Vietnam Service Medal | |
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Awarded by U.S. Armed Forces | |
Type | Campaign Medal |
Eligibility |
Served in the armed forces between the following dates:
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Status | Inactive |
Statistics | |
Established | by Executive Order 11231 of July 8, 1965 (as amended by E.O. 11382 of November 28, 1967 and E.O. 13286 of February 28, 2003.) |
First awarded | 15 November 1961 (retroactive) |
Last awarded | 30 April 1975 |
Precedence | |
Next (higher) | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
Next (lower) | Southwest Asia Service Medal |
Related | Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal |
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The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) is a award of the United States Armed Forces established in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The distinctive design has been attributed to both sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry.[1] and Mercedes Lee.[2] The medal is issued to recognize military service during the Vietnam War and is authorized to service members in every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, provided they meet the qualification criteria in United States Department of Defense regulation DoD 1348.
Criteria[]
The Vietnam Service Medal is presented to any service member who served on temporary duty for more than 30 consecutive days, or 60 non-consecutive days, attached to or regularly serving for one, or more, days with an organization participating in or directly supporting ground (military) operations or attached to or regularly serving for one, or more, days aboard a naval vessel directly supporting military operations in the Republic of Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos within the defined combat zone (DoD 1348 C6.6.1.1.5. revised September 1996) between the dates of 15 November 1961 and 28 March 1973, and from 29 April 1975 to 30 April 1975.[2][3] [4] For the United States Navy, vessels operating in Vietnamese waters qualify for the Vietnam Service Medal provided that the naval vessel was engaged in direct support of Vietnam combat operations. The United States Air Force also grants the Vietnam Service Medal exclusively to flight crews that flew missions over Vietnamese air space, even if the home base of the flight mission was hundreds of miles away requiring in flight refueling.
The Vietnam Service Medal is retroactive to 1961 and supersedes and replaces the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) which was issued for Vietnam service prior to 1965. Defense Department regulations do not permit the simultaneous presentation of both the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, for the same period of service in Vietnam, however the AFEM may be exchanged for the VSM upon request from a service member. Veterans of the Vietnam War may exchange the AFEM for the VSM and have military records updated to reflect the difference by contacting the National Personnel Records Center, which is the current agency that provides record corrections reflecting an AFEM upgrade to the Vietnam Service Medal.[1]
The Republic of Vietnam also issued its own campaign medal for the Vietnam War, known as the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. This is a separate foreign award from the Vietnam Service Medal which was accepted by the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Military in accordance with DoD 1348 C7. Six months of service in support of military operations in the Republic of Vietnam was the normal requirement for the award.
Appearance[]
The Vietnam Service Medal is issued as a bronze medal, 1-1/4 inches in diameter. The obverse side consists of an oriental dragon behind a grove of bamboo trees, representing the subversive nature of the conflict, are above the inscription "REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM SERVICE". On the reverse, a crossbow, the ancient weapon of Vietnam, and the torch of the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of the United States devotion to liberty and freedom, are above the arched inscription "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA".[2] The ribbon is 1-3/8 inches wide and consists of the following stripes: three narrow (1/16 inch) strips of red with wider (5/32 inch) stripes of yellow in the center, flanked by even wider (5/16 inch) stripes of yellow on each side and narrow 1/8-inch stripes of primitive green on the ends. The yellow with red stripes suggests the flag of the Republic of Vietnam The green alludes to the jungle in Vietnam.[2] Devices such as campaign stars, arrowhead device and the FMF combat operation insignia may be authorized.[5]
Campaigns[]
The Department of Defense established thirty military campaigns during the Vietnam War which covered all services. For those service members participating in one or more campaigns, a 3/16-inch service star (formerly a "campaign star" or "engagement star") is authorized to be attached to the Vietnam Service Medal suspension and service ribbon to indicate participation in each campaign. Silver campaign stars are issued in lieu of five bronze campaign stars. The arrowhead device is authorized for campaign participation which involved an aerial or amphibious assault. The Fleet Marine Force (FMF) combat operation insignia is also authorized for certain Navy personnel.
