Republic of Vietnam Medals

[Guest Rick Research]

I don't know how to "date" American versions of RVN awards but I will offer this:

The RVN Campaign Medal star first type 1960s/70s while the war was still going on had a separate 3-D "hubcap" on the obverse. For whatever reason (economy?) these were followed by the one piece flat type.

This is the 1977 case one such "hubcap" type came in when I had my uncle put in for his awards:

[attachmentid=53832]

An example of the unofficial campaign date device, for a member of the US Armed Forces who earned his medal in 1967:

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close up:

[attachmentid=53834]

[Paul R]

Great stuff. My Father was in Viet Nam and I have his medals... He has the 60- clasp. I have never seen the 67 clasp before!!

[Guest Darrell]

13. Republic of Vietnam - Nation Order Knight (5th Class) Medal.

The National Order of the Republic of Vietnam was established in the summer of 1950 when the state of Vietnam became a part of the French Union.

The Nation Order was designed to reward persons living or dead who have distinguished themselves by grandoise works, by remarkable deeds in the discharging of their duty or by their lofty vitues or their outstanding knowledge.

The National Order was also designed to reward the various organizations of the Army, the officially recognized groups, the administrative agencies actuated by a lofty sprit of sacrifice and bravery and which have carried out actions whose glamor glorifies the country. The National Order could have been awarded to foreigners for diplomatic reasons.

It came in 5 Grades:

1. Grand Cross or First Class (sash and star)

2. Grand Officer or Second Class (Star)

3. Commander or Third Class (Cravat)

4. Officerm or Fourth Class (ribbon with rosette)

5. Knight or Fifth Class (Medal and ribbon)

This is the Knight Version.

Obverse:

Edited September 30, 2006 by Darrell

[Guest Darrell]

Reverse:

[Ed_Haynes]

Nice thread. Thanks Darrell.

So little is known about these RVN medals.

Does anyone have any real Veitnamese-made specimens to add? I find the ongoing manufacture of these in the USA to be an interesting historical relic.

[Dave Danner]

Nice thread. Thanks Darrell.

So little is known about these RVN medals.

Does anyone have any real Veitnamese-made specimens to add? I find the ongoing manufacture of these in the USA to be an interesting historical relic.

I suppose a somewhat close analogy would be to Weimar and Third Reich, and even post-1957, awards of Imperial German states. The states that had made the awards no longer existed, but there was still a demand for replacement awards among a large number of recipients, as well as a demand among collectors. The twist is that demand in that case was at least still in the same physical region, albeit a series of successor states.

Not sure of other apt analogies. Maybe French manufacture of colonial orders for states no longer in existence post-independence? British manufacture of Polish awards on behalf of the Polish government in exile after 1945?

France still makes Zairean awards for French veterans of the operations in the late 1970s, but there weren't nearly as many involved in those operations and not nearly as many Zairean awards to French soldiers as RVN awards to Americans.

I have some RVN made ones, but I don't have any scans.

[Kev in Deva]

1. RVN Wound Medal (French-Vietnam Made):

Instituted: 1953

Criteria: For military personnel who had been wounded in action and to government officials wounded in the line of duty by the enemy or rebels

Obverse:

Hallo Darrell,

great thread and some nice medals, is the paint job on the red wound star original or a touch up??

A good location to search for Vietnamese-French awards is Ebay France.

Kevin in Deva.

[JBFloyd]

I'm in the process of cataloging John Sylvester's collection of medals from Southeast Asia and will post some quick highlights now.

This is the specal Class of the Kim Khanh Decoration of the Republic.

Edited October 2, 2006 by JBFloyd

[JBFloyd]

And the Administrative Service Medal, first class.

[JBFloyd]

And Economic Service Medal, first class.

[JBFloyd]

The Finance Service Medal, first class. This is a variation with yellow enamel instead of white.

[Ed_Haynes]

Nice ones, Jeff. Many thanks. Good to see the real medals.

May these assume these from John's collection are coming forward at a prestegious auction firm known to us all??

[JBFloyd]

We'll have the RVN material in November, along with some Cambodian, Laotian and Socialist Republic material.

The RVN collection has some very rare items, in addition to the civil awards above. There's a Northern Expeditions Medal and a Medal for Campaigns Outside the Frontiers (see below).

[Guest Darrell]

Hallo Darrell,

great thread and some nice medals, is the paint job on the red wound star original or a touch up??

Kevin in Deva.

Looks like it could be.

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Some beautiful and well designed pieces here. I think this is another area that hasn't come into it's own yet. But I have seen alot more Vietnam related awards on Ebay these last couple of years. I still tend to shy away from them myself as far as collecting them. I grew up with that war on the TV every day and evening on the news plus in the papers, etc. Felt like I was surrounded by it. And to be honest felt it would go on so long that I too would end up going over to serve. And yet when it ended I'll never forget that there was really no reaction in the public over it... at least from my perspective as a kid. I remember riding the bus to school that day... nothing! And after all those years of studying WWI and WWII and seeing how they had all the ticker tape parades and celebrations... people gathering together to cheer the fact that the war was over. But with Vietnam... nothing! Granted it didn't end well for us but you would have thought there would be some kind of reaction.

Perhaps we were all just far too numb at that stage to feel very much at that point in time.

But I've never been able to bring myself to collect any, especially North Vietnamese pieces. Just too many bad vibes from all those years ago.

Dan

[Hendrik]

Looks like it could be.

The original and French made ones would appear to have been enameled as per the one I have in my collection. In any case, this thread has reminded me that I need to retake pictures of that part of my collection

[attachmentid=55890]

[Hendrik]

And, from the French era of things down in the southeast of Asia : the campaign medal with 1949-54 bar and its box which was good for all issues apparently.

[attachmentid=55891] [attachmentid=55892]

[Hendrik]

[attachmentid=55893]

[Hendrik]

[attachmentid=55894]

[Kev in Deva]

And, from the French era of things down in the southeast of Asia : the campaign medal with 1949-54 bar and its box which was good for all issues apparently.

Hallo Hendrik,

Do you know if there was a box of similar design prior to the instigation of the 1960 bar? just for the medals with 1949 - 54, or were all the medals issued from the same date??

Kevin in Deva

[Hendrik]

Hello Kevin,

I think it's fair to assume there was such a pre-1960 box but, unfortunately, I've no information on that.

Cheers,

Hendrik

[ilja559]

Dok

[hunyadi]

Picked this up today because of several factors. The "story" goes - and is plausable that a member of the small (about 150) delegation of Hungarian soldiers that were sent to Vientam to supervise the cease fire and to help with the demolition of mines and unexploded devices. In the program two Hungarians lost their lives. Sadly all that I know is that the member who apparently got these medals was a captain. He brought back these RVN medals as well as some US medals of Vietnam era production. As I dont know much about these medals I am posting them - all of these fall under the 'in courntry' quality of manufacture as they are all very rough in quality, not like the US manufactured ones. So here is what I call my 'instant' collection of RVN ODMs...

First off I laughed when I saw them and then found out what folks are asking for these on the net..

1) Distinguished Service Cross Navy 1st class

2) Distinguished Service Cross Army 1st class

3) Distinguished Service Cross Army 2nd class

Edited April 17, 2007 by hunyadi

[hunyadi]

1) Army Meritorious Serivce Medal

2) RVN Galantry Cross

3) RVN Campaign Medal with a 1949-54 bar

[hunyadi]

1) Special Serivce Medal

2) Unknown

3) Unknown

Anyone help out with identifying these?