Talk:Gallantry Cross (South Vietnam)

Degrees of Gallantry Cross
It is my understanding that the degrees of the Gallantry Cross (individual awards) are derived from the level at which a person was cited, e.g. Palm device indicates citation by commander of armed forces ("cited at armed forces level"), Gold Star devide indicates citation by commander of Corps ("cited at corps level") and so on. The higher the level one is cited, the more prestigious the award. However, I did not think the Gallantry Cross as created by Decree No 74-b, 15 August 1950, allowed unit awards. This was created by decree No58/QP/ND of 20 January 1968, and repeats the scheme of degrees but on a collective basis.

My source is a 1969 publication called "Huy Chuong an thuong tron Quan-luc Viet-nam cong-hoa" (literally "Decorations and Medals of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Vietnam"), issued by the "Bo Tong Tham-Muu QLVNCH" (Strategic Technical Directorate of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Vietnam). The National Library of Australia holds a copy (call number VIET 1359, record ID 2828177). If you agree with this interpretation I think this page needs a little correction, and I'd be happy to draft same.

Guran70 03:46, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross was called the "Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry". The medal with a device came with a citation and the unit award (ribbon/palm/frame) came w/o a medal and w/o a citation: U.S. Army Awards Manual, 2006: Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation: The unit citation of the Gallantry Cross is awarded by the Vietnamese government for valorous combat achievement. It is awarded in four degrees as follows: a. With Palm--To a unit which is cited before the Armed Forces b. With Gold Star-- To a unit which is cited before a corps c. With Silver Star--To a unit which is cited before a division d. With Bronze Star--To a unit which is cited before a regiment or brigade. U.S. Marine Corps Awards Manual, 2006: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross) — Preceding unsigned comment added by YahwehSaves (talk • contribs) 18:31, 28 December 2011 (UTC) YahwehSaves (talk) 04:09, 14 February 2014 (UTC)

Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Medal
I believe the correct title of it is "Cross of Gallantry" rather than "Gallantry Cross." As to the comments below, I found them amusing and would merely note that some of us were country boys who did not find it particularly easy to learn to tie our boot laces. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.152.216.213 (talk) 00:29, 1 July 2019 (UTC)

The medal was initially awarded to anyone who learned to tie his boot laces, later it was up-graded to anyone who tripped over a root in the jungle, then eventually to anyone who actually shot at one of the enemy. The medal is awarded to any person or unit who served under MACV, thus making the award of the medal automatic to all Vietnam Veterans. It's a very elegant medal with a rare design, a cross with intertwined dragons. Crossed swords on a medal indicate war. 63.192.100.247 (talk) 20:54, 17 August 2010 (UTC)

Republic of Vietnam Awards Manual: Republic of Vietnam Medals and Decorations of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces--South Vietnam--1967: "The Gallantry Cross is awarded or awarded posthumously for accomplished deeds of valor or for displaying heroic conduct fighting the enemy, and have been cited at the Armed Forces, Corps, Division, Brigade or Regiment level." The medal with palm was issued with a ribbon bar with a large palm, and a "Republic of Vietnam" citation (unit award- ribbon, small palm, and gold frame; no citation). "The Unit Citation Emblem of the Gallantry Cross is awarded in the colors of the Gallantry Cross with Palm to military personnel in the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces and Allied units that have been cited and presented a decoration which is prescribed to be awarded on a collective basis." The "Palm" is written in the upper case by the military, like the ''French Croix de Guerre avec Palme — Preceding unsigned comment added by YahwehSaves (talk • contribs) 06:58, 3 January 2012 (UTC) YahwehSaves (talk) 04:09, 14 February 2014 (UTC)

Gold Cross of Gallantry?
I don't think the Gallantry Cross displayed for the article is gold, rather it seems to be anodized. 64.169.154.183 (talk) 15:20, 21 August 2010 (UTC)

Gold Ribbon
I've heard that the original Vietnam Cross of Gallantry was suspended from a different ribbon--a luxurious gold ribbon. Anyone else heard of this? Got any pictures of the different ribbon? 64.169.154.183 (talk) 15:39, 21 August 2010 (UTC)

FOURRAGERE
Mention should be made of the Fourragere of the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, which you would wear if your unit was awarded the Cross twice. It was a brilliant yellow-gold, with red intermixed. The practise was discontinued when the units were instructed to wear a gold-framed Vietnam Cross of Gallantry ribbon instead of the fourragere. So many awards were being given out during the Vietnam War that space on the uniforms would run out. 69.238.198.121 (talk) 01:17, 2 August 2011 (UTC)
 * I reworked what you added just a little bit and added a reference from the The Institute of Heraldry. Cheers. EricSerge (talk) 02:25, 2 August 2011 (UTC)

Its called the Vietnamese Fourragere. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.79.31.20 (talk) 06:10, 3 January 2012 (UTC)

