Vietnam Technical Service Medal
Encyclopedia
The Vietnam Technical Service Medal was a decoration of the Republic of Vietnam that was awarded between the years of 1964 and 1972 during the years of the Vietnam War
.
Also known as the Republic of Vietnam Technical Service Honors Medal, the Technical Service Medal was bestowed in two classes, one for issuance to commissioned officers and the other class for warrant officers and enlisted personnel. The award appeared as a propellered disc suspended from a blue-grey ribbon. The second class version contained two vertical red lines while the first class medal displayed an additional set of thin red lines down the center of the award ribbon.
The award of the Technical Service Medal was open to both civilians and military personnel who had performed duties “as technicians or of a technical nature” and had demonstrated “outstanding professional capacity, initiative, and devotion to duty”. The decoration was therefore a “behind-the-lines” type of award, mainly awarded to those who were engaged in support and upkeep duties for units deployed to the front lines of the Vietnam War.
The two classes of the Vietnam Technical Service Medal were denoted by a slight variation in the award’s ribbon bar, with the suspension medal for the decoration identical in both cases. The Vietnam Technical Service Medal was occasionally bestowed to foreigners, but not to the extent as other well known Vietnamese awards such as the Vietnam Gallantry Cross
, Civil Actions Medal
, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal
.
The Vietnam Technical Service Medal became obsolete upon the fall of South Vietnam in 1975. The award is today only available from private dealers in military insignia.
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Also known as the Republic of Vietnam Technical Service Honors Medal, the Technical Service Medal was bestowed in two classes, one for issuance to commissioned officers and the other class for warrant officers and enlisted personnel. The award appeared as a propellered disc suspended from a blue-grey ribbon. The second class version contained two vertical red lines while the first class medal displayed an additional set of thin red lines down the center of the award ribbon.
The award of the Technical Service Medal was open to both civilians and military personnel who had performed duties “as technicians or of a technical nature” and had demonstrated “outstanding professional capacity, initiative, and devotion to duty”. The decoration was therefore a “behind-the-lines” type of award, mainly awarded to those who were engaged in support and upkeep duties for units deployed to the front lines of the Vietnam War.
The two classes of the Vietnam Technical Service Medal were denoted by a slight variation in the award’s ribbon bar, with the suspension medal for the decoration identical in both cases. The Vietnam Technical Service Medal was occasionally bestowed to foreigners, but not to the extent as other well known Vietnamese awards such as the Vietnam Gallantry Cross
Vietnam Gallantry Cross
The Vietnam Gallantry Cross was a military decoration of South Vietnam which wasestablished in August 1950. Also known as the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Gallantry Cross was awarded to any military personnel who have accomplished deeds of valor or displayed heroic conduct while fighting an...
, Civil Actions Medal
Vietnam Civil Actions Medal
The Vietnam Civil Actions Medal was a decoration of South Vietnam which was first established in 1964. The decoration is a mid-level service award which was awarded to any member of the Vietnamese military who performed outstanding civic service to the state or who participated in civil service...
, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
The Vietnam Campaign Medal is a military recognition awarded by the Republic of Vietnam, , to any member of the United States, Australian, New Zealand and allied military forces serving six months or more in support of Republic of Vietnam military operations.Established in 1966, the decoration is...
.
The Vietnam Technical Service Medal became obsolete upon the fall of South Vietnam in 1975. The award is today only available from private dealers in military insignia.