"Nightriders"
1960
The patch is a light blue circle bordered in red,
superimposed on a black and white equilateral triangle. A large
black unicorn with a white mane, red horn and green eye is
within the circle. A green Arabic numeral "18" highlighted in
red sits to the unicorn’s left. A red rook is below the numeral
and "ATTENDEZ LES ETALONS" is emblazoned in green across the
bottom half of the circle. A large white cumulus cloud
stretching across the horizon is located above the line.
The unicorn symbolizes strength, endurance and matchless
spirit. The rook represents the academy as a fortress of
knowledge. The three points on the triangle signify the three
aspects of academy life: Military, academic, and athletic. The
clouds show the military and aerospace careers open to graduates
of the academy. "Watch for the stallions" is the English
translation of the French "ATTENDEZ LES ETALONS."
This is the original squadron patch.
Information gathered for the page from
"Squadron Insignia of the United States Air Force Academy" by P.
Michael Sheridan, Library of Congress Catalog Number: 90-62369
