PRobots sent me 100 Dark Blue Gillette Platinum Blades.

[Captain O]

His kindness will not be forgotten. He sent me a special "challenge coin" from my last duty station (USNAS Whidbey Island) with the Whidbey Island NAS symbol of the obverse and the Grumman A6 "Intruder" on the reverse side.

His gift stirred a patriotic cord that burns in the heart of every serviceman/woman as long as they live and love the Constitution they "swore to defend against all enemies, both foreign and domestic".

I salute you, PRobots!

 

[Vedak]

Very kind of him, thank you both for your service!

 

[Captain O]

Very kind of him, thank you both for your service!

Any serviceman/woman will tell you that "they were just doing their jobs". It does come from a deeply entrenched love for the United States and its Constitution. The bond between Soldiers/Sailors/Airmen/Marines never dies... until they do. Take my word for it, the "Oath Of Enlistment" lives on in the hearts of patriots forever.

I must confess, I was brought to tears (and prayer).

 

[Sweeney_]

A splendid gesture

@PRobots /salute

 

[Alum Ladd]

What are Challenge Coins?

Do remember that many B&B colleagues are not in the US, so a brief overview of the history of these coins for us non US brothers would be helpful.

 

[Captain O]

I have never used mine in the way they are intended. They are to be presented when servicemen/firefighters/peace officers encounter one another. This is to verify the fact that they served in that capacity without presenting papers or badges. They indicate the outfit, station, service group, etc.

It is a symbol of fraternity and brotherhood. In the Military/Peace Officers/Firefighters it is almost a "secret handshake".

It is frowned upon to misrepresent your service status and engage in "stolen valor". (Saying you were serving somewhere and performing some duty when you weren't).

A challenge coin is a small coin or medallion, bearing an organization's insignia or emblem and carried by the organization's members. Traditionally, they might be given to prove membership when challenged and to enhance morale. They are also collected by service members and law enforcement personnel. Historically, challenge coins were presented by unit commanders in recognition of special achievement by a member of the unit. They could also be exchanged in recognition of visits to an organization.[1]

Furthermore,

Origins[edit]​

There are several stories detailing the origins of the challenge coin. Many originate in popular culture based on current events.[4]

The Roman Empire rewarded soldiers by presenting them with coins to recognize their achievements.[5] In Rome, if soldiers excelled in battle one day, they would receive their typical day's wages along with a separate bonus coin each. According to some accounts, these bonus coins were specially minted, featuring the marks of the legions from which they came. As a result, some soldiers apparently kept their coins as mementos, instead of spending them on wine and women.[6]

Challenge coins were also known as "Portrait Medals" during the Renaissance, and were often used to commemorate specific events involving royalty, nobility, or other types of well-to-do individuals. The medals would be given as gifts or awards, and people also exchanged them with friends and associates. The most common format was for one side to depict the patron while the other showed something that represented that individual's family, house, lineage, and/or seal.[7]

The first instance of using a coin as a response to an actual challenge may come from the 17th century religious wars in France. Following King Louis XIV's 1685 revocation of the Edict of Nantes, French Protestants began to suffer persecution by the state for their illegal religion. Many Protestants fled France to find religious freedom elsewhere. Among those who chose to remain in France were some from a Protestant group known as Huguenots who were forced to conduct their religious services in secret. In order to avoid infiltration by state spies the Huguenots began to carry their méreau communion coin. When challenged while trying to gain entry to Protestant church services the Huguenot would produce his méreau coin as a token to show allegiance with the Protestant Church and be admitted entry.[8]

According to one story, challenge coins originated during World War I.[9][10] Before the entry of the United States into the war in 1917 American volunteers from all parts of the country filled the newly formed flying squadrons of the Army and Naval Air Service. Some were wealthy scions attending colleges such as Yale and Harvard who quit in mid-term to join the war.[11][12][13]

In one squadron, a wealthy lieutenant ordered medallions struck in solid bronze and presented them to his unit. One young pilot placed the medallion in a small leather pouch that he wore about his neck. Shortly after acquiring the medallion, the pilot's aircraft was severely damaged by ground fire. He was forced to land behind enemy lines and was immediately captured by a German patrol.[14] In order to discourage his escape, the Germans took all of his personal identification except for the small leather pouch around his neck. In the meantime, he was taken to a small French town near the front. Taking advantage of a bombardment that night, he escaped. However, he was without personal identification. He succeeded in avoiding German patrols by donning civilian attire and reached the front lines. With great difficulty, he crossed no-man's land. Eventually, he stumbled onto a French outpost. Saboteurs had plagued the French in the sector. They sometimes masqueraded as civilians and wore civilian clothes. Not recognizing the young pilot's American accent, the French thought him to be a saboteur and made ready to execute him. He had no identification to prove his allegiance, but he did have his leather pouch containing the medallion. He showed the medallion to his would-be executioners and one of his French captors recognized the squadron insignia on the medallion. They delayed his execution long enough for him to confirm his identity. Instead of shooting him they gave him a bottle of wine.[5][11][12][15][13]

Back at his squadron, it became tradition to ensure that all members carried their medallion or coin at all times.[5] This was accomplished through challenge in the following manner: a challenger would ask to see the medallion, if the challenged could not produce a medallion, they were required to buy a drink of choice for the member who challenged them. If the challenged member produced a medallion, then the challenging member was required to pay for the drink. This tradition continued throughout the war and for many years after the war while surviving members of the squadron were still alive.[12][15][13]

According to another story, challenge coins date back to World War II and were first used by Office of Strategic Service personnel who were deployed in Nazi held France. Similarly, Jim Harrington proposed a Jolly sixpence club amongst the junior officers of the 107th Infantry.[5] The coins were simply a local coin used as a "bona fides" during a personal meeting to help verify a person's identity. There would be specific aspects such as type of coin, date of the coin, etc. that were examined by each party. This helped prevent infiltration into the meeting by a spy who would have to have advance knowledge of the meeting time and place as well as what coin was to be presented, amongst other signals, as bona fides.

