Awards and decorations of the Vietnam War
 | This article does not cite any sources. (August 2017) |
Awards and decorations of the Vietnam War were military decorations which were bestowed by the major warring parties during the years of the Vietnam War. North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and the United States all issued awards and decorations during the conflict.
In year 2015 some active duty military members (with at least 40 or more years service) can be seen wearing Vietnam War awards, which were earned at the beginning of their military careers (the Vietnam War officially ended in April 1975).
South Vietnam as a country ceased to exist after North Vietnam's victory in the Vietnam War. Therefore, the country of South Vietnam's awards and decorations are considered obsolete. With the fall of South Vietnam, that country's official records of who received which awards disappeared. Records or evidence of awards were sometimes maintained by U.S. military units or in an award recipient's service record, so those may be available to an award recipient looking for confirmation of a (defunct) foreign country award received.
Despite being obsolete, earned foreign South Vietnam decorations and awards remain authorized for US military members who received awards. If an award recipient no longer possesses an original award, companies or individuals have available for purchase South Vietnam's military insignia and awards.
A listing of the most commonly bestowed Vietnam war era decorations is as follows:
South Vietnam[]
Senior leadership decorations[]
National Order of Vietnam
Vietnam Distinguished Service Order
Heroism decorations[]
Vietnam Military Merit Medal
Common decorations[]
Vietnam Gallantry Cross
Vietnam Civil Actions Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Unit citations[]
Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation
Other awards[]
Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal
Vietnam Staff Service Medal- Vietnam Air Gallantry Cross
Vietnam Air Gallantry Cross with Gold Wing Ribbon
Vietnam Air Gallantry Cross with Silver Wing Ribbon
Vietnam Air Gallantry Cross with Bronze Wing Ribbon
- Vietnam Navy Gallantry Cross
Vietnam Navy Gallantry Cross with Gold Anchor Ribbon
Vietnam Navy Gallantry Cross with Silver Anchor Ribbon
Vietnam Navy Gallantry Cross with Bronze Ancho
Vietnam Special Service Medal
North Vietnam[]
Ho Chi Minh Order- Defeat American Aggression Badge
- Vietnam Liberation Order
United States[]
| Medal of Honor |
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| Distinguished Service Cross (Navy Cross, Airforce Cross) |
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| Silver Star | Legion of Merit | Distinguished Flying Cross |
Meritorious Service Medal |
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| Bronze Star Medal | Purple Heart | Air Medal | Vietnam Service Medal | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
National Defense Service Medal |
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Several decorations (Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Commendation Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal) may be awarded for valor, or for merit. Awards for valor recognize bravery in action against an enemy and have an attached "V" device valor device. Awards for merit recognize service.
The Commendation Medal was another decoration of the Vietnam War, issued frequently in various versions by the different branches of the US armed forces.
Australia and New Zealand[]
Australia and New Zealand awarded British and Commonwealth orders and decorations to their servicemen in Vietnam, including the Distinguished Service Order, and the Military Cross.
Australia and New Zealand jointly developed and instituted The Vietnam Medal (though separate Royal Warrants were issued). The obverse of the medal displays an Effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, the reverse shows a man standing between two spheres, a symbolic representation of the ideological struggle. The ribbon incorporates the colours of the three armed services (Red, Navy Blue, and Sky Blue), and the national colours of Vietnam (Red and Yellow).
New Zealand Defence Force Vietnam Medal Page
In 1992, Australia struck the Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal. The medal was intended to recognise the Australian servicemen and civilians who provided support for Australian troops. The qualifying criteria for the Medal are service of one day or more as a member or crew of a ship or aircraft operating in the prescribed area of operations of Vietnam in support of Australian forces, or service of one day or more within the prescribed area of operations of Vietnam while attached to a unit or organisation in support of Australian forces.
It has been awarded to military personnel, Qantas crews, civilian medical personnel, and Embassy staff.
Australian Government Campaign Medals page
Australia awarded four Victoria Crosses during the Vietnam War (List of Vietnam War Victoria Cross recipients), two posthumously.
Australian servicemen were also awarded a large number of individual US and South Vietnamese awards, and the following unit citations:
- HMAS Hobart - US Navy Unit Commendation
- HMAS Perth - US Navy Unit Commendation, US Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
- Clearance Diving Team 3 - US Presidential Unit Citation, Two US Navy Unit Commendations and one US Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
- 817 Naval Air Squadron - US Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
- AATTV - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, US Meritorious Unit Commendation, US Presidential Unit Citation
- 1 RAR - US Meritorious Unit Commendation, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation and Unit Citation for Gallantry
- 3 RAR - Unit Citation for Gallantry
- 'D' Coy, 6 RAR - US Presidential Unit Citation
- 8 RAR - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
- No. 2 Squadron RAAF - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, USAF Outstanding Unit Award
- Vietnam War