Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea was a campaign medal
created in 1991 by the Canadian monarch-in-Council
to recognize former members of the Canadian Army
, Royal Canadian Navy
, and Royal Canadian Air Force
who had volunteered to participate in the Korean War
, either on the Korean Peninsula
itself or in surrounding areas. It is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest of the war and operational service medals.
, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea is in the form of a 38 millimetres (1.5 in) diameter rhodium
plated tombac
disc
with, on the obverse, the Latin words ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA CANADA (Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen of Canada) surrounding an effigy
of Queen Elizabeth II, symbolizing her roles as both fount of honour
and Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces. On the reverse is a laurel wreath
with a maple leaf at its base encircling the words: KOREA VOLUNTEER • 1950–1954 • VOLONTAIRE CORÉE. This medallion is worn at the left chest, suspended on a 31.8mm wide ribbon coloured with vertical stripes in the shade of blue used by the United Nations
, yellow, red, and white.
had for a number of years received complaints about the absence of a volunteer service medal for the Korean War
, as had been provided for those who served in the Second World War
, Queen Elizabeth II, on the advice of her Cabinet
under Prime Minister
Brian Mulroney
, in 1991 created the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea to recognize any former member, living or deceased, of the Canadian Army
, Royal Canadian Navy
, or Royal Canadian Air Force
who had served in the theatre
of the Korean War, but did not, at the time, meet the requirements for the Korea Medal
. To qualify, individuals had to have fought with an army unit on the Korean Peninsula
for at least one day, served aboard ship in the Yellow Sea
or Sea of Japan
, flown a minimum of one sortie over Korea or Korean waters, or engaged in military operations for no less than 28 days within the qualifying area. 18,289 Canadian Volunteer Service Medals for Korea were distributed.
Campaign medal
A campaign medal is a military decoration which is awarded to a member of the military who serves in a designated military operation or performs duty in a geographical theater...
created in 1991 by the Canadian monarch-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
to recognize former members of the Canadian Army
Canadian Forces Land Force Command
The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
, Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
, and Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
who had volunteered to participate in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, either on the Korean Peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
itself or in surrounding areas. It is, within the Canadian system of honours, the second highest of the war and operational service medals.
Design
Designed by Bruce W. BeattyBruce W. Beatty
Bruce W. Beatty, CM, CD, FRHSC is a Canadian graphic designer best known as being chiefly responsible for designing the emblems of the Canadian Honours System, starting with the badge of the Order of Canada in 1967. The emblem is the shape of a snowflake - just as every snowflake is different, so...
, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea is in the form of a 38 millimetres (1.5 in) diameter rhodium
Rhodium
Rhodium is a chemical element that is a rare, silvery-white, hard and chemically inert transition metal and a member of the platinum group. It has the chemical symbol Rh and atomic number 45. It is composed of only one isotope, 103Rh. Naturally occurring rhodium is found as the free metal, alloyed...
plated tombac
Tombac
Tombac, as spelled in French, or Tombak is a brass alloy with high copper content and 5-20% zinc content. Tin, lead or arsenic may be added for colouration.It is a cheap malleable alloy mainly used for medals, ornament, decoration and some munitions....
disc
Disk (mathematics)
In geometry, a disk is the region in a plane bounded by a circle.A disk is said to be closed or open according to whether or not it contains the circle that constitutes its boundary...
with, on the obverse, the Latin words ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA CANADA (Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen of Canada) surrounding an effigy
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
of Queen Elizabeth II, symbolizing her roles as both fount of honour
Fount of honour
The fount of honour refers to a nation's head of state, who, by virtue of his or her official position, has the exclusive right of conferring legitimate titles of nobility and orders of chivalry to other persons.- Origin :...
and Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces. On the reverse is a laurel wreath
Laurel wreath
A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
with a maple leaf at its base encircling the words: KOREA VOLUNTEER • 1950–1954 • VOLONTAIRE CORÉE. This medallion is worn at the left chest, suspended on a 31.8mm wide ribbon coloured with vertical stripes in the shade of blue used by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, yellow, red, and white.
Eligibility and presentation
After the Chancellery of Honours at Rideau HallRideau Hall
Rideau Hall is, since 1867, the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 0.36 km2 estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of 170 rooms across 9,500 m2 , and 24 outbuildings around the...
had for a number of years received complaints about the absence of a volunteer service medal for the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, as had been provided for those who served in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Queen Elizabeth II, on the advice of her Cabinet
Cabinet of Canada
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
under Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
, in 1991 created the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea to recognize any former member, living or deceased, of the Canadian Army
Canadian Forces Land Force Command
The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
, Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
, or Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
who had served in the theatre
Theater (warfare)
In warfare, a theater, is defined as an area or place within which important military events occur or are progressing. The entirety of the air, land, and sea area that is or that may potentially become involved in war operations....
of the Korean War, but did not, at the time, meet the requirements for the Korea Medal
Korea Medal
The Korea Medal , sometimes referred to as the Queen's Korea Medal to distinguish it from the United Nations Service Medal, was a campaign medal created in 1951 to recognize troops from the various Commonwealth realms, except South Africa, who had given either one day's service in Korea or 28 days...
. To qualify, individuals had to have fought with an army unit on the Korean Peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
for at least one day, served aboard ship in the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden...
or Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
, flown a minimum of one sortie over Korea or Korean waters, or engaged in military operations for no less than 28 days within the qualifying area. 18,289 Canadian Volunteer Service Medals for Korea were distributed.