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RVHall
11-12-07, 01:11 PM
I am not clear as to what ribbons I should display for service in Vietnam. If you can advise me with a high degree of certainty, I would be most appreciative.

I have a board on which I display some photos and momentos of my service for the benefit of my family, including the ribbons. It is important to me that the ribbons displayed are correct.

When I left Vietnam, the commanding officer of 1st ANGLICO advised us as to which ribbons should be worn.
When I arrived at Camp Pendleton, the commanding officer said to take away two of the three bronze stars on the yellow and red Vietnam Service ribbon.

I served in Vietnam with 1st ANGLICO Sub Unit One from October 4, 1967 through October 24, 1968. We were attached to the 2nd ROK Marine Brigade, typically as two man teams. According to the 1st ANGLICO website (http://www.i-mef.usmc.mil/msc/1st_ANGLICO_Website/Lineage.htm)
the following honors might apply to the ribbons issue:

1. Navy Unit Commendation Streamer with Two Bronze Stars
(Vietnam, 18 February 1968-31 July 1969)
2. National Defense Service Streamer with Three Bronze Stars
(1 January 1961 – 15 August 1974)
3. Vietnam Service Streamer with Two Silver and Two Bronze Stars
(Tet Counteroffensive, 30 January – 1 April 1968)
(Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV 2 April – 30 June 1968)
(Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase V, 1 July – 1 November 1968)

If anyone on this site can figure this out, and advise me with a high level of confidence, I would be very thankful.

Semper Fi
Vance Hall

LCPLE3
11-13-07, 12:41 PM
You have earned those awards that you have listed but with no attachments.


http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/lcple3/art.jpg



If you want to list all your awards both unit and personal (Combat Action Ribbon,ect.) I will create a new graphic for you.


Semper Fi.

Sgt Leprechaun
11-13-07, 03:37 PM
Vance:

You rate the following:

Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon (No stars)
National Defense Medal (No stars)
Vietnam Campaign Medal w/ 3 stars (Tet Counteroffensive, Counteroffensive Phase IV, Counteroffensive Phase V)
(The stars should be bronze, not gold or silver). By the way, this is the ribbon that looks like the RVN flag.


Not listed above, but you also rate, is the Vietnam Campaign Medal. This is the green and white ribbon with a little metal 'ribbon' like device on it and the date '60- '. In precedence, this ribbon rates last in the row.

If you have any valor medals, they will take precedence over any of the above listed ribbons.

Your Good Conduct medal will fall behind the Navy Unit Commendation but before the National Defense Service.

If you earned a Combat Action Ribbon, that will take priority over ANY other decoration unless you have another 'personal' award such as a Navy Achievement, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, etc.

So, to wrap up...here, in writing (because I can't see the LCPl's pics) is how it would look:

Personal Award*Combat Action Ribbon*NUC*Good Conduct*National Defense*RVN Campaign*RVN Service

Hopefully, that makes some sense.

RVHall
11-13-07, 04:18 PM
Vietnam Campaign Medal w/ 3 stars (Tet Counteroffensive, Counteroffensive Phase IV, Counteroffensive Phase V)
(The stars should be bronze, not gold or silver).

Wow, that is very clear! Thank you very much Sgt. That confirms my opinion that the CO in the rear (stateside) wasn't as up to snuf as was the CO in country.

With some minor adjustments, I will have it correct, after 40 years. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. :D

And, LCpl. I also appreciate your assistance. It is a trivial matter to most, but really important to me to have it correct.

Semper Fi

Vance Hall
Tulsa, OK

Sgt Leprechaun
11-13-07, 04:27 PM
Your ribbons are NEVER trivial, Marine! :) I went to a cousin's funeral a few months back, former Marine, was a Scout dog handler. His family, god love em, had his ribbons displayed....he'd never done his 'rack' up apparently, and never asked for help.....so they put together his ribbons for him, what they thought he would have rated. Now, this guy was a very, very, proud Marine....but his ribbons were jacked. I tried to fix them as best I could, but it was impossible.

So, the moral of the story is, fix them now, while you can, no matter what. They are YOUR legacy to your family, and to yourself.

As a military collector, I have seen uncounted ribbons that some veteran earned, and the family had no idea what they were or are, and they were discarded for a pittance.

I am at your service, sir. I'd appreciate a picture of your display when you get it together!

