Merchant Marine Vietnam Service Medal Explained

Merchant Marine Vietnam Service Medal (Ribbon)
Presenter:	United States Maritime Administration
Type:	Individual Award
Awarded For:	Service in waters adjacent to Vietnam.
Campaign:	Vietnam War
Status:	inactive
Established:	May 20, 1968
Total Awarded:	5,000+
Higher:	Merchant Marine Korean Service Medal
Same:	Vietnam Service Medal Vietnam Civilian Service Award
Lower:	Merchant Marine Expeditionary Medal

The Merchant Marine Vietnam Service Medal (Ribbon) is a decoration of the United States Merchant Marine authorized on May 20, 1968.^[1]

Conditions

The decoration is awarded to officers and men for service aboard merchant vessels flying the American flag in Vietnam waters between July 4, 1965 and August 15, 1973.

Design

Prior to 1992, the Merchant Marine Vietnam Service Medal was a ribbon-only decoration. Afterwards, a medal was affixed to the ribbon. As follows is a design note: "the dragon is traditionally associated with Vietnam, the shoreline denotes service in the coastal waters adjacent to Vietnam, and the anchor symbolizes maritime service."^[2]

See also

• Awards and decorations of the United States government
• Awards and Decorations of the United States Maritime Administration
• Awards and decorations of the United States Merchant Marine
• Awards and decorations of the United States military

External links

• Laws Establishing Merchant Marine Medals

Notes and References

1. Evans Kerrgan. Orders and Decorations of the United States. Mallard Press, NY 1990. p. 70.
2. Web site: Mariner Medals – MARAD. www.marad.dot.gov. 8 December 2017. 14 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150414033046/http://www.marad.dot.gov/mariners_landing_page/mariner_medals/mariner_medals.htm. dead.