Comment

Comment by Arwen on September 27, 2009 at 5:58pm

I never heard of challenge coins when I was in (late 80s.early 90s) , but I did hear of them in other services, especially the Army and Marines. I started hearing about Navy challenge coins in the mid-90s, from friends who were still in.

My grandfather, who served in WWII in the Army and traveled on Navy ships to the Philippines, never heard of challenge coins. My step-dad and other Vietnam vets I know are also unfamiliar with them.

I think it's a relatively new tradition playing at being an old one, with multiple (and contradictory!) fictional back-stories created to support it.

Comment by Anti M on September 26, 2009 at 6:23pm

That's the same story posted in the thread. Look, if such things were common, why don't we vets know of them? My grandfather was a purple heart WWI marine, yet in his box of medals, no coin. My dad, who served in three wars, has never heard of them. Neither has anyone I know until the story got passed around via email. I have a researcher's heart as a history major, I cannot find ANY firsthand proof other than that story; not one primary record or account. I was trained in the methodology of historical research, and this legend fits none of the criteria for historical fact.

I'm asking ... who here, who has served, had one of those coins? When? I am trying to establish a firsthand accounting of the use of the coin by actual veterans.

Someone is making a ton of money off those coins, and I don't like the way they're being given a backstory which does not stand up. Were this real, it would be simple to verify WHICH squadron. Names would be attached. The story has nice details, but nothing of substance.

Comment by Anti M on September 26, 2009 at 11:02am

oops, hubby was Desert Shield.

Comment by Anti M on September 26, 2009 at 10:55am

yeah, hubby was Desert Storm and was in the Persian Gulf. with all his NAMs, you'd think he'd have had a coin or two, huh?

This is the discussion:

http://www.navyformoms.com/forum/topics/custom-of-producing-the-coin

Never try to tell "history" to a history major.

Comment by Anti M on September 26, 2009 at 10:30am

Okay vets, this is driving me crazy... the challenge coins. I KNOW this is a new phenomena, but I've seen posts saying they are an old tradition. They're not, my dad hasn't heard of them and he's a three war vet. My hubby did 20 years and has never heard of them until they showed up on NCIS. Have any of you experienced the coin challenge and of so, when? I'm trying to find when they became popular. After 1997 for sure.

Comment by Anti M on July 29, 2009 at 9:41pm

Lynn... I went through Orlando too. If you have the url for that site, I'd love to look at it. If not, I can google.

Comment by Anti M on July 24, 2009 at 11:56am

When are you going? I'd be there in an instant.

Comment by Anna on July 12, 2009 at 8:19pm

Carolyn,
I went in in 1972 and was assigned YN on the job training - not many women went to schools out of bootcamp. I was assigned to San Diego to a facility that controlled all aircraft and ships off the coast of CA. I was the second female to make OS3, the first girl made it 3 months before me!!

Comment by Anna on July 11, 2009 at 10:05pm

Carolyn,
Welcome - I am a former OS also. When and where did you serve?
I have a son and a daughter serving.
Anna

Comment by Anti M on June 1, 2009 at 9:02am

Something like that. Although these days, pizza has traveled the world. My favorite in Japan had corn and squid on it. My least favorite had potato salad and mayonnaise.

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