mmerc20 Posted January 6, 2019 Share #1 Posted January 6, 2019 I'm usually pretty good with medals/ribbons but this 214 is a little confusing. I was hoping to get some help, at least on the ribbons he would have worn up to his retirement in 1977. I have copies of most of his awards but was wondering when someone was awarded the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, once with a gold star, once with a silver, and once with a Palm, would he wear three separate ribbons, one with each? Also, the 214 is jumbled together and I'm curious what I'm missing on his ribbons (other attached photo). Would you think the "UNCG w/PL" is actually the VNCG with palm? I have the orders for it. Do I have any glaring mistakes? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan H. Posted January 6, 2019 Share #2 Posted January 6, 2019 Actually, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry ribbon would be worn with all three devices- NOT three separate ribbons, each with one device.Here is a photo of General H. Norman Schwarzkopf in his class A uniform. Note that he is wearing the VN CG with three devices. I have taken the photo from his Wikipedia page- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NormanSchwarzkopf.jpg Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmerc20 Posted January 6, 2019 Author Share #3 Posted January 6, 2019 Thanks a lot. It's ironic that you mention him because I just found an OER signed as the senile eagle when Schwarzkopf was a LTC. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJohn#3RD Posted January 6, 2019 Share #4 Posted January 6, 2019 I am not an expert on the Air Medal and numeric vs. OLCs, but I believe that the individual would wear two silver OLCs and two Bronze OLCs. Individual stars and OLC on ribbons allowed up to four campaign stars or OLCs per ribbon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan H. Posted January 6, 2019 Share #5 Posted January 6, 2019 Big John, The army went to number devices for the Air Medal due to the unbelievably high numbers of Air Medals being racked up by helicopter pilots and crewmen. Chopper pilot Hugh Mills has a "67" on his AM ribbon. I noticed that the awards lists FOUR oak leaf clusters for the Bronze Star, so you are short one on the image of the ribbons above. One other small issue is that if you are representing the ribbons from 1973 (the evident date on the DD-214), the PH ribbon show be just above the Good Conduct ribbon. The order of precidence changed in the 1980's. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmerc20 Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share #6 Posted January 7, 2019 This is his 214 from when he retired in 1976. The 1973 date was actually his most recent security investigation but either way it shouldn't matter. There are a few award abbreviations I'm unsure of. This is what I see: Vietnam Service Medal National Defense Service Medal Korea Service Medal Korean Pres. Unit Citation USMC Good Conduct Army Good Conduct Parachute Badge Armed Forces Res. Medal VSN? Cbt Infantry Badge Vietnam Campaign Medal w/60 bar Purple Heart w/1 OLC Bronze Star w/V Army Commendation w/V AM (duplicate air medal?) Vietnam Cross of Gallantry w/silver star Overseas bars x4 Vietnamese Jump Wings Vietnam Cross of Gallantry w/ gold star Air Medal w/ 12 OLC Presidential Unit Citation Meritorious Unit Citation UNCG w/PL? Army Commendation w/1 OLC Bronze star w/4 OLC Meritorious Service Medal So what is a VSM? It's not a Vietnam service medal, that's already listed. On the 2nd row is an AM. Could that be a mixup because his air medals are on the last row. Finally what is a UNCG w/PL? Could that be another error and was meant to be a VN Cross of Gallantry w/palm? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettow Posted January 7, 2019 Share #7 Posted January 7, 2019 VNSM is probably UNSM for UN service medal for Korea. It is conspicuously missing. VSM would be VN Service Medal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmerc20 Posted January 8, 2019 Author Share #8 Posted January 8, 2019 I didn't think of that. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPTDAB Posted January 6, 2021 Share #9 Posted January 6, 2021 On 1/5/2019 at 11:18 PM, mmerc20 said: I'm usually pretty good with medals/ribbons but this 214 is a little confusing. I was hoping to get some help, at least on the ribbons he would have worn up to his retirement in 1977. I have copies of most of his awards but was wondering when someone was awarded the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, once with a gold star, once with a silver, and once with a Palm, would he wear three separate ribbons, one with each? Also, the 214 is jumbled together and I'm curious what I'm missing on his ribbons (other attached photo). Would you think the "UNCG w/PL" is actually the VNCG with palm? I have the orders for it. Do I have any glaring mistakes? Mike I would note that with the listed 2 years in country, based on the dates, this soldier would receive campaign participation credit for the following EIGHT (8) campaigns: 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 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 So the ribbon would bear one silver and 3 bronze service stars, i believe..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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