Brig Posted July 31, 2007 Share #1 Posted July 31, 2007 Description: On a bronze medal, 1 ¼ inches in diameter, an oriental dragon behind a grove of bamboo trees above the inscription "REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM SERVICE." On the reverse, a crossbow surmounted a by a torch above the arched inscription "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA". Criteria: a. Awarded to all members of the Armed Forces of the United States serving in Vietnam and contiguous waters or airspace thereover, after 3 July 1965 through 28 March 1973. Members of the Armed Forces of the United States in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia, or the airspace thereover, during the same period and serving in direct support of operations in Vietnam are also eligible for this award. To be eligible for award of the medal, individual must- - (1) Be attached to or regularly serve for one or more days with an organization participating in or directly supporting military operations; or (2) Be attached to or regularly serve for one or more days aboard a naval vessel directly supporting military operations; or (3) Actually participate as a crewmember in one or more aerial flights into airspace above Vietnam and contiguous waters directly supporting military operations; or (4) Serve on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days in Vietnam or contiguous areas, except that the time limit may be waived for personnel participating in actual combat operations. b. Individuals qualified for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for service in Vietnam between 1 July 1958 and 3 July 1965 shall remain qualified for the medal. Upon request, the individual may be awarded the Vietnam Service Medal in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. In such instances, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal will be deleted from the list of authorized medals in the individual’s personnel records. No person shall be entitled to both awards for Vietnam Service Background: a. On 21 August 1964, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (DCSPER) requested that The Institute of Heraldry provide proposed designs for the possible adoption of a Vietnam Service Medal. Proposed designs were submitted to DCSPER on 29 September 1964. The Vietnam Service Medal was established by Executive Order 11231, dated 8 July 1965. The design approved by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, 12 July 1965, and the policy for award was promulgated by DOD Directive 1348.15, dated 1 October 1965. b. The design, created by Miss Mercedes Lee, includes bamboo trees which are adapted from the flag of the President of Vietnam and the half-concealed dragon represents the subversive nature of the conflict. The crossbow, on the reverse, is the ancient weapon of Vietnam and the torch of the Statue of Liberty is a symbol of the United States devotion to liberty and freedom. The yellow ribbon with three vertical red stripes suggests the color of the flag of the Republic of Vietnam. The green border on each side alludes to the jungle of that Country. c. Soldiers receiving the Vietnam Service Medal are authorized to wear a bronze star to indicate each campaign. There are 17 designated campaigns during the period of 15 March 1962 through 28 January 1973. Units which receive campaign credit for any of the campaigns would display a streamer with inscription as shown on the unit's lineage and honors. The designated campaigns are: Vietnam Advisory 1962-1965 Vietnam Defense 1965 Vietnam Counteroffensive 1965-1966 Vietnam Phase II 1966 - 1967 Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase III 1967-1968 Tet Counteroffensive 1968 Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase IV 1968 Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase V 1968 Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VI 1968-1969 Tet 69 Counteroffensive 1969 Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 Sanctuary Counteroffensive 1970 Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VII 1970-1971 Consolidation I 1971 Consolidation II 1971-1972 Vietnam Cease-Fire 1972-1973 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
36-tex Posted September 1, 2008 Share #2 Posted September 1, 2008 Is this a Vietnam made US Campaign medal? I found it for $3.00. It is missing the attaching pins. I assume it would have had to long pins on it. side shot and back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBFloyd Posted September 1, 2008 Share #3 Posted September 1, 2008 Classic in-country-made piece. Most had the French-style long pins at one time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got da Penny Posted April 21, 2010 Share #4 Posted April 21, 2010 I just bought this on eBay last week. Actually i was wanting a Vietnam "period" made one and all i was seeing was the newer "varnished" semi gloss looking ones. Well, this one was aged like an OLD PENNY and i took a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got da Penny Posted April 21, 2010 Share #5 Posted April 21, 2010 After looking on the back planchet for the MM, i was surprised not finding one. Curiosity got the best of me and i ended up finding this stamped on the RIM at 6 O'Clock :w00t: Stamped SIMCO I was wondering how common these are ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankEaton01 Posted April 22, 2010 Share #6 Posted April 22, 2010 Medal manufacturers frequently placed their hallmarks on the pendant rims during the 1960's. I believe the SIMCO mark was used by the E. & H. Simon Company. Medallic Art Co. still used rim hallmarks into the 1970's, but most of the other manufacturers had moved theirs to underneath the brooch pin by that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
