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Authorized on February 17, 1969, this ribbon is awarded to members of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard for combat action service. The principal requirement is that the personnel must have been in a ground or surface combat fire-fight, or action during which they were under enemy fire, and that their performance under fire must have been satisfactory.

Vietnam Service Medal  

All military personal that served in RVN are entitled to the award.  Addition or subsequent awards for each additional Campaign. Authorized on July 19, 1965 and awarded to all service members of the Armed Forces of the United States who, between July 4, 1965 and March 28, 1973, served in Vietnam and the contiguous waters, and airspace, in Thailand, Laos or Cambodia or airspace in direct support of military operations in Vietnam. Personnel previously awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for services between July 1958 and July 1965 could exchange these medals for the Vietnam Service Medal.

NOTES:  - Ribbon and one (1) bronze star with first award
                - Additional bronze stars awarded for each subsequent period of service
                        - A silver star is used in place of five (5) bronze stars

Eligible Campaign periods

• I - 15 March 1962 to 7 March 1965 - Vietnam Advisory Campaign
• II - 8 March 1965 to 24 December 1965 - Vietnam Defense Campaign
• III - 25 December 1965 to 30 June 1966 - Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase
• IV - 1 July 1966 to 31 May 1967 - Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase II
• V - 1 June 1967 to 29 January 1968 - Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase III
• VI - 30 January 1968 to 1 April 1968 - TET Counteroffensive
• VII - 2 April 1968 to 30 June 1968 - Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV
• VIII - 1 July 1968 to 1 November 1968 - Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase V
• IX - 2 November 1968 to 22 February 1969 - Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VI
• X - 23 February 1969 to 8 June 1969 - TET 69/Counteroffensive
• XI - 9 June 1969 to 31 October 1969 - Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
• XII - 1 November 1969 to 30 April 1970 - Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
• XIII - 1 May 1970 to 30 June 1970 - Sanctuary Counteroffensive
• XIV - 1 July 1970 to 30 June 1971 - Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VII
• XV - 1 July 1971 to 30 November 1971 - Consolidation I
• XVI - 1 December 1971 to 29 March 1972 - Consolidation II
• XVII - 30 March 1972 to 28 January 1973 - Vietnam Cease Fire Campaign

The Vietnam Gallantry Cross is a military decoration of South Vietnam which was established in August 1950. Also known as the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Gallantry Cross is awarded to any military personnel who have accomplished deeds of valor or displayed heroic conduct while fighting an enemy force. It was modelled after the French Croix de guerre.

Medal degrees

The Gallantry Cross is issued in four degrees, with a basic medal followed by higher degrees which are the equivalent of personal citations on an organizational level (also known as having been "mentioned in dispatches"). The degrees of the Gallantry Cross are as follows:

• Gallantry Cross with Palm (Individual Award) ["cited before the Army"]
• Gallantry Cross with Gold Star (Corps citation) ["cited before the Corps"]
• Gallantry Cross with Silver Star (Division citation) ["cited before the Division"]
• Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star (Regiment or Brigade citation) ["cited before the Regiment"]

The devices to the Gallantry Cross are not worn simultaneously but instead are upgradeable to the next higher device which would replace the previous device for wear on the decoration.

For U.S. Navy personnel, uniform regulations state the recipient should wear only one Gallantry Cross award (medal or ribbon bar) regardless of the number received. For multiple awards, wear as many authorized devices as will fit on one medal or ribbon bar. Wear the devices for subsequent awards in order of seniority from the wearer's right.

 Service Versions

The Vietnam Gallantry Cross was also issued in three versions, the first of which was the standard Gallantry Cross which was issued to members of all military branches, as well as service members of foreign and allied militaries.

The other versions of the Gallantry Cross were the Air Gallantry Cross and Navy Gallantry Cross. These decorations were awarded under a different authority than the standard Gallantry Cross and were considered separate decorations.