FistFu68
11-13-07, 04:41 PM
:usmc: WELCOME HOME CPL.HALL :usmc: :iwo:

greensideout
11-13-07, 04:49 PM
The best way to know what you rate is to look at your DD-214. If you do not think that it is complete, you should request your medals and ribbons and they should come to you with a DD-215. It is not uncommon for them to not show on your DD-214 for some ops in Vietnam. With that in hand, go to a local recruiting office and ask them to pull the book that will tell you how to stack them. I know that you have at least two more that you rate, there may be others.

ggyoung
11-13-07, 05:47 PM
Cpl. Hall and GSO===========Some units were very good at puting in all the info needed for your medals and at awarding them. Some were not. I had to fight tooth and toe nail for my 1st PUC. I had to sumamit pitchers, unit direis and statments to get it. Try to find some of your buddies who were with you. Just reading your post there just might be a PUC for your Bn. and or other units you were attached to. Good luck

LeonardLawrence
11-13-07, 05:56 PM
Ribbon checker site. Plug in what you have and it will give you the order.

http://www.uspharmd.com/usmc/ribbons/ribbonorder.htm

1stRad2671
11-13-07, 08:57 PM
A year ago I wrote a letter to HQ and sent a bunch paperwork documenting my service and awards in order to substantiate what I rate for additional awards I did not receive while on active duty. Some awards didn't come along until after my active duty. During the summer I finally received a response confirming what I believed I rated. Just a few weeks ago I received another envelope from HQ. This time it had the papers I sent them as well as a few DD-215s. I'm still not sure why they have me rating an expert pistol badge.

LCPLE3
11-14-07, 01:17 AM
Wow, that is very clear! Thank you very much Sgt. That confirms my opinion that the CO in the rear (stateside) wasn't as up to snuf as was the CO in country.

With some minor adjustments, I will have it correct, after 40 years. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. :D

And, LCpl. I also appreciate your assistance. It is a trivial matter to most, but really important to me to have it correct.

Semper Fi

Vance Hall
Tulsa, OK


http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/lcple3/aaa1.jpg


Your welcome!

RVHall
11-14-07, 07:36 AM
LCPLE3 - can I have another favor? Your display would require an addition, the last item in Sgt Leprechaun's list below, the green and white Vietnam Campaign Medal with the small metal ribbon in the center. On the USMC site that he references, the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon is shown on row 1 and the remaining 3 are shown on row 2.

Can you create this for me?

Thank you very much for your efforts.

Vance Hall



Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon (No stars)
National Defense Medal (No stars)
Vietnam Campaign Medal w/ 3 stars (Tet Counteroffensive, Counteroffensive Phase IV, Counteroffensive Phase V)
(The stars should be bronze, not gold or silver). By the way, this is the ribbon that looks like the RVN flag.
.... Vietnam Campaign Medal. This is the green and white ribbon with a little metal 'ribbon' like device on it and the date '60- '.

RVHall
11-14-07, 09:51 AM
The best way to know what you rate is to look at your DD-214.

Thanks for that recommendation. I sent off my request for a DD-214 today.

Semper Fi
Vance Hall

RVHall
11-14-07, 10:03 AM
If you earned a Combat Action Ribbon, ......

OK, I know that I qualify, since I medivac'd out some number of ROKMC 10th Co. Marines that I lost count of after seems like 100 or so in my first four months. BUT qualifying doesn't mean you were awarded it. Typically, we ANGLICO field guys weren't awarded squat because the only witnesses were the ROK Marines. You needed to be an officer or a E-5 or better back in the rear to get awarded a medal. So do you think the DD-214 will show the relatively recent Combat Action Ribbon awarded retroactively, or how the heck do you figure this one out?

Thanks again for all this great advice.

Vance Hall


BACKGROUND:

"The Combat Action Ribbon was established on February 17, 1969,...."
"......signed into law by President Clinton on October 5, 1999, authorized the Secretary of the Navy to award the Combat Action Ribbon to members of the Navy or Marine Coprs who participated in combat during any period after December 6, 1941......"
"The Combat Action Ribbon originally took effect on March 1, 1961; however, with the passage of Public Law 106-65 (cited above), award of the Combat Action Ribbon may now be made retroactive to December 7, 1941."
"The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal decoration awarded to members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard (when operating under the control of the Navy) in the grade of captain (or colonel in the Marine Corps) and below who have actively participated in ground or surface combat."

LCPLE3
11-14-07, 10:56 AM
LCPLE3 - can I have another favor? Your display would require an addition, the last item in Sgt Leprechaun's list below, the green and white Vietnam Campaign Medal with the small metal ribbon in the center. On the USMC site that he references, the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon is shown on row 1 and the remaining 3 are shown on row 2.

Can you create this for me?

Thank you very much for your efforts.

Vance Hall

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/lcple3/aaa3.jpg


:flag:

RVHall
11-14-07, 11:04 AM
Thank you very much. I received the jpg image.

