Description
The Bloody Hundredth Challenge Coin
The Quality and Craftsmanship of the Challenge Coin features:
- Die struck raised metal surfaces on front and back sides
- High polished silver plating
- 8 Color enamel fills with silkscreen B-17 to highlight details
- Large 2 inch diameter
- Enclosed in a thick vinyl packet
COIN’S FRONT:
At its center, the front of the coin displays a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 100th Bomb Group with the Square D in a white enamel fill painted on its tail. The B-17 is on a mission flying in cloud cover with bomb bay doors open as it drops its bomb load on the target. THE BLOODY HUNDREDTH with the legendary Square D are shown as raised features above and below the B-17.
The outer rim of the coin shows raised text and bombs with silver plating and a black enamel filled background illustrating statistics of the 100th Bomb Group: “100TH BOMB GROUP (HEAVY)” “757 KIA-MIA” “928 POW” “306 MISSIONS” “1943-45”
COIN'S BACK:
At its center, the reverse side of the coin features a blue pennant. This is modeled on the United States Army Air Forces official military unit flag (called a "guidon") of the 100th Bomb Group during World War II. The "100 BG" guidon is flanked by two blue streamers signifying the pair of Presidential Unit Citations awarded to the 100th Bomb Group for its mission of 17 August 1943 over Regensburg, Germany, and for the pivotal missions of 4, 6 & 8 March 1944 over Berlin. Next to the guidon is another streamer signifying the unit being awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for its collective actions from 25 June - 31 December 1944 in defense and support of France.
The outer rim of the coin has as its background the pattern of the European-Middle Eastern-African Campaign Medal (the so-called "ETO Ribbon" or "Spam Ribbon") with bronze battle stars denoting the six major actions during the war in which the 100th BG saw combat: the Air Offensive, Europe (4 July 1942 - 5 June 1944); Normandy (6 June - 24 July 1944); Northern France (25 July - 14 September 1944); Rhineland (15 September 1944 - 21 March 1945); Ardennes-Alsace (16 December 1944 - 25 January 1945); and Central Europe (22 March - 11 May 1945). Each of these campaigns in which the unit participated had a corresponding streamer attached to the guidon.
Military guidons play a central role in a unit's life and identity. They are carried by color guards during parades and are displayed at public events. They are used symbolically during change-of-command ceremonies when a new commanding officer takes possession of a guidon to physically signify taking over the responsibilities of leading the unit. The streamers attached to the guidon document a unit's history, its actions, and its legacy that is being inherited and cared for by its commander.
