Vietnam Campaign Medal

Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with
1960– Device
TypeCampaign medal
Awarded forWartime service and support of military operations in Vietnam by the South Vietnamese military.
Presented bySouth Vietnam
EligibilityMembers of the South Vietnamese military and members of allied countries' armed forces.
Campaign(s)First Indochina War
Second Indochina War (Vietnam War)
Clasps1949–54: medal ribbon
49–54: service ribbon
49–54: miniature medal ribbon
1960– : medal ribbon
60– : service ribbon
60– : miniature medal ribbon
StatusNo longer awarded
Established 1949 (1949-df)
24 March 1966 (1966-03-24)
First awardedRVN: 8 March 1949 – 20 July 1954
France: 8 March 1949 – 20 July 1954
RVN: 1 January 1960 – 30 April 1975
U.S.: 1 March 1961 – 28 March 1973
Australia: 31 July 1962 – 28 March 1973
New Zealand: 1964 to 1973
South Korea: Unknown
Other: Unknown
Last awardedRVN: 20 July 1954
France: 20 July 1954
RVN: 30 April 1975
U.S.: 28 March 1973
Australia: 28 March 1973
New Zealand: 1973
South Korea: Unknown
Other: Unknown
Service ribbon with 60– Device[a]
Precedence
Next (higher)Good Conduct Medal
(Foreign military awards precedence vary)
Next (lower)Military Service Medal
(Foreign military awards precedence vary)
Obverse
Reverse
Photographs of a Vietnam Campaign Medal

The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, also known as the Vietnam Campaign Medal (Vietnamese: Chiến Dịch Bội Tinh), is a South Vietnamese military campaign medal which was created in 1949, and awarded to French military personnel during the First Indochina War. During the Vietnam War (Second Indochina War), the South Vietnamese government awarded the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device (1960– ) to members of the South Vietnamese military for wartime service and on March 24, 1966, to members of the U.S. military for support of operations in Vietnam.[b] In May 1966, other allied foreign military personnel became eligible for the award.

The medal was awarded for two different periods of service in Vietnam. The first period for the award was from 8 March 1949 to 20 July 1954. The second period was from 1 January 1960 to the end of the Vietnam War (the date was to be given when the war ended and North Vietnam was defeated). On 30 April 1975, Saigon was captured by the North Vietnamese army and South Vietnam surrendered and disbanded. The medal was not awarded after 28 March 1973, when the last U.S. troops left South Vietnam in accordance with the Paris Peace Accords.
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