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Hero who Destroys Communications Decoration was awarded in one class for destroying communication buildings and equipment.

Inscription below- DUNG SI DANH GIAO THONG (valiant soldier combat communications).

Bob

Hero Decoration - Valiant Soldier Assault awarded in one class for personnel making an assault on an enemy position.

Inscription above soldiers head- DUNG SI XUNG KICH (valiant soldier assault).

Bob

Heroes Who Destroy Mechanized Equipment. It was awarded for destroying mechanized equipment like tanks or armored personnel carriers and was only awarded in one class. Made of plastic.

Inscripton on bottom - DUNG SI DIET CO GIOI (Hero who destroys mechanized equipment).

Bob

Reverse of the above badges.

Bob

Heroes Determined for Victory Decoration CAP III for both the plastic and metal award. It was awarded in Three classes

and a special class UU-TU.

All the Hero Series awards are approximately 1-1/4 in diameter.

Bob

Hero Awards

May be awarded in three classes-

CAP I - First class

CAP II - Second class

CAP III - Third class

This Award is Heroes who Destroy Americans and is Cap III. It was (is?)worn on the right breast.

DUNG - SI DIET MY (valiant soldier destroy Americans) is inscribed above soldiers head.

The class to be awarded wa based on heroic actions against the americans and criteria set up by the NLF.

The helmet by the soldiers left foot has US on it. Made of plastic.

Bob

NLF Liberation Decoration Second Class. GIAI PHONG =Liberation

It was awarded in two classes to combatants in the NLF for achievements in liberating the south. The first class has two stars.

The ribbon frame is bent on this example.

Bob

NLF Oppose America Save Country (inscription on obverse of Decoration) Second Class decoration. It was awarded in two classes to possibly veterans of the war in South Vietnam before 1975.

Bob

NLF- Soldier of Liberation Decoration was only issued in one class. There is speculation that it was awarded in more than one class but hasn't been proven. It was awarded to individuals who helped to liberate the south. It is made of metal a little stronger than aluminum and is hollow on the reverse.

Bob

NLF Victory Decoration First Class (two stars). Chien Thang means "victory". It was awarded in two classes.

Bob

National Liberation Front (NLF) - Liberation Decoration Second Class (one star on ribbon). It was issued in two classes.

This style of ribbon with small ring to connect it to the award is called the "hero" style and is common to the NLF Decorations.

It was thought to be awarded to commemorate the unification of the country in 1975.

Bob

This ia a PAVN Victory Order Third Class like Ulstermans above but this one has a metal plate on the reverse.

Bob

Second Class- donated by the two stripes in the center of the ribbon- of the Victory Order of the PAVN (People's Army of Viet Nam) or also known as the North Vietnamese. It was awarded to company, platoon or squad level personnel and based on good couduct and army length of service from 1946-1954. The Order is made of aluminum.

Pictures below showing obverse and reverse of order.

Bob

That seems to be a well made piece. I have this one that I picked up at a coin show that people thought was a Chinese fake-but was a bring back. It's thin and obviously made in cruder circumstances.

I have always wondered how people got some of their awards. there are thousands of ex VC in the USA now and I'd love to talk to some of them about how they got their awards.

What you have on the left is a Third Class (one yellow stripe in center of ribbon) Order of Victory for the PAVN. The PAVN is the People's Army of Vietnam or also known as the North Vietnamese. The red enamel center is the official order but it can also be found with a gilt center.

The third class was for NCO's and enlisted men. The award was based on length of service and good conduct for serving in the PAVN from 1946-1954. This information from "Orders, Decorations and Badges of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" by Edward J Emering.

The badge on the right looks like a Communist Youth Group Badge.

Bob

This ia a Resolution for Victory Decoration. According to Edward J.Emering in his book "Orders, Decorations and Badges of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam" it was awarded in one class. There is a longer description of the award in his book.

This is a heavier made medal which looks like bronze. It was awarded to personnel seperated from their families while helping to liberate the south.

On the obverse "Quyet Thang" which means "Resolution for Victory".

Bob

Hello Bob.

The dove ("peace dove??" by Picasso if memory serves me right after many years) was a favorite symbol of the Vietminh. Displayed and used as a symbol of the lenient and peace loving Vietnamese people but ring a sad bell in this writers mind recalling the human wrecks who survived imprisonment he witnessed as a member of reception and honor detachments after the armistice in 1954.

Bernhard H. Holst

ex-Foreign Legion 1951 - 1957

Thank you for your comment and information.

Bob

Two different marks on the bottom of the bowls. The dove is thought to be made in North Vietnam and the green bowl with the black star on the bottom is Chinese made and exported to vietnam.

Bob

Here are three porcelain rice bowls 4-13/16 in.diameter and 2-1/8 in. high. All have a small hole in the bottom rim for a ring to attach to the

equipment belt.

Bob

This is a porcelain cup with lid. I have seen it called a cup or a rice cooker so it maybe used for several different jobs. It is 3-13/16 wide and

3-1/2 in. high without the lid. It has a North vietnamese Flag and writing on the cup which I was told meant "loyal to the country and dutiful to the people". It is thought that these were sold to raise money to fight the war.

Bob

Have you read the Press Kit?

http://www.scribd.co...-STS8-Press-Kit

Megan,

Thanks for the information on the Press kit.I checked it out and there is a lot of information there.

Bob

Last close up.

Bob

A close up of the chart.

Bob

This is a mission chart for STS-8 prepared and published by the Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center, St. Louis AFS, Missouri for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. This map is edition 1 May 1983. Since STS-8 didn't launch until Aug. 30,1983, this chart must be for proposed orbits. If anyone has any more information on this chart, please post.

The chart is 40-3/4 in wide,15 in. high and is two sided. It has orbits 1-48 on one side and 49-98 on the opposite side. The small numbers show the orbit. I never knew that the shuttle varied it's orbits to cover more of the earth.

The first two pictures how the chart in two sections as it was so wide to show in one picture.

There wasn't any other topic to cover this item so decided to post it here.

Bob

Trakkles,

I like your Red Cross Medals. Very beautiful and quality workmanship!! Thank you for sharing.

Bob

I must say, that this one, unfortunately, is my last "boom"-photo...

But it´s my favourite one!

It shows a railway-canon, 280mm L/40

Thank you for sharing your photos with the members on the GMIC Forum.

Bob