§ 578.26 - Vietnam Service Medal.

(a) Criteria. The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) was established by Executive Order 11231, July 8, 1965. It is awarded to all members of the Armed Forces of the United States serving in Vietnam and contiguous waters or airspace thereover, after July 3, 1965 through March 28, 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.

(b) Qualifications: To qualify for award of the VSM an individual must meet one of the following qualifications:

(1) Be attached to or regularly serve for 1 or more days with an organization participating in or directly supporting military operations.

(2) Be attached to or regularly serve for 1 or more days abroad a Naval vessel directly supporting military operations.

(3) Actually participate as a crewmember in one or more aerial flights into airspace above Vietnam and contiguous waters directly supporting military operations.

(4) Serve on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days in Vietnam or contiguous areas, except that time limit may be waived for personnel participating in actual combat operations.

(c) No person will be entitled to more than one award of the VSM.

(d) Individuals qualified for the AFEM for reason of service in Vietnam between July 1, 1958 and July 3, 1965 (inclusive) shall remain qualified for that medal. Upon request (unit personnel officer) any such individual may be awarded the VSM instead of the AFEM. In such instances, the AFEM will be deleted from the list of authorized medals in personnel records. No person will be entitled to both awards for Vietnam service.

(e) Service members who earned the AFEM for Operation FREQUENT WIND between April 29-30, 1975, may elect to receive the Vietnam Service Medal instead of the AFEM. No service member may be issued both medals for service in Vietnam.

(f) Vietnam and contiguous waters, as used herein, is defined as an area which includes Vietnam and the water adjacent thereto within the following specified limits: From a point on the East Coast of Vietnam at the juncture of Vietnam with China southeastward to 21 degrees N. latitude, 108 degrees; 15′E. longitude; thence, southward to 18 degrees; N. latitude, 108 degrees; 15′ E. longitude; thence southeastward to 17 degrees 30′ N. latitude, 111 degrees E. longitude; thence southward to 11 degrees N. latitude; 111 degrees E. longitude; thence southwestward to 7 degrees N. latitude, 105 degrees E. longitude; thence westward to 7 degrees N. latitude, 103 degrees; E. longitude; thence northward to 9 degrees 30′ N. latitude, 103 degrees E. longitude, thence northeastward to 10 degrees 15′ N. latitude, 104 degrees 27′ E. longitude; thence northward to a point on the West Coast of Vietnam at the juncture of Vietnam with Cambodia.

(g) The VSM may be awarded posthumously.

(h) The boundaries of the Vietnam combat zone for campaign participation credit are as defined in paragraph (d) of this section.

(i) One bronze service star is authorized for each campaign under the following conditions:

(1) Assigned or attached to and present for duty with a unit during the period in which it participated in combat.

(2) Under orders in the combat zone and in addition meets any of the following requirements:

(i) Awarded a combat decoration.

(ii) Furnished a certificate by a commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that he actually participated in combat.

(iii) Served at a normal post of duty (as contrasted to occupying the status of an inspector, observer, or visitor).

(iv) Aboard a vessel other than in a passenger status and furnished a certificate by the home port commander of the vessel that he served in the combat zone.

(3) Was an evadee or escapee in the combat zone or recovered from a prisoner-of-war status in the combat zone during the time limitations of the campaign. Prisoners of war will not be accorded credit for the time spent in confinement or while otherwise in restraint under enemy control.

(j) Description. The medal is Bronze, 11/4 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”. The ribbon is 1 3/8 inches wide and consists of the following stripes: 1/8 inch Primitive Green 67188; 5/16 inch Air Force Yellow 67103; 1/16 inch Old Glory Red 67156; 5/32 inch Air Force Yellow; center 1/16 inch Old Glory Red; 5/32 inch Air Force Yellow; 1/16 inch Old Glory Red; 5/16 inch Air Force Yellow; and 1/8 inch Primitive Green.

(k) The Vietnam campaigns are provided in Table 7 below:

Table 7CampaignsInclusive datesStreamer inscriptionVietnam Advisory CampaignMarch 15, 1962 to March 7, 1965Vietnam Advisory 1962-1965.Vietnam Defense CampaignMarch 8, 1965 to December 24, 1965Vietnam Defense 1965.Vietnam CounteroffensiveDecember 25, 1965 to June 30, 1966Vietnam Counteroffensive 1965-1966.Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase IIJuly 1, 1966 to May 31, 1967 (see footnote below)Vietnam Phase II 1966, 1967.Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase IIIJune 1, 1967 to January 29, 1968Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase III, 1967-1968.Tet CounteroffensiveJanuary 30, 1967 to April 1, 1968Tet Counteroffensive 1968.Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase IVApril 2, 1968 to June 30, 1968Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase IV 1968.Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VJuly 1, 1968 to November 1, 1968Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase V 1968.Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VINovember 2, 1968 to February 22, 1969Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase VI 1968-1969.Tet 69 CounteroffensiveFebruary 23, 1969 to June 8, 1969Tet 69/Counteroffensive, 1969.Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969June 9, 1969 to October 31, 1969Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969.Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970November 1, 1969 to April 30, 1970Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970.Sanctuary CounteroffensiveMay 1, 1970 to June 30, 1970Sanctuary Counteroffensive 1970.Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VIIJuly 1, 1970 to June 30, 1971Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase VII, 1970-1971.Consolidation IJuly 1, 1971 to November 30, 1971Consolidation I 1971.Consolidation IIDecember 1, 1971 to March 29, 1972Consolidation II 1971-1972.Vietnam Cease-FireMarch 30, 1972 to January 28, 1973Vietnam Cease-Fire 1972-1973.Footnote: Arrowhead device authorized only for members of the 173d Airborne Brigade who actually participated in the landing in the vicinity of Katum, Republic of Vietnam, between the hours of 0800-0907, inclusive on February 27, 1967. A bronze service star affixed to the Parachutist Badge is authorized for members of the 173d Airborne Brigade for participation in combat parachute jump on February 22, 1967 per Department of the Army General Orders 18, 1979.