United States Vietnam Service Medal, awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for qualifying service in support of military operations during the Vietnam War. Established by Executive Order 11231 on 8 July 1965, the medal recognised service in Vietnam and its contiguous waters and airspace, as well as qualifying duty in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia in direct support of operations in Vietnam. The principal eligibility period ran from 4 July 1965 to 28 March 1973, with provisions covering certain earlier qualifying service. The medal represents American military involvement in Southeast Asia during one of the most significant conflicts of the Cold War.
The bronze medal was designed by Thomas Hudson Jones. The obverse depicts a dragon positioned behind a grove of bamboo trees, with the raised inscription “REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM SERVICE” beneath the central design. The reverse features a crossbow surmounted by a lighted torch, above the arched inscription “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”. The yellow ribbon has three narrow red stripes running vertically through the centre and green stripes along the edges, reflecting the colours associated with the former Republic of Vietnam and its landscape. This medal is of interest to collectors of United States military decorations, Vietnam War memorabilia and modern American campaign medals.
Condition
As new
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