult patch to find as they were used for such a short period of time in 1988.

The first MH-53's arrived at RAF Woodbridge by C-5A Galaxy, and a bit of brute force. Here a Pave Low is moved so it can be assembled after its flight from the United States.

(USAF Photo/SSgt. David Nolan)

If you have any additional information about this patch or anything to add, for example, photos or stories, please contact me at

usafjollygreen@gmail.com 

I will get back to you.

Thanks👣