Vietnam Campaign Medal

Award criteria

First Indochina War

The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal was created by the said Republic in 1949 and manufactured in France. The French soldiers engaged alongside the South Vietnamese were a priori eligible but were not authorized to wear this medal which duplicated the French commemorative medal and the Colonial Medal with "Extrême-Orient" clasp.

The "1949-1954" bar to be placed on the ribbon, was created later by Memorandum 2655 of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Vietnam of October 8, 1965 to distinguish the first conflict known as the "Indochina War" from the second started in 1960 and referred to as the "Vietnam War".

Second Indochina War (Vietnam War)

During the Vietnam War, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device (1960–) was manufactured in the United States and governed by Republic of Vietnam Decrees No. 149/SL/CT of 12 May 1964 and No 205/CT/LDQG/SL of 2 December 1965. The medal was established by the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Order No. 48, 24 March 1966. The medal was awarded to military personnel, both South Vietnamese for twelve months wartime service in the field, and allied foreign military who had directly participated for six months in "a large-scale military campaign during certain periods of time". All RVN and foreign personnel who served less than six months must meet the following requirements: were wounded by a hostile force; were captured by hostile forces, but later escaped, were rescued, or released; or were killed in action or otherwise in the line of duty. Awarded in a single class, the medal was awarded under the authority of the Chief of the Joint General Staff, Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces.

United States

Public Law 88–257 permitted U.S. military personnel to accept the medal for service performed in Vietnam from 1 March 1961 to 28 March 1973, inclusive. From March 1966 to March 1973, the medal was also awarded to any service member who, while serving outside the geographical limits of the Republic of Vietnam, contributed direct combat support to the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces for six months. This stipulation most often applied to members who performed Vietnam War support from the 7th Fleet (all members of the fleet serving off the coast of Vietnam), Thailand and Guam (air crews if aircraft out of Thailand and Guam; not ground support staff), and Japan. In such cases, a U.S. service member needed meet the criteria established for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam) or Vietnam Service Medal during the period of service required to qualify for the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Personnel assigned in the Republic of Vietnam on 28 January 1973 needed to meet one of the following: serve a minimum of 60 days in the Republic of Vietnam as of that date; complete a minimum of 60 days service in the Republic of Vietnam during the period from 28 January 1973 to 28 March 1973, inclusive.

Australia

The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal was awarded to Australian military personnel for service in South Vietnam during the period 31 July 1962 to 28 March 1973. The requirements for the award were: at least 181 days service, either continuous or aggregated, unless killed on active service (KIA); or wounded in action (includes psychological injury) and evacuated (medically evacuated other than being wounded does not meet requirement for medal); or captured and later released or escaped.

New Zealand

The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal was referred to as the "New Zealand Vietnamese Campaign Medal" (named the South Vietnamese Campaign Medal by the New Zealand Forces in South Vietnam). The medal was awarded to New Zealand Forces for service in Vietnam for six months between 1964 (arrived Vietnam June 1964) and 1973 (left Vietnam 22 December 1972). The medal was approved for wear in 1966.

Appearance of medal

The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal is made of a gold colored metal in the shape of a 36 mm wide six-pointed white enameled star with six pointed gold rays between the arms of the star. In the center of the star is an 18 mm green colored disc bearing a gold colored map of Vietnam with three painted flames in red between North and South Vietnam, signifying the three regions of Vietnam. On the reverse of the medal is a circle bearing the inscription Chiến Dịch (Campaign) above and Bội Tinh (Medal) below the word VIET-NAM in the center. The suspension ribbon and service ribbon of the medal is green (to represent freedom) with three vertical white (to represent purity) stripes.

;Ribbon devices The Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Memorandum 2655 (8 October 1965) authorized two sets of two silver-plated devices ( 1 " wide and " wide) for the suspension ribbon of the medal, and service ribbon of the medal and the miniature medal suspension ribbon, to indicate two separate periods of struggle against communism in South Vietnam. Both sets of the devices if authorized, could be worn on the ribbons.

• Period 1: 8 March 1949 – 20 July 1954: The 1949–54 device is worn on the medal suspension ribbon and the 49–54 device is worn on the service ribbon of the medal and the miniature medal suspension ribbon. These devices are not authorized for wear by American military personnel.
• Period 2: 1 January 1960 – the end of the war: The *1960– * device is worn on the medal suspension ribbon and the *60– * device is worn on the service ribbon of the medal and the miniature medal suspension ribbon.

The unusual appearance was caused by the Republic of Vietnam government stating that the *1960– * and 60– devices would show the dates of the Vietnam War from start to finish, with the ending year placed on the devices when the South Vietnamese had prevailed over the invading North Vietnam (the Democratic Republic of Vietnam) forces. However, on 30 April 1975, the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon was captured, and South Vietnam surrendered that day to the North Vietnamese army under the orders of General Duong Van Minh, who since 28 April was the president of South Vietnam.

Order of wear

The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal is considered a foreign award by the United States, South Korean, Australian, and New Zealand governments. The equivalent award from the U.S. Armed Forces is known as the Vietnam Service Medal. The joint Australian and New Zealand campaign medal awarded for service in the Vietnam War is the Vietnam Medal, with the Australian support service being recognized by the Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal.

Notes

References

References

1. (22 August 2006). "Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, SENAVINST 1650.1H".
2. (24 March 2014). "Report of the Inquiry into Eligibility for the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal". Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal.
3. (25 June 2015). "Army Regulation 600–8–22 Personnel-General Military Awards". Headquarters Department of the Army.
4. (1967). "HUY CHUONG AN THUONG TRONG QUAN-LU'C VlET-NAM CONG-HOA (Medals and Decorations of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces)". Government of the Republic of Vietnam.
5. "Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal". Department of Defence, Australian Government.
6. "New Zealand Defense Force".
7. "New Zealand Defense Force".
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9. "Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (RV)". Chief of Naval Operations.
10. "United States Navy Uniform Regulations (NAVPERS 15665I) Articles 5309.4 & 5309.5".
11. "USMC Ribbon Chart". Marine Corps Installations East.
12. "AFI 36-2903, section 11.5". Air Force E-Publishing.
13. "The Wearing of Medals in New Zealand Table". New Zealand Defence Force.