Released on = January 18, 2006, 3:42 am

Press Release Author = USMC Challenge Coin

Industry = Government

Press Release Summary = As the legend goes, one such Ivy Leaguer, a wealthy
lieutenant, ordered small, solid-bronze medallions (or coins) struck, which he then
presented to the other pilots in his squadron as mementos of their service together.
The coin was gold-plated, bore the squadron's insignia, and was quite valuable. One
of the pilots in the squadron, who had never owned anything like the coin, placed it
in a leather pouch he wore around his neck for safekeeping.

Press Release Body = Air warfare was a new phenomenon during World War I, when the
army created flying squadrons and manned them with volunteer pilots from every walk
of civilian life.

As the legend goes, one Ivy Leaguer, a wealthy lieutenant, ordered small,
solid-bronze medallions (or coins) struck, which he then presented to the other
pilots in his squadron as mementos of their service together. The coin was
gold-plated, bore the squadron\'s insignia, and was quite valuable. One of the pilots
in the squadron, who had never owned anything like the coin, placed it in a leather
pouch he wore around his neck for safekeeping.

A short while later, this pilot\'s aircraft was heavily damaged by ground fire (other
sources claim it was an aerial dog fight), forcing him to land behind enemy lines
and allowing him to be captured by the Germans. The Germans confiscated the personal
belongings from his pockets, but they didn\'t catch the leather pouch around his
neck. On his way to a permanent prisoner of war facility, he was held overnight in a
small German-held French village near the front. During the night, the town was
bombarded by the British, creating enough confusion to allow the pilot to escape.

The pilot avoided German patrols by donning civilian attire, but all of his
identification had been confiscated so he had no way to prove his identity. With
great difficulty, he sneaked across no-man\'s land and made contact with a French
patrol. Unfortunately for him, the French had been on the lookout for German
saboteurs dressed as civilians. The French mistook the American pilot for a German
saboteur and immediately prepared to execute him. Desperate to prove his allegiance
and without any identification, the pilot pulled out the coin from his leather pouch
and showed it to his French captors. One of the Frenchmen recognized the unit
insignia on the coin and delayed the execution long enough to confirm the pilot\'s
identity.

Once the pilot safely returned to his squadron, it became a tradition for all
members to carry their coin at all times. To ensure compliance, the pilots would
challenge each other to produce the coin. If the challenged couldn\'t produce the
coin, he was required to buy a drink of choice for the challenger; if the challenged
could produce the coin, the challenger would purchase the drink.

This tradition spread to other flying squadrons and, eventually, to other military
units in all branches of service and even to non military organizations. 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.


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