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The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) is a
military award which was created in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B.
Johnson. The distinctive design was the creation of sculptor Thomas Hudson
Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry. 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.
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 to 28 March 1973, and from 29 April 1975 to 30 April
1975.[3][4]
For those service members who supported
Vietnam Operations from another country within Southeast Asia, DoD maintains
(proximity to threat) as the disqualifying factor for Vietnam Service Medal
eligibility.
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 U.S. 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 Department of Defense established
thirty military campaigns during the Vietnam War. For those service members
participating in one or more campaigns, a service star is authorized on the
Vietnam Service Medal. Silver service stars are issued in lieu of five
bronze. Some campaigns apply to all of the military services while others
are specific to a particular branch of the U.S. Armed Forces (the United
States Marine Corps is considered part of the Navy and is eligible only for
Navy campaigns). The exception to this rule is Operation Frequent Wind. The
arrowhead device is authorized for campaign participation which involved an
aerial or amphibious assault. The Fleet Marine Force combat operation
insignia is also authorized for certain sailors. The United States Army,
Marine Corps and Coast Guard recognize 17 campaign stars (3 silver and 2
bronze service stars) on the Vietnam Service campaign streamer. The United
States Navy and the United States Air Force recognize one more.
The Republic of Vietnam also issued its
own version of the VSM, known as the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
This is a separate award from the Vietnam Service Medal and is a foreign
decoration which was accepted by Congress and 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.
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