 Unit Award

The Vietnam Gallantry Cross also is issued as a unit award which is an entirely separate decoration from the full sized medal. Known as the "Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm," the unit citation award was created in 1968 and was issued as the Gallantry Cross ribbon, with a metal palm device, enclosed within a gold frame. The unit citation was issued in the name of South Vietnam to any military unit which distinguished itself to the same level as would be required for the individual award. Regulations for the issuance of the Vietnam Gallantry Cross permit the wearing of both the individual and unit award simultaneously, since they both are considered separate decorations.

The Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm was issued to every Allied nation which provided military support to Vietnam between 1 March 1961 and the fall of Saigon in April 1975. The unit decoration thus became the most commonly awarded Vietnamese decoration to foreigners, second only to the Vietnam Campaign Medal.

 United States issuance

The United States military began authorizing the Vietnam Gallantry Cross in March 1968 with retroactive presentation of the decoration to 1961. In 1974, Army General Order Number 8 authorized the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation to every military unit of the United States Army which had served under the Military Assistance Command from 1961 to 1974. This effectively granted the unit version of the award to any member of the U.S. Army who had served for any period of time in the Republic of Vietnam. Members of other services were not affected by the Army General Order and still required individual or unit orders for the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation to be awarded.

The National Personnel Records Center is the agency which responds to retroactive award requests, from U.S. Army veterans, updating military records to show the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation per Army General Order 8. The decoration itself, both full medal and unit citation, are considered foreign military decorations and are not provided to Vietnam veterans by any of the United States military services. The decoration is available for purchase at most Military Installations military clothing sales. But if they are unable to access a military installation, private military insignia dealers have them on hand. The decoration may also be found for sale on the Internet.

Awarded to all military personnel who served in-country Vietnam between 8 February 1962 and 28 March 1973 and to U.S. Army Vietnam and its subordinate units for the period 20 July 1965 to 28 March 1973.

Awarded to all military personnel who served in-country Vietnam between 8 February 1962 and 28 March 1973 and to U.S. Army Vietnam and its subordinate units for the period 20 July 1965 to 28 March 1973. 
(See the bottom note on this meritorious unit citation.)

Awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who have served for a six-month period in Vietnam, its surrounding waters or in air support against an armed enemy in Vietnam between March 1, 1961 and March 28, 1973. The time limit is waived if the recipient was killed, wounded or captured at any time before the limit.

Basic Jump Wings

(Minimum of 5 Jumps)

BUPERS Notice 1020 of 12 July 1963 announced approval of a new wing insignia for Navy and Marine Corps Parachutists.
The change to the 1959 Uniform Regulations stated that the old Parachutist insignia would be renamed Basic Parachutist insignia in keeping with Army and Air Force nomenclature.
The new Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist device was "a gold embroidered (Navy only) or gold-colored metal pin
, the same as that provided for Naval Aviator’s insignia, except that a gold-colored open parachute shall be centered on the wings vice the shield and foul

(Minimum 10 Jumps)

To qualify to wear the insignia, a parachutist must have previously qualified for the Basic Parachutist insignia described above and have, under competent orders,
completed a minimum of five additional static line or free-fall jumps with a Navy or Marine Corps organization whose mission includes parachute jumping.
O nce a person has qualified for the Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist insignia, that insignia shall be worn in lieu of the Basic Parachutist insignia.

Meritorious Unit Citation Note:
 From SECNAVINST 1650.1G Chapter 7, pages 7-11 and 7-12.

A.. Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation

(1) Authorization. Awarded by the Chief of the Joint General Staff, Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces in two colors:

Gallantry Cross Medal Color with Palm (8 Feb 62 to 28 Mar 73)

The Secretary of the Navy has specifically authorized certain units of the naval service to accept this award.
Such authorization is required in all cases for participation.

(2) Eligibility Requirements. The ribbon bar with frame and palm are authorized for wear by personnel who served with certain cited units in
Southeast Asia during the approved periods. Lists of approved ships and units, which have been cited, are maintained by the CNO and CMC.

(3) In addition to those specific ships/units cited, all Navy and Marine Corps personnel who served "in country" Vietnam
during the eligibility periods are eligible for both awards.

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