In 2010 the Department of Defense consolidated the original list of campaigns from the original 30 to a list of 18 by combining the Air Force campaign list with the other armed services. The United States Army, and Coast Guard recognize 17 campaign stars (3 silver and 2 bronze campaign stars) on the Vietnam Service campaign streamer.[6][7] Additionally, the United States Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force recognize Operation Frequent Wind.[8][9]
Department of Defense consolidated campaign periods[]
DoD Consolidated Campaign Periods for All Services |
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Name of Campaign | Start Date | End Date |
Vietnam Advisory Campaign[lower-alpha 1] | 15 March 1962 | 7 March 1965 |
Vietnam Defense Campaign[lower-alpha 1] | 8 March 1965 | 24 December 1965 |
Vietnam Counteroffensive.[lower-alpha 1] | 25 December 1965 | 30 June 1966 |
Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase II[lower-alpha 1] | 1 July 1966 | 31 May 1967 |
Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase III[lower-alpha 1] | 1 June 1967 | 29 January 1968 |
Tet Counteroffensive[lower-alpha 1] | 30 January 1968 | 1 April 1968 |
Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase IV[lower-alpha 1] | 2 April 1968 | 30 June 1968 |
Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase V[lower-alpha 1] | 1 July 1968 | 1 November 1968 |
Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VI[lower-alpha 1] | 2 November 1968 | 22 February 1969 |
Tet 69 Counteroffensive[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 1] | 23 February 1969 | 8 June 1969 |
Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 1] | 9 June 1969 | 31 October 1969 |
Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 1] | 1 November 1969 | 30 April 1970 |
Sanctuary Counteroffensive[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 1] | 1 May 1970 | 30 June 1970 |
Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VII[lower-alpha 1] | 1 July 1970 | 30 June 1971 |
Consolidation I[lower-alpha 1] | 1 July 1971 | 30 November 1971 |
Consolidation II[lower-alpha 1] | 1 December 1971 | 29 March 1972 |
Vietnam Cease-fire[lower-alpha 1] | 30 March 1972 | 28 January 1973 |
Operation Frequent Wind[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 1] (USN USMC USAF only) | 29 April 1975 | 30 April 1975 |
USAF original campaign periods[]
Original USAF Campaign Periods Before DoD Consolidation |
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Name of campaign | Start Date | End Date |
Vietnam Initial Advisory Campaign[lower-alpha 2] | 15 November 1961 | 1 March 1965 |
Vietnam Air Defensive Campaign[lower-alpha 2] | 2 March 1965 | 30 January 1966 |
Vietnam Air Counteroffensive[lower-alpha 2] | 31 January 1966 | 28 June 1966 |
Vietnam Air Offensive[lower-alpha 2] | 29 June 1966 | 8 March 1967 |
Vietnam Air Offensive Phase II[lower-alpha 2] | 9 March 1967 | 31 March 1967 |
Vietnam Air/Ground Campaign[lower-alpha 2] | 22 January 1968 | 7 July 1968 |
Vietnam Air Offensive Phase III[lower-alpha 2] | 1 Apr 1968 | 31 October 1968 |
Vietnam Air Offensive Phase IV[lower-alpha 2] | 1 November 1968 | 22 February 1969 |
Tet 69 Counteroffensive[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 1] | 23 February 1969 | 8 June 1969 |
Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 1] | 9 June 1969 | 31 October 1969 |
Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 1] | 1 November 1969 | 30 April 1970 |
Sanctuary Counteroffensive[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 1] | 1 May 1970 | 30 June 1970 |
Southwest Monsoon[lower-alpha 2] | 1 July 1970 | 30 November 1970 |
Commando Hunt V[lower-alpha 2] | 1 December 1970 | 14 May 1971 |
Commando Hunt VI[lower-alpha 2] | 15 May 1971 | 31 October 1971 |
Commando Hunt VII[lower-alpha 2] | 1 November 1971 | 29 March 1972 |
Vietnam Cease-fire[lower-alpha 1] | 30 March 1972 | 28 January 1973 |
Operation Frequent Wind[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 1] | 29 April 1975 | 30 April 1975 |
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 Campaign period authorized by Department of Defense Manual 1348.33 Volume 2, dated 23 November 2010
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 Campaign period originally authorized by the Department of the Air Force but now consolidated with the Department of Defense list
References[]
- ↑ "Vietnam Service Medal". Naval History and Heritage Command. http://www.history.navy.mil/medals/vsn.htm. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Vietnam Service Medal". The Institute of Heraldry: Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the ARMY. http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Awards/vietnam_service.aspx. Retrieved 2013-07-16.
- ↑ 578.26 Vietnam Service Medal
- ↑ Air Force Personal Center Vietnam Service Medal
- ↑ EO 11231, 8 July 1965, as amended. Amended by EO 11382, 28 November 1967, and EO 13286, 28 February 2003. Additional details and descriptions given at 32 CFR 578.26.
- ↑ "US Army Campaigns: VietNam". . ARMY CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY. http://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/army_flag/vn.html. Retrieved 2013-07-16.
- ↑ "Medals and Awards Manual". . Dept. of Homeland Security, USCG. http://www.uscg.mil/directives/cim/1000-1999/CIM_1650_25D.pdf. Retrieved 2013-07-16.
- ↑ Campaign, War Service And Unit Award Streamers
- ↑ A Guide to United States Air Force Lineage and Honors
See also[]
- Arrowhead device
- Awards and decorations of the United States military
- Fleet Marine Force Combat Operation Insignia
- Campaign star
- Service star
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