If it turns out that Clinton's retroactive authorization is official for those of us who served way back then, I might ask for more, but I'll wait to see what that DD-214 says, and go from there.

If you are ever passing through Tulsa, the beer's on me.

That goes for Sgt. Lep. and the rest of you here who offered your advice.

Semper Fi,

Vance Hall

Sgt Leprechaun
11-17-07, 06:02 AM
Vance:

Awards in Vietnam from what I understand, were typically done up in a packet style system. It would depend on your admin shop at the time, but quite likely you would have gotten the CAR for that time period. Your DD-214 will tell you for sure of course, but I'd bet you likely got one and just didn't know it.

If not, then you'll have to put in with the Navy/Marine Corps awards section, with documentation, for the award. The VA as well as your local VFW/Marine Corps League/American Legion should be able to help with that, and you can get a corrected DD-214, known basically as a DD-215, just a 2nd page with additional awards.

Keep me updated on how things go!

And...I might be passing thru your area sometime in late April...so I'll take you up on that beer! LOL

RVHall
11-17-07, 07:57 AM
Vance:
And...I might be passing thru your area sometime in late April...so I'll take you up on that beer! LOL:beer:
Late April is likely to find me in town, as my wife's b'day is then. Let me know what you drink, beer, wine, whiskey, or whatever. We'll enjoy an evening out on the back porch. For a while they were making a red table wine called "Jarhead Red", some percent went to needy Marines, and I've saved back a couple of bottles for special occasions during 2008. Also, if you are a cigar smoker, I usually have some official USMC cigars that aren't too bad.

If you have a lady along with you, my wife will enjoy discussing their obsessive Marines with her.

Others here gave me some advice on website software, and I've begun to construct a personal website to document my USMC service but more importantly to remember the Marines with whom I served. It will change weekly over the coming months as I learn the software and as I add. I began it last weekend, at www.anglicobluedragons.net (http://www.anglicobluedragons.net).

Hope your April trip works out, Sgt. Leprechaun. Semper Fi, and thanks for your assistance. I plan to pursue this ribbon thing farther.

Sgt Leprechaun
11-17-07, 10:21 AM
I certainly will. I'll be heading to Brooks City Air Base in the San Antonio area for my schooling around that time, so it'll just be me for sure. I'll take you up on the offer if I can navigate correctly LOL.

Keep me updated on your ribbon thing. And, if you don't have what you need, let me know that also, I can hit a PX and get whatever.

FistFu68
11-17-07, 11:04 AM
:evilgrin: MARINE IF YOU HUMPED THAT PRC.25,AND YOU'R RIFLE WITH THE ROK'S;YOU RATE THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON.I KNOW A FEW OF THE POGUES FROM MY REGT.WHO WERE BAC.AT DONG HA WHO RATE IT.THAT NEVER LEFT THE WIRE ONE TIME IN 13 MO'S!!!BUT ROCKET'S WERE POUNDING THEIR AZZEZ ALL THE TIME,I FELT SAFER IN THE BUSH;THAT PLACE WAS A CLUSTER FUC' AND A GIANT MORTAR MAGNET!!! WELCOME HOME MARINE.S/F:evilgrin: :iwo:

RVHall
11-19-07, 09:39 PM
:evilgrin: MARINE IF YOU HUMPED THAT PRC.25,AND YOU'R RIFLE WITH THE ROK'S;

Appreciate the vote of confidence. I know I rate it, but just working on how to make it official. I rarely saw any staff NCO's or officers with ANGLICO in the field to witness any combat.

Two exceptions:
A week before leaving RVN I was back in Brigade HQ packing up and was picked as the senior guy I guess to accompany a new ANGLICO Cpt. (pilot) who wanted to call in the fixed wing, so an officer did in fact go into the field. The Recon Platoon was preparing to assault a trench line across a river. We were calling for the fixed wing to soften them up. A USMC tank was in a depression filled with windblown sand, shelling the trench line. One of the tank cartridges that was thrown off the back landed about 5 feet in front of us and up popped a "bouncing Betty" about 3 or 4 feet into the air. The lid cracked open, it fell to the ground, and a little spiral of white smoke came out. Just one more lucky break for me, and I don't know what the pilot was thinking, but I'd like to.

The other upper echelon was when an E-5 came out to 10th Company CP the day after after a sniper had put a round an inch from my skull, and a couple of more missed when I was on the deck. Never saw others in the field other than we 2533's and the ROK Marines. We were only two man teams, sometimes just one so only the Koreans saw how much of a Marine you were or weren't.

Ask any of us peons and we'll say we saw enough combat to qualify, but today I don't know where anybody above E-4 lives who could verify that.