|
The Vietnam
Campaign Medal is a military recognition awarded by the Republic of Vietnam
to any member of the United States, Australian, New Zealand and allied
military forces serving six months or more in support of Republic of
Vietnam military operations.
Established
in 1966, the decoration is a service medal of the Vietnam War and was the
most commonly bestowed foreign military award to United States military
personnel prior to the Gulf War. [2]
The
decoration may also be awarded to any service member who, while serving
outside the geographical limits of the Republic of Vietnam, provided direct
combat support to the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces for a period
exceeding six months. This stipulation most often applies to members who
performed Vietnam War support from Thailand and Japan. In such cases, a US
service member must have been awarded either the Vietnam Service Medal or
the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (for service in a Vietnam campaign) to
be eligible for the Vietnam Campaign Medal.
For those
members who were wounded by an enemy force, captured by the enemy in the
line of duty, or killed in action, the Vietnam Campaign Medal is
automatically awarded regardless of total time served in Vietnam.
The Vietnam
Campaign Medal is issued with a device known as the “1960 Bar”. The bar
displays the date of 1960 followed by a dash and a blank space. The unusual
appearance was caused by the government of the Republic of Vietnam stating
that the 1960 bar would show the dates of the Vietnam War from start to
finish, with the ending date placed on the 1960 bar after the South
Vietnamese had triumphed over North Vietnam (the Democratic Republic of
Vietnam). Since South Vietnam fell, and the government ceased to exist, an
ending date for the 1960 Bar was never established.
The Vietnam
Campaign Medal is considered a foreign award by the U.S., Australian and
New Zealand governments. The U.S. equivalent award 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.
Other
frequently bestowed Vietnam awards include the Vietnam Civil Actions Medal
and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross, both of which were awarded extensively to
both Vietnamese military service members and to the members of foreign
militaries.
|
