Vietnam Campaign Medal

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.

• Name — Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal • Presenter — South Vietnam • Type — Campaign medal • Eligibility — Members of the South Vietnamese military and members of allied countries' armed forces. • Awarded For — Wartime service and support of military operations in Vietnam by the South Vietnamese military. • Campaign — First Indochina War Second Indochina War (Vietnam War) • Status — No longer awarded • Clasps — 1949–54: medal ribbon 49–54: service ribbon 49–54: miniature medal ribbon 1960–: medal ribbon 60–: service ribbon 60–: miniature medal ribbon • Established — 1949 1966 03 24 • Firstawarded — RVN: 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 • Lastawarded — RVN: 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 • Higher — Good Conduct Medal (Foreign military awards precedence vary) • Lower — Military Service Medal (Foreign military awards precedence vary) • Caption2 — Service ribbon with 60– Device

The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal was created by the said Republic in 1949 and manufactured in France. The French soldiers engaged alongside the South Vietnamese were a priori eligible but were not authorized to wear this medal which duplicated the French commemorative medal and the Colonial Medal with "Extrême-Orient" clasp. The "1949-1954" bar to be placed on the ribbon, was created later by Memorandum 2655 of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Vietnam of 8 October 1965 to distinguish the first conflict known as the "Indochina War" from the second started in 1960 and referred to as the "Vietnam War".

During the Vietnam War, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device (1960–) was manufactured in the United States and governed by Republic of Vietnam Decrees No. 149/SL/CT of 12 May 1964 and No 205/CT/LDQG/SL of 2 December 1965. The medal was established by the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Order No. 48, 24 March 1966. The medal was awarded to military personnel, both South Vietnamese for twelve months wartime service in the field, and allied foreign military who had directly participated for six months in "a large-scale military campaign during certain periods of time". All RVN and foreign personnel who served less than six months must meet the following requirements: were wounded by a hostile force; were captured by hostile forces, but later escaped, were rescued, or released; or were killed in action or otherwise in the line of duty. Awarded in a single class, the medal was awarded under the authority of the Chief of the Joint General Staff, Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces.

Public Law 88–257 permitted U.S. military personnel to accept the medal for service performed in Vietnam from 1 March 1961 to 28 March 1973, inclusive. From March 1966 to March 1973, the medal was also awarded to any service member who, while serving outside the geographical limits of the Republic of Vietnam, contributed direct combat support to the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces for six months. This stipulation most often applied to members who performed Vietnam War support from the 7th Fleet (all members of the fleet serving off the coast of Vietnam), Thailand and Guam (air crews if aircraft out of Thailand and Guam; not ground support staff), and Japan. In such cases, a U.S. service member needed meet the criteria established for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam) or Vietnam Service Medal during the period of service required to qualify for the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Personnel assigned in the Republic of Vietnam on 28 January 1973 needed to meet one of the following: serve a minimum of 60 days in the Republic of Vietnam as of that date; complete a minimum of 60 days service in the Republic of Vietnam during the period from 28 January 1973 to 28 March 1973, inclusive.

The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal was awarded to Australian military personnel for service in South Vietnam during the period 31 July 1962 to 28 March 1973. The requirements for the award were: at least 181 days service, either continuous or aggregated, unless killed on active service (KIA); or wounded in action (includes psychological injury) and evacuated (medically evacuated other than being wounded does not meet requirement for medal); or captured and later released or escaped.

The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal was referred to as the "New Zealand Vietnamese Campaign Medal" (named the South Vietnamese Campaign Medal by the New Zealand Forces in South Vietnam). The medal was awarded to New Zealand Forces for service in Vietnam for six months between 1964 (arrived Vietnam June 1964) and 1973 (left Vietnam 22 December 1972). The medal was approved for wear in 1966.

The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal is considered a foreign award by the United States, South Korean, Australian, and New Zealand governments. The equivalent award from the U.S. Armed Forces is known as the Vietnam Service Medal. The joint Australian and New Zealand campaign medal awarded for service in the Vietnam War is the Vietnam Medal, with the Australian support service being recognized by the Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal. • Country — Preceding — Following • South Vietnam Order of precedence — Good Conduct Medal — Military Service Medal • United States Order of precedence — Multinational Force and Observers Medal (Army) Inter-American Defense Board Medal (Navy/Marine Corps) Multilateral Organization Awards (Air Force) — Saudi Arabian Kuwait Liberation Medal • New Zealand Worn in order of date of award Listed chronologically — Korean War Service Medal — Zimbabwe Independence Medal (Approved for restricted wear only)