Soviet North Vietnamese Friendship Decoration

[Guest Rick Research]

According to Edward Emerich's "Orders, Decorations and Badges of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" the Friendship "Decoration" (actually a MEDAL) was created 20 June 1960 and is the only North Vietnamese award to bear a serial number other than the Labor Order. Emerich estimates 20,000 were awarded by the time this was superceded by the Friendship Order, created 28 January 1977.

First up, a matched pair of North Vietnamese and Soviet award certificates for the same Friendship Decoration, serial number 1,400, authorized 29 October 1966 and bestowed in or at Hanoi on 1 November 1966 to Comr. Viktor Mikhailovich Kasperov. There is no rank or unit, but then "tractor repairmen" and "agricultural experts" didn't have ranks or units, oh noooooooo.

BOTH are "in country" awards, on thick but typically "mushy" Vietnamese paper. Think cardboard toilet paper, and that about approximates these. There are watermarks through the background of both that do not show well in the scan, but can be seen on the yellow of the Vietnamese certificate. There was originally a light red design of the medal on its ribbon in the center of the Soviet version, which is now only a ghost-- sweated or faded away.

I have never seen any other documents for this award, let alone a matched pair.

[Guest Rick Research]

Here is an example (which does NOT go with the documents) of the actual award,

cased in a plain red covered cardboad box with a fitted lower pad (the cutout for which does NOT fit the medal, though it is supposed to) with cloth tape hinge and a metal case latch.

And a close up of the serial number 9568 and abbreviation of People's Democratic Republic of Viet Nam:

In the complete absence of ANY other documents, am unable to even guess what year any other numbers may have been handed out between 1960- 1977.