Vietnam Civil Actions Medal
Encyclopedia
The Vietnam Civil Actions Medal was a decoration of South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...

 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 actions of significant benefit. The Vietnam Civil Actions Medal was awarded in two classes, with the first class intended for commissioned officers and the second for enlisted personnel. It was not possible to upgrade one class to another or to wear both classes simultaneously.

Overview

A unit award of the Vietnam Civil Actions Medal also existed, known as the Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation. The unit awards was also referred to as the Civil Actions Unit Award with Palm or as the Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation with Civil Actions Colors.
The unit award of the Vietnam Civil Actions Medal was presented to all members of a military command who had participated in civic actions with such a degree that would normally warrant the presentation of the Vietnam Civil Actions Medal.

The unit award appeared as the ribbon for the Vietnam Civil Actions Medal (First Class), enclosed in a gold frame
Gold frame
A gold frame is an attachment to a military decoration which is issued by most of the world’s militaries. The gold frame is designed to enclose an award ribbon and is usually a means of distinguishing the ribbon’s special quality or denoting some additional achievement to the award's basic...

 with a centered bronze palm. Regulations did permit the simultaneous presentation and display of both the full sized medal and unit award, since the two awards were considered separate decorations. The Vietnam Civil Actions Medal was one of the more commonly bestowed Vietnam medals presented to the forces of foreign militaries.

In the United States armed forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...

, the Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation was most often awarded to units of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

 and United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

 which had participated in local police actions to suppress civil unrest in certain areas of South Vietnam. Other commonly awarded Vietnam Medals, received by U.S. forces, included 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...

 and 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...

.

In the modern age, the Vietnam Civil Actions Medal is an obsolete decoration since the awarding nation, the Republic of Vietnam, no longer exists. The decoration is only available through private dealers of military insignia.

External links

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