MEDALS AND AWARDS MANUAL
5-B-15. VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL
a. Authorization. E.0. 11231, 8 July 1965.
b. Eligibility Requirements.
(1) General.
(a) Awarded to all members of the Armed Forces of the United States serving at any time between 4 July 1965 and 28 March 1973 in the area defined under the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for Vietnam.
(b) Awarded to all members of the Armed Forces of the United States in Thailand, Laos or Cambodia or the air space thereover, between 4 Juiy 1965 and 28 March 1973 and serving in direct support of operations in Vietnam.
(c) Members qualified for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal by reason of service between 1 July 1958 and 3 July 1965 (inclusive) in an area for which the Vietnam Service Medal was subsequently authorized shall remain qualified for that medal. Upon application, any such member may be awarded the Vietnam Service Medal in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for such service. However, no person shall be entitled to both awards for service in an area for which the Vietnam Service Medal has been authorized.
(2) Specific.
(a) personnel Eligible.
1. Shore Duty. Attached to or regularly serving for 1 or more days with an organization participating in or directly supporting military operations.
2. Sea Duty. Attached to or regularly serving for 1 or more days aboard a naval vessel directly supporting military operations.
3. Air Duty. Actual participation as a crew member in 1 or more aerial flights directly supporting military operations.
4. Temporary Duty. Service for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days, except that time limit may be waived for personnel participation in actual combat operations.
(b) Eligible Vessels, Shore Units and Flights. See enclosure (13) for Coast Guard units having service creditable for the Vietnam Service Medal.
(c) Limitation of Medal. The medal shall be awarded only for operations for which no other U.S. campaign medal is approved. No person may be issued both Vietnam Service Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for service in Vietnam (see paragraph 14.b. concerning election), and no person shall be entitled to more than one award of the Vietnam Service Medal.
U. S. COAST CUARD
5-B-15-b-(2)-(d) Stars. A Bronze Star 3/16 inch in diameter is authorized
on the suspension ribbon and ribbon bar of the Vietnam Service Medal for each of the following campaigns:
* denotes a Star
* I. Vietnam Advisory Campaign 15 MAR 62 to 7 MAR 65.
* II. Vietnam Defense Campaign 8 MAR 65 to 25 DEC 65.
* III. Vietnamese Counteroffensive Campaign 25 DEC 65 to 30 JUN 66.
* IV. Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase II 1 JUL 66 to 31 MAY 67.
* V. Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase III 1 JUN 67 to 29 JAN 68.
VI. Tet Counteroffensive 30 JAN 68 to 1 APR 68.
VII. Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV 2 APR 68 to 30 JUN 68.
* VIII. Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase V 1 JUL 68 to 1 NOV 68.
* IX. Vietnam Counteroffensive Operation Phase VI 2 NOV 68 to 22 FEB 69.
X. Tet 69/Counteroffensive 23 FEB 69 to 8 JUN 69.
* XI. Vietnam, Summer-Fall 1969 9 JUN 69 to 31 OCT 69.
* XII. Vietnam, Winter-Spring 1970 1 NOV 69 to 30 APR 70.
* XIII. Sanctuary Counteroffensive 1 MAY 70 to 30 JUN 70.
* XIV. Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase VII 1 JUL 70 to 30 JUN 71.
XV. Consolidation I 1 JUL 71 to 30 NOV 71.
* XVI. Consolidation II 1 DEC 71 to 29 MAR 72.
* XVII. Vietnam Cease-fire Campaign 30 MAR 72 to 28 JAN 73.
NOTE: No campaign stars are to be worn on the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, since stars on this medal denote participation in more than one authorized area of operations, such as Lebanon, Taiwan) Cuba, etc.
c. Procurement of the Medals. These medals shall not be stocked at field units. They shall be obtained for issue, as required, in accordance with chapter l-A-13-b.
d. Issuance. The medal shall be issued by the commanding officer. When substantiating records are not available the request may be referred in accordance with chapter l-A-19 or issuance may be made on the basis of an affidavit from the member concerned similar to the following:
AFFIDAVIT
I certify that I served on board (vessel or unit) from (date) to (date) under conditions which established my eligibility for the Vietnam Service Medal with (number) star(s).