Description

U S NAVAL AVIATOR 'WINGS' Challenge Coin. This is a great looking US NAVAL AVIATOR challenge coin. It has a great looking raised lettering Navy Aviation Wings on the front. Coin has reeded edges and is about 1 9/16" in diameter. Coin is contained in an acrylic air tight holder. A Naval Aviator is a commissioned officer or warrant officer qualified as a pilot in the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps or United States Coast Guard. Until 1981, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps also had a small number of senior enlisted personnel trained as pilots. Such individuals were referred to as naval aviation pilots, colloquially "NAPs" or "APs." The since retired NAPs also continue to have a professional organization known as the Silver Eagles, which remains informally aligned with other naval aviation professional organizations such as the Association of Naval Aviation, the Tailhook Association, the Maritime Patrol Association, and the Naval Helicopter Pilot Association, among others. The naval aviation pilot wings worn by NAPs were identical in design to the naval aviator insignia worn by commissioned officers. The Silver Eagle title was a reflection that the rating badge on their uniform had a silver eagle.