7th Class of Yokaren Program Graduation Commemorative Watch Fob/第七期飛行練習生卒業記念章

See also https://asiamedals.info/threads/7th...ram-graduation-commemorative-watch-fob.27130/

Private collection. Photos courtesy of the owner.

Obverse

雄飛 - Launching out, Embarking upon (a career) /雄 - superiority; excellence; 飛 - fly/

reverse

Yokaren program emblem /In 1928, a new program was created to enable civilian population to enter the training directly, which was called Flight Reserve Trainee Program (飛行予科練習生 Hikō Yoka Renshū-sei) program or Yokaren (予科練) for short. The first class began their training in June 1930. Yokaren program drew from male civilians aged from 15-17 and made the selection through a competitive written exam. Selected candidates then went through three-year training that involved basic education and learning of various naval skills. Due to the increased demand for pilots, the training duration was afterwards shortened to two and a half years during the Second Sino-Japanese war and to two years during the Pacific War. On the other hand, since Sōren program candidates were older and already received basic education in the navy through Kaiheidan (海兵団) units, the program progressed quickly to the actual flight training, thus lasting only about a year in total./​

第七期飛行練習生 - 7th Class Flight Trainee

卒業記念 - Graduation Commemorative

Engraved

原田久男君 - Mr. Hisao Harada

Marked 純銀 - pure silver.