Aviano Air Base, Italy, becomes the most recent base to publish a story on the military tradition of “challenge coins.”

The true history of the challenge coin dates back to World War I, when an American pilot was shot down and captured in Germany.

While escaping from the grasp of the Germans, the pilot made his way to France, where they believed he was a spy and sentenced him to be executed. To prove his identity and save his life, he revealed a bronze medallion with his flying squadron’s emblem, confirming that he was an American pilot. The French spared his life and celebrated by giving him a bottle of wine instead.

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