USMC Helicopter Squadrons
$12.00
Sold out
Bulk Coin Pricing
Coins
Minimum order: 25
25-49: $10.00 each
50-99: $8.50 each
100-199: $7.50 each
200-299: $6.50 each
300+: $5.00 each
Counts per coin design.
The cart shows your final price.
Applicable tax calculated at checkout. Shipping calculated at checkout.
Official VAW-117 Wallbangers E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Coin - Airborne Command and Control Squadron 117 (VAW-117), U.S. Navy, officially licensed challenge coin honoring the World Famous Wallbangers and their E-2D Advanced Hawkeye mission.
Eyes over the horizon, any time, any place — the Wallbangers own the picture that keeps the carrier strike group alive.
VAW-117 was established at NAS North Island, California on 1 July 1974, as part of Fighter Early Warning Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and has grown into one of the Navy's most decorated and operationally tested airborne early warning squadrons. Home-ported at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, the Wallbangers deploy as part of Carrier Air Wing 9 aboard USS Abraham Lincoln. Flying the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, the only carrier-capable command and control aircraft in the fleet, the squadron's mission covers long-range detection of hostile forces, strike control at sea, fleet air defense, and power projection ashore. The Wallbangers were the first fleet Hawkeye squadron to receive the Cooperative Engagement Capability system, and they led strikes into Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom following September 11, 2001. Their lemur mascot, a symbol of the far-sighted early warning capability of the Hawkeye, ties the squadron's identity to the aircraft's core purpose: looking beyond the horizon to deny the enemy the element of surprise. This coin captures that legacy in a collectible format built for display, recognition, and unit pride.
Perfect For: VAW-117 veterans and active-duty Wallbangers, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircrew and maintainers, CVW-9 alumni, USS Abraham Lincoln sailors, Navy airborne early warning collectors, challenge coin display boards, shadow boxes, retirement and promotion gifts, squadron reunion tables, and anyone who values the quiet, critical work of carrier-based command and control. It also makes a meaningful keepsake for families and supporters who want to honor the crews who keep the strike group informed, protected, and ready at every hour of every deployment.
Wallbanger heritage, minted for the crews who own the picture above the fleet.
If you want to swap patches on/off gear, choose hook & loop (velcro). If you’re attaching permanently to uniforms or fabric, choose sew-on. If you want quick application on compatible fabric, choose iron-on / heat seal (when offered). Backing options are shown on the page and update based on the variant you select.
Size is shown on the product page and updates with the variant you select (example: 3"). If you’re mounting on a hat or small panel, choose smaller sizes; for plate carriers and display boards, larger sizes fit better.
If the product is officially licensed, it will say “Officially Licensed” in the title and/or in the product details. If it doesn’t, it’s still a legitimate product—just not part of a licensed program.
Yes. If you see a note like “bulk reruns available,” that means we can support group orders or reruns. If you don’t see it, contact us with the unit/squadron and quantity and we’ll confirm options.
Yes—custom solutions are available (patches, name tags, lanyards, apparel). Use the custom request page and include artwork, size, backing preference, and quantity.
