Vietnam Wound Medal
Encyclopedia
The Vietnam Wound Medal was a military decoration of South Vietnam
first created in 1950. The decoration was the South Vietnamese equivalent of the (United States military) Purple Heart
, and was awarded to any personnel of the South Vietnamese military who, while engaged in armed combat with enemies of the Republic of Vietnam, were either killed or wounded in action.
During the Vietnam War
, the Vietnam Wound Medal was often issued to ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) personnel for combat wounds received fighting the forces of North Vietnam
or the Vietcong. The decoration was seldom bestowed upon members of allied militaries (such as the United States military) and then only if the allied soldier in question was attached and under the direct command of a South Vietnamese unit. For service members of the United States military, the Vietnam Wound Medal is not authorized for wear on a military uniform as it is the foreign equivalent to (or competes with) the Purple Heart medal.
With the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, the Vietnam Wound Medal became obsolete. It is now only available through private dealers in military insignia.
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...
first created in 1950. The decoration was the South Vietnamese equivalent of the (United States military) Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
, and was awarded to any personnel of the South Vietnamese military who, while engaged in armed combat with enemies of the Republic of Vietnam, were either killed or wounded in action.
During the Vietnam War
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...
, the Vietnam Wound Medal was often issued to ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) personnel for combat wounds received fighting the forces of North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
or the Vietcong. The decoration was seldom bestowed upon members of allied militaries (such as the United States military) and then only if the allied soldier in question was attached and under the direct command of a South Vietnamese unit. For service members of the United States military, the Vietnam Wound Medal is not authorized for wear on a military uniform as it is the foreign equivalent to (or competes with) the Purple Heart medal.
With the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, the Vietnam Wound Medal became obsolete. It is now only available through private dealers in military insignia.