Confusion
My understanding is that the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry was awarded to all foreign individuals and units which served in the Vietnam War, thus meaning that individuals received the large medal with crossed swords and also the gold framed unit ribbon as per their unit if they were attached or assigned to a unit. It seems that people think only the gold framed unit ribbon can be worn, which seems to be a mistake. Vietnam Veterans seem confused on this issue. I have not read the actual order, since I don't read Vietnamese; has anybody actually read the order to see what it really says? Is the order posted anywhere on the Internet? 2602:306:CEDF:1580:28E2:9C83:25DB:B14F (talk) 08:19, 7 August 2012 (UTC)
 * According to the US Army's Institute of Heraldry : "U.S. Military units were individually cited for award of the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) Gallantry Cross; however, the Vietnamese Government issued the award to all units subordinate to Military Assistance Command (MACV) during the period 8 February 1962 and 28 March 1973 and to U.S. Army Vietnam and its subordinate units for the period 20 July 1965 to 28 March 1973. This permits all personnel who served in Vietnam to wear the RVN Gallantry Cross unit citation." Hope this answers your question.  Cheers.  EricSerge (talk) 13:27, 7 August 2012 (UTC)

I explained this in my above posts: Only the individuals who were personally cited are authorized the medal with a device (palm is large size) and a citation. The unit citation authorizes only the ribbon, small palm, and gold frame; no medal, and no written citation was issued. The Civil Actions Medal (no devices) is also authorized and includes a citation, only to those individuals personally cited. The unit citation authorizes only a ribbon, small palm, and gold frame (no medal and citation was issued). YahwehSaves (talk) 04:09, 14 February 2014 (UTC)
 * President Thieu said in 1976, when questioned about the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry confusion, that there is only one Gallantry Cross and that American protocol did not apply to the South Vietnamese issuance of medals. When the unit was awarded the Gallantry Cross, everyone could wear the medal under South Vietnamese protocol.  The Americans, abashed at the number of medals that their own American troops were earning from the Vietnamese, limited the number of Vietnamese medals that could be worn on the uniform.  50.202.81.2 (talk) 05:43, 17 August 2015 (UTC)

**Here's something I came across: US military can only wear THREE medals out of the 20 or so decorations South Vietnam had. --The Cross of Gallantry, the Civil Actions Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. If you got more than one Cross of Gallantry unit citation, you could only wear the one ribbon with no oak leaves added. Originally the Fourragere of the Cross of Gallantry could be worn, but that stopped in 1974 apparently. Vietnamese medals were competing with American medals--US soldiers cannot wear the Vietnam Wound Medal because it competes with the Purple Heart, for instance. There's two different protocols, since both nations had different criteria. On my DD 214 I was awarded the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm. It didn't specify "unit". You can wear medals from Vietnam on your civilian clothes but only the three medals mentioned above can be worn on your uniform. There's TWO different sets of rules, one for South Vietnam and one for the USA and theses rules are very different. Hope this helps clarify the murky waters. 50.202.81.2 (talk) 07:31, 1 May 2017 (UTC)

One problem is medal sellers are selling for profit or giving on their own in good faith, unauthorized medals as authorized based on their own interpretation or someone else's personal interpretation and or rumor or kindness for the foreign award. None of the manuals say there is a limit to Vietnamese awards earned and worn does it? However, you will not find any photo of US personnel or generals wearing a Civil Actions Medal with palm or the Civil Actions Medal Ribbon with palm (no frame) because the medal and service ribbon (no frame) was evidently not authorized for US wear; just the Civil Actions Unit Citation ribbon with "frame and palm" is authorized for wear. The Gallantry Cross Medal and Gallantry Cross Unit Citation are separate awards/ribbons too, both authorized for wear if requirements are met.

In your case: if your DD 214 has "Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm" then you should have been cited and "received the medal with palm plus an unframed service ribbon with palm". What exactly did you receive? Did you know: you were being recommended for a decoration not necessarily the "Gallantry Cross"? Did you received the "Gallantry Cross medal with palm" and "Gallantry Cross service ribbon with palm" (no frame)? You may, or may not have gotten the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross "citation-decree" that comes with the "medal" award - thus maybe some confusion resulted?

You also are entitled to the Gallantry Cross unit award (no citation-decree). As I see it, you are authorized the Gallantry Cross medal with palm/service ribbon with palm, and the Gallantry Cross framed service ribbon with palm with any of your other American and RVN service ribbons.

Many deserved the separate and cited Civil Actions Medal with Palm and service ribbon with palm (no frame), like the infantry medics and corpsmen who held sick call etc for and attended the villagers while or besides doing their patrols and operations through villages ..., besides the Civil Actions Unit Citation (framed ribbon with palm). Does this help you? YahwehSaves (talk) 23:19, 15 May 2017 (UTC)