HSC-9 Fuses Naval Tradition and Modern Trends on Ceremonial Aircraft
18 July 2024
NORFOLK, Va. -- Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9 has fused naval tradition and modern trends with a personalized touch by painting their ceremonial squadron aircraft, an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, and adding a new twist to National Tattoo Day observed annually on July 17.
HSC-9's Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Robert W. Knoerzer, provided an inside look on the creation of their updated ceremonial aircraft that features historical and more current tattoos on aircraft 610.
“The idea started from, Chief Aviation Structural Mechanic Timothy Drexler, who has an affinity for tattoo art and passion for naval traditions, gathered images of tattoos that represented naval traditions and blended them to symbolize a melding between heritage and the junior Sailors,” Knoerzer said.
Knoerzer added that many of the tattoos were chosen to represent various deployments around the world. “This aircraft has become our mascot to represent HSC-9 and our Sailors, past and present.”
With good energy and a meaningful message to present, two weeks of combined effort has quickly passed and shown fruit with the hard work by the squadron to prepare the aircraft for future ceremonies, and other events. HSC-9 participated in Fleet Week New York in May 2024 and displayed aircraft 610 at various Naval Aviation events.
“From hand drawing, precision cutting each layer, and finally laying the paint down to actualize their inspiration, the amount of effort and thought that went behind drafting a design the combined so many traditional Sailor tattoos into a unified idea is nothing less than amazing,” Knoerzer said.
Drexler discussed the inspiration for this project that has served to change the command culture at HSC-9.
“With my 23 years of active-duty naval service coming to a close, it was an absolute honor to be chosen by my commanding officer and given the opportunity to leave one lasting mark of my personal passion and increase the knowledge of heritage for the command and Navy. Though tattoos don’t win wars, they do tell the stories. They enhance our history and are a major part of the bond shared between many Sailors, past and present. These stories and traditions make up our history and are the foundation on which our Navy has become the greatest in the world," Drexler said.
Drexler researched current and historical tattoos and was responsible for researching a collection of traditional navy-related tattoos, which were created drawn by hand.
“This has become a celebration of traditional Navy history while at the same time connecting it with the younger culture,” Knoerzer said. “The younger generation of Sailors are really into tattoos right now, so it’s a celebration of tradition of Navy history with our junior Sailors, and also our squadron mascot.”
The tattoos that were selected for the aircraft were chosen from tattoos that were emblematic of naval tradition and deployments around the world.