CoinPix

My collection of Challenge Coins is made up of several groups. They are Medal of Honor, those related to my late father, those related to my youngest daughter and son-in-law, those related to me, and finally personalized coins of other military notables.

The first group of pictures below are my Medal of Honor coins. While all are treasured, the one from James Taylor is my favorite because James took the time to hand-engrave the coin dedicated to me. While most of these coins are from Medal of Honor recipients, I collect any coin that pictures the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor

2002 Reunion Coin	Pat Brady	Jon Cavaiani	Civil War Souvenir Coin - Joshua Chamberlain
Jim Coy is not a MOH recipient, but rather an author who writes inspirational books featuring MOH recipients and other heroes.	Sammy Davis	John Fin - Oldest living MOH recipient and the only living Pearl Harbor recipient	James Fleming
Stephen Gregg	Jack Lucas - Youngest MOH recipient since Civil War. I'm sorry I failed to ask him why the medical symbol on the reverse. He was not a medic. Peerhaps it was in honor of the combat medics who saved him.	Mike Novosel - My personal favorite hero.	James Taylor - my favorite MOH coin because James took the time to personally hand-engrave the coin and dedicated it to me.

WOJG Greg Van Horn

Greg is my son-in-law, married to my youngest daughter, Jennifer. Greg served one tour in Iraq with Charlie 2/7 1st Cav. It was his company that was selected to help the Marines punch their way into Najaf and Falluja. He was the company's Master Gunner and a Bradley Commander. Someone took a picture of Greg in action and that picture was given to me. There were a number of enemy snipers in a multi-story building that were pinning down the Marines. Greg was called up and the picture below shows the result of his action. That is his Bradley in the foreground. All six of the enemy snipers in the building were killed. Incredibly the date stamp on the picture was my 70th birthday. What a wonderful birthday gift. Upon he returned, he was encouraged by superiors to attend helicopter school at Ft. Rucker, Alabama. He first graduated from Warrant Officer school and then flight school, where he is now an Apache pilot stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas. In May 2009 he will return to Iraq for a second tour. It was Greg that got me started collecting Challenge Coins when he gave me several that were presented to him.

1st Cav, Iraq	1st Cav, Ft. Rucker	Staff Sgt. - his highest enlisted rank	He was a Bradley Commander
He did not actually attend the U.S. sniper school, but he was a sniper and did attend the German school	He was the Master Gunner for Charlie 2/1, 1st Cav. and for a short period of time was the brigade Master Gunner.	Combat Vet (Iraq)	Combat Vet (Iraq)
Good Conduct Medal w/3 knots	Army Commendation Medal (3 awards, 1 with "v" for valor device	Combat Infantry Badge	Combat Infantry Badge
For the scores of enemy he sent to meet their 72 virgins. Were they ever disappointed to find that many of Greg's fellow soldiers had beat them to the virgins.	Presented when he got his Warrant Officer bars	His outfit at Ft. Rucker	Army Aviation
Ft Rucker	Presented after graduation from S.E.A.R. Survival School	Iraqi Freedom	The Apache Longbow - Greg's bird

My Father

I have not found much for my father, daughter, or myself. Dad was in the OSS during WWII and after the war until his retirement he was a general officer's aid and then transferred to Army Aviation where he was the commanding officer of Ames Research Center, Moffett AFB and Edwards AFB California, retiring with the temporary rank of Major General and permanent rank of Colonel. I was a court reporter stationed in Bordeaux France during the Korean War and my daughter was a USAF medic for 30 months. There do not appear to be too many challenge coins that relate to these areas.

U.S. Army Colonel

Army Vet

OSS - Office of Strategic Services

My Daughter

Rotary International	Angelina College	USMA West Point Class of 1960	9th Infantry Division "Crazy Cookie"
National Rifle Association	Texas Renaissance Festival - 1984(?) bronze	Texas Renaissance Festival - 1985 - solid silver. The coin maker's shop was next to our 15th century print shop and I watched him engrave both sides of this coin and press it. This was the first coin of 50 off the press.

Personalized Coins

President G.W. Bush	Vice President Dick Cheney	Togo West - Secretary of the Army	Henry Shelton - Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff
Lt Col J. Graham Scott, USAF Retired	General John Tilelli, CINC UNC/CFC/USFK	Sergeant Major L. M. Espinal	General Wesley Clark - Supreme Allied Commander Europe
USMC Sergeant Major Devell Durham	Master Sergeant Cyndee Newton	USN Command Master Chief Tim Fox	Major General Kenneth Bowra

9/11 and other coins I found interesting

9/11	9/11	9/11	Vietnam Wall - Given to me by a local Vietnam vet
International Space Stations - contains metal flown on STS-88 - It was given to me by an astronaut who was in Lufkin visiting our public schools.	Seattle World's Fair	101st Airborne 1985 Reunion	POW Coin - This was given to me at one of the MOH reunions by an attendee who was not an MOH recipient. Unfortunately I have lost his name.