A NEIN BIEN PHU BAR FOR THE INDOCHINA CAMPAIGN COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL?

[Gordon Craig]

Gentlemen,

In researching the battle of Dien Bien Phu I have found an Indochina Campaign Commemorative Medal with a bar for DIEN BIEN PHU and a bar for LEGION ENTRANGERE.  Was there a bar for DIEN BIEN PHU or a LEGION ETRANGERE?  Were any bars worn on the Indochina medal?

Regards,

Gordon

[Hendrik]

Hello Gordon,

No bars were authorised for this medal. The Dien Bien Phu bar is, to my knowledge, unofficial and the Légion Etrangère bar belongs to the "National Defence Medal". Below an example of the latter on a 1st class medal :

Regards,

Hendrik

[Gordon Craig]

Hendrik,

Thanks for your response.  So the Dien Bein Phu medal is unofficial.  Do you have any background information on it?  I assume it was some veterans organization that had it produced?

Regards,

Gordon

 

[Hendrik]

Hello Gordon,

French manufacturers have a long history of producing unofficial medals and bars. I think the motive is financial gain rather than veterans wanting to embellish their members' medal displays but that is just my personal opinion.

Regards,

Hendrik

[No one]

Dear Members,

 

The "Médaille Commémorative de la campagne d' Indochine" is official, it was created by the decree n°53-722 of August 1 1953. It is intended to reward all French soldiers who participated for at least 90 days in the Indochina campaign between August 16 1945 and August 11 1954.

It was attributed without bar.

 

The bar "Dien-Bien-Phu" is a fantasy, it as no historical value, only a mercantile one.

 

Yours sincerely,

Patrick

Edited July 28, 2022 by No one