Vietnam Campaign Medal

Vietnam Campaign Medal
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Name	Vietnam Campaign Medal
Presenter	State of South Vietnam
Type	Military campaign medal
Awarded for	Service in support of Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War
Established	14 May 1964
Status	Discontinued after 1973
First awarded	1964
Last awarded	1973

Vietnam Campaign Medal

The Vietnam Campaign Medal was a decoration instituted by the State of South Vietnam to recognize naval, air, and ground service in support of the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It was produced and issued during the administrations of Ngô Đình Diệm and subsequent South Vietnamese leaders, and was accepted or worn by personnel from allied countries including the United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Marine Corps, Republic of Korea Armed Forces, and members of the Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, and Australian Army. The award’s reception, wear, and integration into foreign service records intersected with policies from United States Department of Defense, Department of the Navy (United States), and allied defense ministries.

Background and Establishment

The medal was instituted by the State of Vietnam government under legal instruments promulgated during the presidency of Ngô Đình Diệm and formalized by subsequent decrees. It arose amid strategic partnerships embodied in agreements such as the SEATO compact and bilateral accords with the United States and Australia. The award reflected political relationships visible in meetings between Robert McNamara, William Westmoreland, Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, and foreign military advisors from the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam structures and liaison elements attached to Pacific Command (USPACOM). Its establishment paralleled other South Vietnamese awards including the Gallantry Cross (South Vietnam), National Order of Vietnam, and service medals used by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.

Design and Insignia

The obverse typically features national emblems associated with the Republic of Vietnam and iconography drawing on regional symbols linked to Saigon and national heraldry. The ribbon colors mirrored flag elements of the Republic of Vietnam and were reproduced by manufacturers contracted in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and France. Devices and clasps attached to the ribbon varied by issuing authority and resembled devices used on medals like the United States Presidential Unit Citation and campaign awards, aligning with conventions from institutions including the Institute of Heraldry (United States Army) and dress regulations from services such as the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force.

Eligibility and Award Criteria

Criteria for award were defined by South Vietnamese decree and included periods of service within designated geographic boundaries and dates associated with the Vietnam War operational tempo. Eligible recipients included members of the Republic of Vietnam Navy, Republic of Vietnam Air Force, ARVN, and allied forces from the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Air Force, United States Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Australian Army, New Zealand Defence Force, Republic of Korea Armed Forces, and personnel from Thailand and the Philippines assigned to South Vietnamese operations. The award typically required service on station for a specified number of days, participation in combat operations alongside units such as 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), 25th Infantry Division (United States), 7th Infantry Division (United States), Task Force 77 (US Navy), or in areas patrolled by squadrons like VF-111 or squadrons of the Royal Australian Air Force.

Service and Deployment Context

Recipients served in contexts ranging from large-scale operations—Operation Rolling Thunder, Operation Linebacker, Operation Masher—to riverine and coastal missions under commands like Task Force 116 (Swift Boats) and Riverine Force. Naval awardees included crewmembers aboard USS Liberty (AGTR-5), USS Maddox (DD-731), and patrol craft engaged in missions related to incidents such as the Gulf of Tonkin incident. Aircrews flew aircraft models represented in diaries of units like 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron, and detachments operating F-4 Phantom II, A-1 Skyraider, and B-52 Stratofortress platforms. Ground formations receiving the medal operated in provinces such as I Corps, II Corps, III Corps, and IV Corps under commanders who reported to Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.

Notable Recipients and Units

High-profile recipients included members of allied headquarters staffs, aviators attached to The Pentagon liaison teams, and units such as the MACV Advisory Team, United States Seventh Fleet personnel, Royal Australian Regiment battalions, and ROK Tiger Division soldiers. Distinguished individuals connected to South Vietnamese cooperation—senior officers like William Westmoreland, Creighton Abrams, Admiral Ulysses S. Grant Sharp Jr., and Australian commanders involved with the 1st Australian Task Force—oversaw formations whose members were eligible. Special operations groups such as Studies and Observations Group (SOG), Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols (LRRP), and civil affairs detachments interfaced with award processes when operating under South Vietnamese operational control.

Variations and Clasps

Different issues and manufacture runs produced minor variations in metal composition, suspension style, and ribbon shade; these variations were cataloged by collectors and researchers alongside distinctions used by the United States Navy and Department of Defense (United States) when authorizing wear. Some issuances included campaign clasps or date bars denoting specific periods or operational theaters similar to devices used on awards like the Vietnam Service Medal and foreign decorations administered by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence and Australian Department of Defence. Certain allied services applied national criteria for acceptance and wear, producing differences recognized in records maintained by institutions such as the National Archives (United States), Australian War Memorial, and Imperial War Museums.

Legacy and Commemoration

After the fall of Saigon and the end of formal South Vietnamese institutions, the medal became a subject of historical study, curation, and veteran remembrance reflected in exhibits at the National Museum of the United States Army, Smithsonian Institution, Australian War Memorial, and veteran organizations including the Vietnam Veterans of America and Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association. Collections and auction records track varieties alongside documentation from archives like the National Personnel Records Center and publications produced by scholars of the Vietnam War. The medal remains part of commemorative practices at reunions, memorials such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Washington, D.C.), and in scholarly treatments alongside other decorations like the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross and the Vietnam Service Medal.

Category:Military awards and decorations