Vietnam Service Medal

• Name — Vietnam Service Medal • Presenter — the U.S. Department of Defense • Type — Military medal Service medal • Eligibility — Members of the U.S. Armed Forces • Awarded For — Service in geographical theater areas of Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia from 4 July 1965 through 28 March 1973 and the evacuation of Saigon (USN, USMC, and USAF) from 29–30 April 1975.

• Illustration — Ribbon with silver star, denoting service in 5 campaigns The Vietnam Service Medal is a rounded bronze shaped medal, 1 inches in diameter with a green, yellow, and red suspension ribbon. The obverse side of the medal consists of a figure of an oriental dragon (representing the subversive nature of the conflict) behind a grove of bamboo trees located above the inscription "REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM SERVICE". On the reverse, a crossbow (representing the ancient weapon of Vietnam) facing upwards with a ready to be fired lighted torch of the Statue of Liberty, above an arched inscription "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA". The service ribbon of the medal is 1 inches wide and consists of the following vertical stripes: three narrow (inch) strips of red with wider (inch) stripes of yellow in the center, flanked by even wider (inch) stripes of yellow on each side and narrow -inch stripes of primitive green on the ends. The yellow (yellow is traditionally the imperial color of Vietnam) with red stripes (the red represents the three ancient Vietnamese empires of Tonkin, Annam, and Cochin China) resembles the former flag of South Vietnam. The green border on each side alludes to the jungle of that country. Ribbon devices The Vietnam Service Medal is authorized three devices for wear on the suspension and service ribbon of the medal: • Arrowhead device: assigned or attached member of a U.S. Army or Air Force unit with direct combat assault credit for a parachute jump, helicopter assault landing, combat glider landing, or amphibious assault landing. • FMF combat operation insignia: for Naval personnel assigned to a Marine Corps unit during Marine Corps combat operations. • Service star (campaign star): for participation in or support of operations in the seventeen designated campaigns of the Vietnam War, a inch bronze service star is authorized for wear on the Vietnam Service Medal suspension and service ribbon for each of the campaigns from 15 March 1962 to 28 January 1973; a inch bronze star is also authorized for Operation Frequent Wind, 29–30 April 1975, for Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force personnel. A inch silver star is authorized in lieu of five bronze stars. One inch bronze service star is authorized for each campaign under the following conditions: 1. Assigned or attached to and present for duty with a unit during the period in which it participated in combat. 2. Under orders in a combat zone and in addition meets any of the following requirements: a. Awarded a combat decoration. b. Furnished a certificate by a Commanding General of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that soldier actually participated in combat. c. Served at a normal post of duty (as contrasted to occupying the status of an inspector, observer, or visitor). d. Aboard a vessel other than in a passenger status and furnished a certificate by the home port commander of the vessel that he or she served in the combat zone. e. Was an evadee or escapee in the combat zone or recovered from a POW status in the combat zone during the time limitations of the campaign. POWs will not be accorded credit for the time spent in confinement or while otherwise in restraint under enemy control.

The U.S. Department of Defense established thirty military campaigns during the Vietnam War which covered all U.S. service branches. In 2010, the Department of Defense consolidated the original list of campaigns from the original thirty to a list of eighteen by combining the U.S. Air Force campaign list with the other armed services. The U.S. Army, and U.S. Coast Guard recognize seventeen " bronze service stars (also known as campaign stars; 3 silver stars and 2 bronze stars) on the Vietnam Service campaign streamer. Additionally, the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force recognize Operation Frequent Wind (29–30 April 1975).

• DoD consolidated campaign periods for all services • * Name of campaign — Start date — End date * Vietnam Advisory Campaign — 15 March 1962 — 7 March 1965 * Vietnam Defense Campaign — 8 March 1965 — 24 December 1965 * Vietnam Counteroffensive. — 25 December 1965 — 30 June 1966 * Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase II — 1 July 1966 — 31 May 1967 * Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase III — 1 June 1967 — 29 January 1968 * Tet Counteroffensive — 30 January 1968 — 1 April 1968 * Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase IV — 2 April 1968 — 30 June 1968 * Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase V — 1 July 1968 — 1 November 1968 * Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VI — 2 November 1968 — 22 February 1969 * Tet 69 Counteroffensive — 23 February 1969 — 8 June 1969 * Vietnam Summer–Fall 1969 — 9 June 1969 — 31 October 1969 * Vietnam Winter–Spring 1970 — 1 November 1969 — 30 April 1970 * Sanctuary Counteroffensive — 1 May 1970 — 30 June 1970 * Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VII — 1 July 1970 — 30 June 1971 * Consolidation I — 1 July 1971 — 30 November 1971 * Consolidation II — 1 December 1971 — 29 March 1972 * Vietnam Cease-fire — 30 March 1972 — 28 January 1973 * Operation Frequent Wind (USN, USMC, and USAF only) — 29 April 1975 — 30 April 1975

• Original USAF campaign periods before DoD consolidation • * Name of campaign — Start date — End date * Vietnam Initial Advisory Campaign — 15 November 1961 — 1 March 1965 * Vietnam Air Defensive Campaign — 2 March 1965 — 30 January 1966 * Vietnam Air Counteroffensive — 31 January 1966 — 28 June 1966 * Vietnam Air Offensive — 29 June 1966 — 8 March 1967 * Vietnam Air Offensive Phase II — 9 March 1967 — 31 March 1967 * Vietnam Air/Ground Campaign — 22 January 1968 — 7 July 1968 * Vietnam Air Offensive Phase III — 1 Apr 1968 — 31 October 1968 * Vietnam Air Offensive Phase IV — 1 November 1968 — 22 February 1969 * Tet 69 Counteroffensive — 23 February 1969 — 8 June 1969 * Vietnam Summer–Fall 1969 — 9 June 1969 — 31 October 1969 * Vietnam Winter–Spring 1970 — 1 November 1969 — 30 April 1970 * Sanctuary Counteroffensive — 1 May 1970 — 30 June 1970 * Southwest Monsoon — 1 July 1970 — 30 November 1970 * Commando Hunt V — 1 December 1970 — 14 May 1971 * Commando Hunt VI — 15 May 1971 — 31 October 1971 * Commando Hunt VII — 1 November 1971 — 29 March 1972 * Vietnam Cease-fire — 30 March 1972 — 28 January 1973 * Operation Frequent Wind — 29 April 1975 — 30 April 1975