Others argue the tradition started in Vietnam, when an Army infantry-run bar tried to keep non-infantrymen away by forcing “outsiders” to buy drinks for the whole bar if they couldn't prove they had been in combat. The “proof” started with enemy bullets, then got a little out of control with grenades, rockets and unexploded ordnance. So a coin-sized item emblazoned with the unit's insignia became the accepted form of proof. This tradition, now known as a coin check, continues today, hence it being called a “challenge” coin.[16]

While a number of legends place the advent of challenge coins in the post-Korean Conflict era (some as late as the Vietnam War), or even later, Colonel William "Buffalo Bill" Quinn had coins made for those who served in his 17th Infantry Regiment during 1950 to 1958. The 17th Infantry Regiment "Buffalo" coin is the oldest challenge coin known in existence. On one side of the coin is a picture of a buffalo with the date 1812, which signified the year the unit was formed. On the other side was the 17th Infantry patch with the dates 1950 – 1958 and the word Korea to signify the tour. The cross and fort icon represent the units heritage which started in Cuba during the civil war. This coin is recognized as one of the oldest and most valuable challenge coins in circulation. Very few remain available and most are thought to be in private collections.[17]

Colonel Verne Green, commander of the 10th Special Forces Group-A, embraced the idea. He had a special coin struck with the unit's badge and motto in 1969. Until the 1980s, his unit was the only unit with an active challenge coin tradition.[18][19][20]

There is another story about an American soldier scheduled to rendezvous with Philippine guerrillas during WWII. As the story goes, he carried a Philippine solid silver coin that was stamped on one side with the unit insignia. The coin was used to verify, to the guerrillas, that the soldier was their valid contact for the mission against the Japanese.


Two coins issued by various units of the Belgian Air Component
The challenge coin tradition has spread to other military units, in all branches of service, and even to non-military organizations as well as the United States Congress, which produces challenge coins for members of Congress to give to constituents. Today, challenge coins are given to members upon joining an organization, as an award to improve morale, and sold to commemorate special occasions or as fundraisers. In the Air Force, military training instructors award an airman's coin to new enlisted personnel upon completion of their United States Air Force Basic Military Training and to new officers upon completion of the Air Force Officer Training School.[15][21]

 

[Alum Ladd]

I have never used mine in the way they are intended. They are to be presented when servicemen/firefighters/peace officers encounter one another. This is to verify the fact that they served in that capacity without presenting papers or badges. They indicate the outfit, station, service group, etc.

It is a symbol of fraternity and brotherhood. In the Military/Peace Officers/Firefighters it is almost a "secret handshake".

It is frowned upon to misrepresent your service status and engage in "stolen valor". (Saying you were serving somewhere and performing some duty when you weren't).

As in an infantry 'challenge'?

An example would be the password of the day. In the British Army it would be "Halt! Who goes there? Biscuits Brown! Advance Biscuits Brown and be recognised!" If they don't respond to the password correctly, they get sprayed.

Is it a version of that?

 

[Captain O]

As in an infantry 'challenge'?

An example would be the password of the day. In the British Army it would be "Halt! Who goes there? Biscuits Brown! Advance Biscuits Brown and be recognised!" If they don't respond to the password correctly, they get sprayed.

Is it a version of that?

Something like that. In the Navy, we had ID cards that were almost impossible to forge. Passwords for sensitive areas, etc.

Challenge coins are for more informal settings. Our military Form DD214 (discharge papers) are a part of our lives for as long as we live.

 

[Alum Ladd]

Something like that. In the Navy, we had ID cards that were almost impossible to forge. Passwords for sensitive areas, etc.

Challenge coins are for more informal settings. Our military Form DD214 (discharge papers) are a part of our lives for as long as we live.

Very good. I appreciate the clear explanation there and especially the very detailed history upthread.

Thanks!

 

[Captain O]

Very good. I appreciate the clear explanation there and especially the very detailed history upthread.

Thanks!

Military members of the Free World generally look upon each other as "brothers/sisters from another mother". We share a bond by the "blood oath" we took upon our enlistment. Most of us proudly carry this "tattooed on our hearts" as long as they beat.

To us, it is truly sacred.

 

[Fiddler]

Platinums are wonderful blades...enjoy.
Let us know your thoughts on them

 

[Captain O]

This is a Marine version of the EA6B "Prowler"

These were more resistant to enemy fire than many other aircraft of their kind. The Turbojet engines were quite accessible and had an extremely long service life (Pratt and Whitney built them to last. The Navy and Marines loved them).

When the engines aren't breaking down all the time, you can focus on your mission, instead of your maintenance.