11-Bull Posted April 22, 2010 Share #7 Posted April 22, 2010 I have an example in my collection of a Vietnam Service Medal rim stamped HLP in the 11 o'clock position. It is also stamped HLP - GI on the pin back. Never thought about looking for other rim stamped versions. Actually, I owned this medal for some time before I noticed the rim stamping. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted July 23, 2011 Share #8 Posted July 23, 2011 I've been recently picking up cased/boxed medals and trying to match maker's with DSA contract numbers, etc. Here's some examples that apply to the above two makers. First, the Williams & Anderson product. This was a carton of Vietnam Service Medals with a 1969 dated DSA contract number. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted July 23, 2011 Share #9 Posted July 23, 2011 There are six large flat boxes, each containing 40 individually boxed medals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted July 23, 2011 Share #10 Posted July 23, 2011 A closeup of the box label showing the DSA #. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted July 23, 2011 Share #11 Posted July 23, 2011 The brooch on the medal is marked with the diamond and a symbol that sort of looks like an "S" but I don't think its a letter "S"; and GI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted July 23, 2011 Share #12 Posted July 23, 2011 That same mark can be found on various Vietnam era medals as evidenced below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted July 23, 2011 Share #13 Posted July 23, 2011 As well as uniform badges. (photo courtesy to John ?) Note it's the same mark and this firmly establishes the above items marked only with a DSA contract number are in fact products of the Williams and Anderson Co. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted July 23, 2011 Share #14 Posted July 23, 2011 Next is E&H Simon Inc. Here's a cased Vietnam Service Medal with the E&H Simon label and 1968 DSA contract number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted July 23, 2011 Share #15 Posted July 23, 2011 A little clearer shot of the label: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted July 23, 2011 Share #16 Posted July 23, 2011 The medal brooch is actually marked SIMCO - GI, which kind of surprised me as I did not know Simon = Simco. I guess it makes sense Simco = Simon Co. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted July 23, 2011 Share #17 Posted July 23, 2011 Interestingly, the service ribbon is marked SIMON GI. I have a couple of these from the same lot and they are identically marked, so I'm pretty confident Simon did not have a diamond stamp in their company logo. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim B Posted July 23, 2011 Share #18 Posted July 23, 2011 Last PIC here, but I wanted to show that Simon also utilized a lighter blue box with a slightly different label (also 1968). Perhaps the government regs changed during this period and they had to change to the darker box to conform with everybody else? Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted September 7, 2011 Share #19 Posted September 7, 2011 I sold this Vietnam service medal on Ebay and the buyer says its a fake. Well this is what I sold, or rather one just like it. I bought a box of these from a dealer which I opened myself and these are the reasons I have been given for it being a fake/repro/copy. "1/ The medal raised details on both sides have been antiqued (usually with a dark lacquer or gun blue acid) to make the medal look much older than it actually is. This is evident when you how the medal at an angle to the light, the darkened areas reflect the light and goes opaque, giving the raised details of the medal a white halo effect. You can practically see the brush marks. 2/ All the packaging is bright, crisp and new and so are the reverse sides of the attaching clips and bars. 3/ The text font on both sides of the medal are too narrow. The originals have bolder text with a rounded surface. 4/ The strike (stamping) of the medal is rather crude when examined under a magnifying glass. Lots of the fine details are missing from the dragon. An original has a deeper strike (also making the text bolder). The cross-bar of the cross bow should be thicker. There are also many, many other small details which are just not right in the medal strike. 5/ The components for connecting the medal disc to the ribbon are too thin and flimsy. The suspension wire loop is also not soldered closed. I appreciate the box has authentic looking details on it, but that is all part of the illusion of fakery." I would like for members to leave comments to help both myself and my buyer out here. Pictures of another from the same batch follow. Obviously there will be some differences and the one I sold was completely unopened. I took this one out to photograph. Cheers. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted September 7, 2011 Share #20 Posted September 7, 2011 A few more.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted September 7, 2011 Share #21 Posted September 7, 2011 last ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted September 7, 2011 Share #22 Posted September 7, 2011 Sorry, one more of suspension ring and box with 1969 contract date Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankEaton01 Posted September 8, 2011 Share #23 Posted September 8, 2011 It's definitely not a fake medal. To address your buyer's points: 1.) The medal in question was manufactured by the Williams & Anderson Co. That particular company used an oxidation and lacquer process which results in a distinctive "antiqued" look. The same finish is evident on other medals manufactured by W&A. It's simply the result of their manufacturing technique and not evidence of artificial aging. Other medal manufacturers produced Vietnam Service Medals with different finishes. 2.) The packaging is bright and crisp because Vietnam Service Medals were produced in such quantities that entire crates of them are still around, unissued and untouched for the past 40 years. 3.) Several different manufacturers produced Vietnam Service Medals, including Williams & Anderson, His Lordship Products, Volupte, and E&H Simon. Minor quality, detail, and finish differences exist between the contract variations. Also, detail can be lost as the medal dies become worn. 4.) See #3. 5.) False; the suspension ring is perfectly correct for this medal. Suspension rings were soldered closed on pre-WWII decorations (DSC & Navy Cross come to mind) and some early miniature medals, but I've never seen this done on WWII and later campaign medals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agate hunter Posted November 13, 2013 Share #24 Posted November 13, 2013 Just got this medal from a Vietnam veteran, I believe it is a incountry made Vietnamese medal, let me know what you all think. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1SG_1st_Cav Posted November 13, 2013 Share #25 Posted November 13, 2013 Absolutely made in Vietnam. Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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